Languages Facts for Kids
Weird and wonderful language facts
Afrikaans is one of the youngest national languages in the world. It developed from Dutch settlers' dialects in South Africa and was only officially recognised as a separate language in 1925.
Bilingual people sometimes switch between their languages in dreams, and some report dreaming in a language they are still learning.
Indigenous Australian languages are among the oldest on Earth, with some linguistic traditions stretching back tens of thousands of years. Sadly, many are now endangered.
New Zealand Sign Language is one of the country's three official languages, alongside English and Maori.
A palindrome reads the same forwards and backwards. 'Racecar', 'kayak', and 'level' are all palindromes!
Tok Pisin, an official language of Papua New Guinea, is a creole language largely based on English. The word 'pisin' comes from 'pidgin', meaning a simplified contact language.
The longest place name still in use belongs to a hill in New Zealand: Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu. It has 85 letters!
The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis suggests that the language you speak can influence the way you think and perceive the world. For example, speakers of languages with many colour terms may distinguish shades more easily.
The Korean alphabet, Hangul, was designed in 1443 to be easy to learn. The shapes of the consonants actually represent the position of the tongue and lips when making each sound.
Arabic has over 100 words for 'camel', describing different breeds, ages, and uses. Languages often develop many words for things that are important in their culture.