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Luke Orris replied to Tal Sheleg's discussion Discussion 10
"It is really incredible that a dead language could be ressurected so successfully and become the spoken language of so many people today. Why did Ben-Yehuda choose Arabic and Aramaic to draw words from? Is it mostly just the linguistic and…"
Apr 30
Tal Sheleg posted discussions
Apr 30
Joyce Kim replied to Tal Sheleg's discussion Language Journal 4
"I think keeping a small notebook to carry around is a great idea! I feel like it will definitely help keep track of the words frequently used in actual conversation, and help improve conversation speaking at a faster pace. "
Apr 30
Tal Sheleg posted a discussion
Language Journal 4
One of the biggest things I have learned when it comes to learning a language is that I do not always need a formal lesson to practice. Language is for communication, and that should be how we practice. My dad has become one of the most important…
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Apr 23
Tal Sheleg replied to Grayson Charlton's discussion Discussion #10
"Hi Grayson, 
I remember being so shocked during your second presentation about tones in Chinese. To non-native speakers, it is super hard to distinguish the different meanings behind the tones. But now you mention that some people don't actually…"
Apr 19
Tal Sheleg replied to Sydney Vermeeren's discussion Culture Post 4
"Hi Sydney, 
I like how you are using class assignments to help you prepare for your study abroad next semester! I had no idea how many people in China used social media. It is also interesting how they have different platforms than we do. It sounds…"
Apr 19
Tal Sheleg replied to Krystal Lin's discussion Culture #3
"Hi Krystal, 
I did not know about the significance of seasonal changes in South Korea. It is beautiful how the arrival of the cherry blossom shows change. Here in Richmond, I love looking at the cherry blossoms, but I never really focus on the color…"
Apr 19
Tal Sheleg posted a discussion
Cultural Artifact
For my last cultural artifact, I wanted to choose something bigger than a single object. So instead of doing one singular thing, I want to talk about the Old City of Jerusalem. Although this is quite a large city, it feels impossible to talk about…
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Apr 19
Emma Butcher replied to Tal Sheleg's discussion Learning Language Journal
"I completely understand the difficulty of learning a new alphabet. I had to do the same with Korean as well. When you talk about the letter for bet, making a b sound or a v sound, I also relate to this. When I learned the Korean alphabet, I thought…"
Apr 5
Tal Sheleg posted a discussion
Discussion 10
If I got a research grant for a linguistic study of Hebrew, I would want to explore the “new” words in Modern Hebrew, the ones that didn’t exist in Biblical Hebrew and had to be created. Words like “car” or “newspaper” didn't exist thousands of…
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Apr 5
Tal Sheleg replied to Kaylee Wyrick's discussion Discussion Post #8
"Hi Kaylee, 
Thank you for sharing about your target language here! It is so important that you point out that many indigenous languages are becoming extinct becuase of development. In some cases, they are being forced off their land by colonialism,…"
Apr 5
Tal Sheleg posted discussions
Mar 31
Tal Sheleg replied to Emma Butcher's discussion Discussion Post #8
"Hi Emma, 
It is sad to hear that so many languages around the world are going extinct. The solution is really what you highlighted, passing the language on to the next generations. I had no idea that New Zealand started to offer Maori in schools.…"
Mar 29
Tal Sheleg posted a discussion
Discussion Post 7
Things are going pretty well so far. Before this class, I honestly had no idea what to expect, but I’ve really enjoyed learning about linguistics. I especially like hearing how everyone in class is approaching their language learning. It’s…
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Mar 26
Kaylee Wyrick replied to Tal Sheleg's discussion Discussion Post 6
"This is so interesting, thank you for sharing this! The reintroduction of a language that bordered on extinction is a wonderful thing, and I think it's very cool that you are putting in the work to keep Hebrew alive. The new vocabulary created for…"
Mar 17
Tal Sheleg posted a discussion
Cultural Artifact 3
For my third artifact, I picked the Dead Sea Scrolls, which are arguably one of the most important Hebrew cultural artifacts ever discovered. The scrolls were found in 12 different caves near the Dead Sea, close to a place called Qumran in Jordan. A…
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Mar 16
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Reflection Paper

Throughout this course, I have gained crucial knowledge and practical skills for learning a foreign language. Bahasa Indonesia is a beautiful language, and I am grateful for the experience of having practiced learning it. As a language learner, I have struggled in more traditional language courses, but the self-directed model has allowed me to get a better grasp of the language at my own pace. I took this course for fun, not for my communication requirement, which also made a difference because I came into the course with more enthusiasm–feeling that language learning was less of a “chore”, so to speak. I have learned a lot about my strengths and weaknesses as a language learner, but the self-directed model has increased my confidence and comfort level learning Indonesian. As a cultural explorer, I have realized the importance of engaging with media in the target language. Watching Indonesian TV shows and listening to Indonesian music have aided my immersion, understanding, and…

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Started by Kaylee Wyrick in Spring 2025 Ning Discussion Posts
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Cultural Post #4

Deaf clubs have historically acted as vital social clubs for deaf and hard of hearing individuals to not only find community during the oralist and other discriminatory movements but to advocate for their community. Oralism promoted speech and lip-reading over sign language and frequently discouraged or outright banned the wide use of ASL, especially in schools. As a result, many deaf and hard of hearing individuals experienced isolation from both hearing society. Deaf clubs offered sponsored events like holiday parties, athletic events, and plays among other things, and were the center of social life for members of the deaf and hard of hearing community, especially those who were doubly discriminated against for being a deaf person of color. The story of deaf clubs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZbgSBX3vYk&t=1sHowever, the popularity of these clubs has declined over the years because of a growing divide between the younger and older generation of deaf and hard of hearing…

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Started by Myanna Hightower in Spring 2025 Culture Posts
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Cultural Post #3

William Stokoe played a transformative role in the recognition of ASL as its own independent language as, before his research, ASL was regarded as a mere pictorial version of English. While teaching at Gallaudet University, the world’s leading university for deaf and hard of hearing students, Stokoe began closely studying the structure of ASL, recognizing patterns and linguistic rules that his collegues didn't, suggesting ASL functioned similarly to spoken languages. His observations led him to develop the Stokoe notation system, which became the first widely recognized written system for documenting ASL. This system transcribed the phonemes, or parameters, of ASL including handshape, location, palm orientation, movement, and non-manual markers/signals into a recognizable linguistic format providing undeniable evidentce that ASL was a language of its own, independent of English. It contradicted the longstanding beliefs of the oralist movement that emphasized teaching deaf individuals…

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Started by Myanna Hightower in Spring 2025 Culture Posts
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