Speaking Tongues Podcast: Celebrating Voices, Stories, and Flavors From Around the Globe

Hello Language Lovers! It’s a new year and a new season of Speaking Tongues. Today, we’re welcoming Israel to talk about his languages of Cantonese and Welsh. Israel is a composer by day and a polyglot/language enthusiast/YouTuber/podcaster by night (though nowadays usually in reverse) from Hong Kong, based in Manchester. His interest in languages was sparked by his musical ear, and extends to a variety of language families; more recently, he's been drawn towards issues surrounding language, social change, and identity.

Topics discussed in this episode include: 

Why everyone should learn Cantonese 

Measure and counter words in Cantonese 

Using language to impact social change and identity.

A controversial stance on Cantonese language decline and revival 

Methods he’s used to help learn the Welsh language

Welsh language tools and resources 

As always, big thank you to Israel for sharing your stories, your adventures, your language and culture with all of us. If you enjoy this episode of Speaking Tongues, don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review the Speaking Tongues Podcast on Apple Podcasts and like and subscribe on YouTube so that other language lovers like ourselves can find the show! If you’ve been a long time listener of the show or a recent listener, you can now pledge ongoing support for the show on Buy Me a Coffee dot com or on Patreon dot com. Special shout out to Speaking Tongues’ recent supporters and Patrons Heidi L., Linnea H. , Pat N. and Yari A. For just $5 per month, you will have access to excerpts of this conversation that did not make it to the full published episode.  And as you know, I wrote a book! My food ‘zine of international language and cuisine, Taste Buds Vol 1. is available now for purchase! Check social media for the sneak peek inside of the book and make sure you purchase for yourself and your friends! Links to all platforms are below! 

To Find Israel 

https://www.youtube.com/rhapsodyinlingo, 

https://www.instagram.com/rhapsodyinlingo/

https://www.youtube.com/@seoijin

Speaking Tongues Podcast:

Follow on IG: @speakingtonguespod

Follow on Twitter: @stpodcasthost

Like our Facebook Page: @speakingtonguespod

Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJFOPq3j7wGteY-PjcZaMxg

Did you enjoy this episode? Support Speaking Tongues on Buy me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/speakingtongues

Pledge on-going monthly support. Join my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/speakingtonguespodcast

Buy my book here https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/elle-charisse/taste-buds-vol-1/paperback/product-wn2n46.html?page=1&pageSize=4

Hello Language Lovers! Thank you for joining me for this episode of Speaking Tongues- the podcast in conversation with multilinguals. This week, we’re talking with Babita Patel, a humanitarian photographer and founder of The KIOO Project, about her language of Gujarati. 

In this episode, Babita talks to us about her very international life and growing up speaking Gujarati in her home and community in New Jersey. We talk about some of the features of Gujarati that she finds fascinating (including a lack of curse words) and how she’s noticed language changing through generations. I should mention that Babita is an incredible story teller and she talks to us about a visit she made to Nepal, and a chance encounter on the holy Ganges river that led her to her humanitarian purpose in life. She tells us about the KIOO Project, which is on a mission to change gender dynamics in economically-challenged communities through photography and also we learn the funny story about how KIOO came to be named.

Big thank you to Babita for sharing your stories, your adventures, your language and culture with all of us. If you enjoy this episode of Speaking Tongues, don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review the Speaking Tongues Podcast on Apple Podcasts and like and subscribe on YouTube so that other language lovers like ourselves can find the show! If you’ve been a long time listener of the show or a recent listener, you can now pledge ongoing support for the show on Buy Me a Coffee dot com or on Patreon dot com. Special shout out to Speaking Tongues’ recent supporters and Patrons Heidi L., Linnea H. , Pat N. and Yari A. For just $5 per month, you will have access to excerpts of this conversation that did not make it to the full published episode.  And as you know, I wrote a book! My food ‘zine of international language and cuisine, Taste Buds Vol 1. is available now for purchase! Check social media for the sneak peek inside of the book and make sure you purchase for yourself and your friends! Links to all platforms are below!

To Find KIOO:

Website: https://kiooproject.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/KIOO.project/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KIOOproject

To Find Speaking Tongues:

Follow on IG: @speakingtonguespod

Follow on Twitter: @stpodcasthost

Like our Facebook Page: @speakingtonguespod

Subscribe on YouTube:

Did you enjoy this episode? Support Speaking Tongues on Buy me a Coffee:

Pledge on-going monthly support. Join my Patreon:

Buy my book here

Hello Language Lovers! Thank you for joining me for this episode of Speaking Tongues- the podcast in conversation with multilinguals.This week’s episode we are talking with Yara Elmjouie who is a James Beard award winning, Emmy nominated journalist for AJ Plus about his language of Persian. 

I’ve been a fan of Yara’s work for a long time and I’m thrilled to have had a chance to talk with him about Persian language and Iranian and Iranian-American culture and heritage. In this episode, we talk about some of his favorite things about Persian language, including direct object identifiers and its similarity to other languages he’s familiar with. We talk about growing up between the US and Iran, navigating the cultural differences between the two places. Yara talks to us about exploring rural parts of Iran with his dad and encountering first hand how language varies around the country. He also tells us about his path to becoming a journalist and being intentional about reconnecting to his Persian heritage. 

Big thank you to Yara for this conversation and for sharing your language, culture and your work with all of us. If you enjoy this episode of Speaking Tongues, don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review the Speaking Tongues Podcast on Apple Podcasts and like and subscribe on YouTube so that other language lovers like ourselves can find the show! If you’ve been a long time listener of the show or a recent listener, you can now pledge ongoing support for the show on Buy Me a Coffee dot com or on Patreon dot com. Special shout out to Speaking Tongues’ recent supporters and Patrons Heidi L., Linnea H. , Pat N. and Yari A. For just $5 per month, you will have access to excerpts of this conversation that did not make it to the full published episode.  And as you know, I wrote a book! My food ‘zine of international language and cuisine, Taste Buds Vol 1. is available now for purchase! Check social media for the sneak peek inside of the book and make sure you purchase for yourself and your friends! Links to all platforms are below!

To Find Yara:

IG: @yelmjouie

Eat This with Yara: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZd3QRtSy5LNyVe7FQmxlxzYOihiv8N7R

Speaking Tongues Podcast:

Follow on IG: @speakingtonguespod

Follow on Twitter: @stpodcasthost

Like our Facebook Page: @speakingtonguespod

Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJFOPq3j7wGteY-PjcZaMxg

Did you enjoy this episode? Support Speaking Tongues on Buy me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/speakingtongues

Pledge on-going monthly support. Join my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/speakingtonguespodcast

Buy my book here

Hello Language Lovers! Thank you for joining me for this episode of Speaking Tongues- the podcast in conversation with multilinguals. This week we’re staying a lot closer to home and talking about Dominican Spanish and Dominican culture in NYC with Anny of LaLorenzona. 

In this conversation Anny talks to us about growing up and navigating language between bilingual school and English only school. We talk about the way Dominicans in New York City speak Spanish with a rhythm that compliments the flow and pace of the city. Anny talks to us about encountering biases that people have sadly had against Dominican Spanish and how those connotations spurred her to action with creating her IG platform and in intentionally finding Spanish classes that supported and held space for her heritage. We’re also chopping it up about books and Anny shares a few of her recent Dominican reads as well as some of the reasons why it’s been so important to her to showcase books that showcase Latin culture to her son. 

Big thank you to Anny for having this conversation with me and for sharing your language, culture and our city with all of us.  If you enjoy episodes of Speaking Tongues, don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review the Speaking Tongues Podcast on Apple Podcasts and like and subscribe on YouTube so that other language lovers like ourselves can find the show! If you’ve been a long time listener of the show or a recent listener, you can now pledge ongoing support for the show on Buy Me a Coffee dot com or on Patreon dot com. Special shout out to Speaking Tongues’ recent supporters and Patrons Heidi L., Linnea H. , Pat N. and Yari A. For just $5 per month, you will have access to excerpts of this conversation that did not make it to the full published episode.  And as you know, I wrote a book! My food ‘zine of international language and cuisine, Taste Buds Vol 1. is available now for purchase! Check social media for the sneak peek inside of the book and make sure you purchase for yourself and your friends! Links to all platforms are below!

To Find Anny:

IG: @la_lorenzona

Speaking Tongues Podcast:

Follow on IG: @speakingtonguespod

Follow on Twitter: @stpodcasthost

Like our Facebook Page: @speakingtonguespod

Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJFOPq3j7wGteY-PjcZaMxg

Did you enjoy this episode? Support Speaking Tongues on Buy me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/speakingtongues

Pledge on-going monthly support. Join my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/speakingtonguespodcast

Buy my book here https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/elle-charisse/taste-buds-vol-1/paperback/product-wn2n46.html?page=1&pageSize=4

Hello Language Lovers! Thank you for joining me for this episode of Speaking Tongues- the podcast in conversation with multilinguals. This week, we are having a deep and impactful  conversation about Taiwanese language, heritage, culture and identity with Erica of Kuishimbo and the World Languages Project. 

What I love about this conversation is not only the way Erica tells a story, but also that we are taking a closer look at how language, the loss and gain of it, the way it’s used and weaponized, even criminalized can have lasting effects on generations of families in society. Erica talks to us about growing up in California of mixed Asian heritage and experiencing proximity to her parents’ languages. She talks to us about the disconnection she felt from her ancestry at times and some of the steps and practices she put in place to reestablish that connection. She talks about learning Taiwanese and how she’s been able to learn while she has been living in Taiwan for the past few years. I just want to give you all fair warning, there is a fair amount of discussion around trauma, both racial and generational, so if this is something that you’re also working through, I want you to be warned before you listen. 

Thank you to Erica for being so candid and so open in talking about not just your journey but also sharing your Taiwanese heritage and language with all of us.  If you enjoy episodes of Speaking Tongues, don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review the Speaking Tongues Podcast on Apple Podcasts and like and subscribe on YouTube so that other language lovers like ourselves can find the show! If you’ve been a long time listener of the show or a recent listener, you can now pledge ongoing support for the show on Buy Me a Coffee dot com or on Patreon dot com. Special shout out to Speaking Tongues’ recent supporters and Patrons Heidi L., Linnea H. , Pat N. and Yari A. For just $5 per month, you will have access to excerpts of this conversation that did not make it to the full published episode.  And as you know, I wrote a book! My food ‘zine of international language and cuisine, Taste Buds Vol 1. is available now for purchase! Check social media for the sneak peek inside of the book and make sure you purchase for yourself and your friends! Links to all platforms are below!

To Find Erica:

IG https://www.instagram.com/kuishimbomedia/ 

Website:https://kuishimbomedia.wordpress.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kuishimbo/

Speaking Tongues Podcast:

Follow on IG: @speakingtonguespod

Follow on Twitter: @stpodcasthost

Like our Facebook Page: @speakingtonguespod

Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJFOPq3j7wGteY-PjcZaMxg

Did you enjoy this episode? Support Speaking Tongues on Buy me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/speakingtongues

Pledge on-going monthly support. Join my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/speakingtonguespodcast

Buy my book here https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/elle-charisse/taste-buds-vol-1/paperback/product-wn2n46.html?page=1&pageSize=4

Hello Language Lovers! Thank you for joining me for this episode of Speaking Tongues- the podcast in conversation with multilinguals. Today, I’m so honored to have this conversation about Fiji Baat, also known as Fiji Hindi with Ang and Ash of the NoTies1879 Podcast. 

I think Ang and Ash are so very cool and extremely chill and In this episode, they talk to us about the painful history of indentured labor in Fiji that led to many Indians from all over India being brought to Fiji, which you can hear more about this history on their podcast. We talk about Indo-Fijian culture and what cultural elements, including religion, affect the spoken language.They talk to us about some of the other Indian languages besides Hindi which can be used in Fiji Baat. We discuss the structure of Fiji Baat and how Keiviti and English words are also used within the language. Now one big takeaway from this conversation which cannot be ignored is our discussion about identity and reframing their identity of being twice removed Indo-Fijians living in Canada. Ang and Ash talk with us about the journey to reconnecting with their “Fijian-ness' and understanding how to define it. The journey, as you know listeners, is also a part of the story. And again I encourage all of you listeners to subscribe and listen to their podcast so you can gain a deeper understanding of Indo-Fijian culture for yourselves. 

Big thank you to Ash and Ang for having this amazing, cool conversation and for sharing your language and culture with all of us.  If you enjoy episodes of Speaking Tongues, don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review the Speaking Tongues Podcast on Apple Podcasts and like and subscribe on YouTube so that other language lovers like ourselves can find the show! If you’ve been a long time listener of the show or a recent listener, you can now pledge ongoing support for the show on Buy Me a Coffee dot com or on Patreon dot com. Special shout out to Speaking Tongues’ recent supporters and Patrons Heidi L., Linnea H. , Pat N. and Yari A. For just $5 per month, you will have access to excerpts of this conversation that did not make it to the full published episode.  And as you know, I wrote a book! My food ‘zine of international language and cuisine, Taste Buds Vol 1. is available now for purchase! Check social media for the sneak peek inside of the book and make sure you purchase for yourself and your friends! Links to all platforms are below!

To Find NoTies1879: 

Podcast:https://open.spotify.com/show/3Jlh9tvTpgr5pRx1Khgpx2

IG: https://www.instagram.com/noties1879podcast/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/noties1879podcast

Web Links: https://solo.to/noties1879

Speaking Tongues Podcast:

Follow on IG: @speakingtonguespod

Follow on Twitter: @stpodcasthost

Like our Facebook Page: @speakingtonguespod

Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJFOPq3j7wGteY-PjcZaMxg

Did you enjoy this episode? Support Speaking Tongues on Buy me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/speakingtongues

Pledge on-going monthly support. Join my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/speakingtonguespodcast

Buy my book here https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/elle-charisse/taste-buds-vol-1/paperback/product-wn2n46.html?page=1&pageSize=4

Hello Language Lovers! Thank you for joining me for this episode of Speaking Tongues- the podcast in conversation with multilinguals. This week, we’re speaking with Avishta, the founder of Lingua Cultura,  to talk about her language of Mauritian Creole. In this conversation, Avishta talks about learning Creole and French as first languages growing up in Mauritius and her journey through varying languages around the world. She tells us about the influences of Indian languages on the Creole and we even talk about some of the other Creole languages that can be heard in the Indian Ocean.  Avishta talks about how the language is spoken in the diaspora and how it varies from the language spoken on the island. We also learn more about the Lingua Cultura Conference which Avishta started on Clubhouse during the pandemic. Make sure you’re subscribed to my Patreon to hear deleted portions of this episode about Creole in Academia and Mauritian cuisine Big thank you to Avishta for sharing bits of your culture and languages with us.  If you enjoy episodes of Speaking Tongues, don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review the Speaking Tongues Podcast on Apple Podcasts and like and subscribe on YouTube so that other language lovers like ourselves can find the show! If you’ve been a long time listener of the show or a recent listener, you can now pledge ongoing support for the show on Buy Me a Coffee dot com or on Patreon dot com. And as you know, I wrote a book! My food ‘zine of international language and cuisine, Taste Buds Vol 1. is available now for purchase! Check social media for the sneak peek inside of the book and make sure you purchase for yourself and your friends! Links to all platforms are below!

 To Find Avishta:  Instagram: @linguaculturaexp  Facebook: @linguaculturaexp Twitter: @LinguaCulturaXP  LinkedIn: The Lingua-Cultura Experience Clubhouse: Lingua-Cultura Experience 

Speaking Tongues Podcast: Follow on IG: @speakingtonguespod Follow on Twitter: @stpodcasthost Like our Facebook Page: @speakingtonguespod Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJFOPq3j7wGteY-PjcZaMxg Did you enjoy this episode? Support Speaking Tongues on Buy me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/speakingtongues Pledge on going monthly support. Join my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/speakingtonguespodcast Buy my book here 

Hello Language Lovers! Thank you for joining me for this episode of Speaking Tongues- the podcast in conversation with multilinguals. It’s no secret that I’ve been wanting to feature the Welsh language on this show for years, so I’m thrilled to have this conversation with Dafydd, host of the Life to the Full Podcast, about the Welsh language and culture in Wales. 

You’ll definitely want to stay tuned throughout as we learn a LOT of Welsh vocab and pronunciation this week. In this episode, Dafydd tells us about growing up speaking Welsh and English and attending school where Welsh was the language of instruction. He breaks down the Welsh language and how to understand and use the grammar and he even lets us know the one linguistic feature of Welsh that he loves. Since Wales is a bilingual country, we learn about where we’ll hear the language spoken and where we’ll see it while out and about. We take a pointed look at Welsh poetry including examples of the Cynghannedd rhyming pattern and Dafydd tells us about Welsh rugby, the longest place name in Europe and life in Cardiff. 

Massive thank you to Dafydd for this conversation and talking with us about your language and culture.  If you enjoy episodes of Speaking Tongues, don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review the Speaking Tongues Podcast on Apple Podcasts and like and subscribe on YouTube so that other language lovers like ourselves can find the show! If you’ve been a long time listener of the show or a recent listener, you can now pledge ongoing support for the show on Buy Me a Coffee dot com or on Patreon dot com. Special shout out to Speaking Tongues’ recent supporters and Patrons Heidi L., Linnea H. , Pat N. and Yari A. For just $5 per month, you will have access to excerpts of this conversation that did not make it to the full published episode.  And as you know, I wrote a book! My food ‘zine of international language and cuisine, Taste Buds Vol 1. is available now for purchase! Check social media for the sneak peek inside of the book and make sure you purchase for yourself and your friends! Links to all platforms are below!

To Find Dafydd:

IG: @dafyddmorse

@LifetotheFullPodcast

Listen to Life to the Full here https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/life-to-the-full/id1534223587

Speaking Tongues Podcast:

Follow on IG: @speakingtonguespod

Follow on Twitter: @stpodcasthost

Like our Facebook Page: @speakingtonguespod

Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJFOPq3j7wGteY-PjcZaMxg

Did you enjoy this episode? Support Speaking Tongues on Buy me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/speakingtongues

Pledge on-going monthly support. Join my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/speakingtonguespodcast

Buy my book here

Hello Language Lovers! Thank you for joining me for this episode of Speaking Tongues- the podcast in conversation with multilinguals. This week, joining me in conversation is Janny from MiLegasi and The Latina Mom Legacy Podcast to talk about her Colombian Spanish language and culture. 

In this episode, Janny talks to us about her upbringing between Florida and Medellin, Colombia. We talk about the pride that Colombians carry when speaking and representing their language all over the country. She tells us about ways that her family had been able to stay close to their Colombian roots through traditions and how in the area of Florida where she grew up, she was able to learn Spanish words and phrases of Caribbean origin. Janny talks to us about things she loves in Colombian culture including the humor and we even talk a bit about Colombian food. For the full portion of our food conversation, head over to my Patreon to hear the full 20 minute segment about all kinds of dishes you can find in Colombia. 

Big thank you to Janny for having this conversation with me and for sharing bits of your language and culture with all of us.  If you enjoy episodes of Speaking Tongues, don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review the Speaking Tongues Podcast on Apple Podcasts and like and subscribe on YouTube so that other language lovers like ourselves can find the show! If you’ve been a long time listener of the show or a recent listener, you can now pledge ongoing support for the show on Buy Me a Coffee dot com or on Patreon dot com. For just $5 per month, you will have access to excerpts of this conversation that did not make it to the full published episode.  And as you know, I wrote a book! My food ‘zine of international language and cuisine, Taste Buds Vol 1. is available now for purchase! Check social media for the sneak peek inside of the book and make sure you purchase for yourself and your friends! Links to all platforms are below!

To Find Janny

Website: https://www.milegasi.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milegasi/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/milegasi

Buy her book, "Nobody Told Me This About Raising a Bilingual Child: A Beginner's Guide to Bilingual Parenting" here: https://a.co/d/87ZAyZq

Speaking Tongues Podcast:

Follow on IG: @speakingtonguespod

Follow on Twitter: @stpodcasthost

Like our Facebook Page: @speakingtonguespod

Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJFOPq3j7wGteY-PjcZaMxg

Did you enjoy this episode? Support Speaking Tongues on Buy me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/speakingtongues

Pledge on-going monthly support. Join my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/speakingtonguespodcast

Buy my book here https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/elle-charisse/taste-buds-vol-1/paperback/product-wn2n46.html?page=1&pageSize=4