Merkel’s Israel Trip Off to a Rocky Start

Staff / Truthdig Mar 13, 2008 German Chancellor Angela Merkel is scheduled to speak before the Israeli Knesset to underscore her country's strong ties with Israel, but at least one aspect of her visit is already causing controversy. Merkel will address the Israeli parliament in German. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

We’re All Immigrants

Marie Cocco / Truthdig Dec 4, 2007 The English language won't be done in by the influx of Latin Americans. To see the fallacy of this warning, just take a little look at American history. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

From the Mind of the ‘Commander Guy’

Eugene Robinson / Truthdig May 4, 2007 One need only listen to the president's definition of success in Iraq to appreciate the value of a full and immediate withdrawal. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

With Luck, They’ll Die With the Old Year

Staff / Truthdig Jan 1, 2007 Lake Superior State University has recommended the banishment of 16 words and phrases from the English language, including "Brangelina" and "ask your doctor." The annual list targets expressions that are irritating, overused or generally ill-applied. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Jabari Asim: The Stir Over Slurs

Jabari Asim / Truthdig Nov 6, 2006 Va. Sen. George Allen, who has a history of racist behavior, incomprehensibly wants us to believe that his opponent is no better -- because he has written novels whose characters use racist language. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

FBI Unable to Attract Arabic Speakers

Staff / Truthdig Oct 11, 2006 According to new FBI statistics, of the bureau's 12,000 agents, only 33 speak even minimally functional Arabic. It gets worse: Of the 33, none work on international terrorism. (h/t: Think Progress) Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Sam Harris: The Language of Ignorance

Sam Harris / Truthdig Aug 16, 2006 The bestselling secularist author of "The End of Faith" delivers a scathing review of "The Language of God," a new book by Human Genome Project head Francis Collins that attempts to demonstrate a harmony between science and evangelical Christianity. Dig deeper ( 13 Min. Read )

White House in Disarray Over English Language Directive

Staff / Truthdig May 20, 2006 Attorney General Alberto Gonzales claims that Bush has never supported making English the national language, but White House Press Secretary Tony Snow just said the opposite. (And the Senate just voted to make it so.) Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

What? You Expected Real Lobbying Reform?

Staff / Truthdig Apr 24, 2006 House Republican leaders have stripped a pending bill of language that would require lobbyists to disclose their fundraising activities and contacts with lawmakers. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Do-it-Yourself Iraqi Documents Search

Staff / Truthdig Mar 28, 2006 Now that 48,000 boxes of Arabic-language Iraqi documents captured in Iraq have hit the web, armchair analysts have their work cut out for them. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Mandarin Challenging English As Tongue of Diplomacy

Staff / Truthdig Jan 12, 2006 China wants to raise the number of foreigners studying Mandarin to 100 million by 2010 | storySo-called Confucius Institutes are popping up all over the world to teach the languagenytimescom/2006/01/11/international/asia/11chinahtml" title="story">story. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Bush Funds Exotic Languages in Schools

Staff / Truthdig Jan 6, 2006 Kindergartners to learn Arabic, Farsi, Chinese. | more Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )