langoLAB wants YOU!
As previously alluded to in Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes, langoLAB has been inducted into a prominent seed capital program in Boston. Program affiliates, including (but not limited to) founders of dozens of successful businesses and venture capitalists, have given a tremendous vote of confidence in the success of our project. We're in an ideal environment to make fast progress and we're scaling a steep learning curve every day.
Unfortunately, our ideas are currently outweighing our developer power. We want to bring on a fourth cofounder - an entrepreneurial hacker with serious coding skills, who also has an interest in the nuts and bolts of the start-up world. Our fourth cofounder wouldn't be limited to just coding - s/he would take part in all aspects of growing our business (that's marketing, product development, etc.).
Here's what we need: an absolute maniac about writing great code. A person who is smart and creative, driven, and able to dream up cool things and bring them into existence. Someone who is ready to work for sweat equity and the role of founder in our company.
A lot of our code is in Java, compiled with GWT, and some is in Actionscript and Erlang. Java and JavaScript skills are necessary, GWT familiarity is highly preferred, and CSS is a plus. And we’re doing some really cool stuff in Erlang – so could you!
Entrepreneurial hackers, particularly compiler nerds and NLP enthusiasts, are encouraged to apply. You must be Boston-based (or prepared to relocate at your own expense). Please e-mail us at cofounders@langolab.com.
6.01.2009
Foreign Humor
A businessman arriving in Boston for a convention found that his first evening was free, and he decided to go find a good seafood restaurant that served Scrod, a Massachussetts specialty. Getting into a taxi, he asked the cab driver, "Do you know where I can get Scrod around here?" "Sure," said the cabdriver. "I know a few places... but I can tell you it's not often I hear someone use the third-person pluperfect indicative anymore!"
One of the most difficult things to understand in a foreign language is jokes. Often the problem doesn't lie in translation. It's not just the words and grammar involved. It's the other cultural nuances that go along with them that make them funny. Have you ever been told a joke by someone who tried to translate it word for word from their native language? Not so funny, right?
We at langoLAB totally understand. In the upcoming months, you should be seeing an influx of new comedy clips appearing on the site, which will give you ample opportunity to figure out "what're they laughing at, anyway?". Learn the words using one-click dictionary look-up, make them into flashcard sets, and read the notes that other users have left for you. Ask a question, read lesson pages. Soon we'll have phrase level support to help you understand phrasal verbs and much more. Stay tuned!
One of the most difficult things to understand in a foreign language is jokes. Often the problem doesn't lie in translation. It's not just the words and grammar involved. It's the other cultural nuances that go along with them that make them funny. Have you ever been told a joke by someone who tried to translate it word for word from their native language? Not so funny, right?
We at langoLAB totally understand. In the upcoming months, you should be seeing an influx of new comedy clips appearing on the site, which will give you ample opportunity to figure out "what're they laughing at, anyway?". Learn the words using one-click dictionary look-up, make them into flashcard sets, and read the notes that other users have left for you. Ask a question, read lesson pages. Soon we'll have phrase level support to help you understand phrasal verbs and much more. Stay tuned!
5.29.2009
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes...
Change is in the air at langolab.com. In the last week, we've had a major change of pace, complete with a change of scenery, a change in energy, and a change in support. In the next few months, the site will begin to take shape in ways we could only have imagined before. We're so grateful for the opportunity.
Shane, our rock star graphic designer in residence, is busy with a newer version of the site that will knock your socks off. You can help us, though, by telling us how we can design our welcome page better. The current version of our welcome page lets you watch a recently uploaded video immediately from the front page. You can also go directly to your language's homepage by clicking on it in the dropdown menu.
Our question to you is, what would you like to see on our welcome page? Would you like to start watching videos right away, or would you like more instructions about how to use them and our tools? What kind of videos would you like to see?
Please e-mail us at feedback@langolab.com - you'll never find ears more open than ours.
Shane, our rock star graphic designer in residence, is busy with a newer version of the site that will knock your socks off. You can help us, though, by telling us how we can design our welcome page better. The current version of our welcome page lets you watch a recently uploaded video immediately from the front page. You can also go directly to your language's homepage by clicking on it in the dropdown menu.
Our question to you is, what would you like to see on our welcome page? Would you like to start watching videos right away, or would you like more instructions about how to use them and our tools? What kind of videos would you like to see?
Please e-mail us at feedback@langolab.com - you'll never find ears more open than ours.
5.28.2009
Lost in Translation
I always supress a giggle when bellying up to a table in a foreign restaurant. Infamous for misspellings, horrible grammar, and overall comical translations, menus are great for a laugh.
In an effort to help out clueless American tourists, many restaurants abroad are offering an English version of their menu. But are you really getting what you ordered? See for yourself.
I think I'll brush up on my culinary Chinese, thank you.
What are some of the funniest menu items you've come across in your travels? Weirdest response wins an all-expense paid culinary tour of Thailand... just kidding.
In an effort to help out clueless American tourists, many restaurants abroad are offering an English version of their menu. But are you really getting what you ordered? See for yourself.
I think I'll brush up on my culinary Chinese, thank you.
What are some of the funniest menu items you've come across in your travels? Weirdest response wins an all-expense paid culinary tour of Thailand... just kidding.
5.27.2009
User-generated versus professional content
As you all know, langolab.com aggregates a broad spectrum of foreign language content for your viewing pleasure. Up until a short while ago, the majority of it consisted mostly of popular songs and short skits uploaded from YouTube. Then, we began to see a surge in artists uploading their own original work, like imaj, Kirsten Lepore, and Pavel Kartaev. We like to believe that the shift from YouTube to user-generated video clips reflects a natural progression happening within our site. On a very fundamental level, users provide the base of our content and take an active role in foreign language teaching and learning through the question and answer and notes features. These videos are important because they show how native speakers use vocabulary and even play with it in their language. By watching these videos and using our tools, you are learning everything from correct pronunciation to word order to syntax. We think this approach is essential to language learning and want you to have as much exposure to it as possible.
We believe the next logical step in LangoLAB's evolution should include professionally-generated videos and full-length movies. How many of our users out there have ever watched ABC's "Lost" and thought, hey! I would learn Spanish a whole lot faster if I had something so compelling to watch. Our next major task is to get some professional content out on the site for you. As this is a monumental task, we ask for your continued support in posting your own videos to the site. We love your enthusiasm and are working hard to bring you EXACTLY what you need to immerse yourself and become fluent.
We believe the next logical step in LangoLAB's evolution should include professionally-generated videos and full-length movies. How many of our users out there have ever watched ABC's "Lost" and thought, hey! I would learn Spanish a whole lot faster if I had something so compelling to watch. Our next major task is to get some professional content out on the site for you. As this is a monumental task, we ask for your continued support in posting your own videos to the site. We love your enthusiasm and are working hard to bring you EXACTLY what you need to immerse yourself and become fluent.
5.20.2009
Employment and Foreign Language Fluency
According to a recent article on CBS MarketWatch, foreign language fluency is fast becoming a key factor to landing many U.S.-based jobs. Employers are exploring the global marketplace like never before, and, as a result, their employees are being put in direct contact with customers and colleagues overseas. But are they fluent enough? Fluency in a foreign language requires years of intensive study, ideally while being immersed in an environment where the language is spoken constantly.
These opportunities can be somewhat difficult to come by for the typical American. In many institutions, foreign language courses are slowly being phased out of the curriculum and not offered until very late in a student's academic career. The current two-year high school requirement is only enough for a student to superficially grasp grammar, if s/he is lucky. In the worst case scenario, the two-year college requirement only reviews what the student should have learned in high school. Study abroad might not be financially feasible.
Fluency in a foreign language is not just the ability to put words together in a sentence, but, more importantly, the ability to communicate ideas and concepts. It is an understanding of both language and culture. So how can we expect to compete in a global marketplace where foreign languages have been learned since childhood? I think we just need to be smarter.
We need more interaction with native speakers and foreign media. We have to learn how a foreign language is actually spoken, then emulate the accent that we hear. We should practice speaking as much as possible, with someone who speaks the language better than we do. Many of these components are already in place on our website - immerse yourself in texts and videos, ask questions and read notes. Meanwhile, we'll keep working on other ways to help you increase your fluency in the spoken language.
These opportunities can be somewhat difficult to come by for the typical American. In many institutions, foreign language courses are slowly being phased out of the curriculum and not offered until very late in a student's academic career. The current two-year high school requirement is only enough for a student to superficially grasp grammar, if s/he is lucky. In the worst case scenario, the two-year college requirement only reviews what the student should have learned in high school. Study abroad might not be financially feasible.
Fluency in a foreign language is not just the ability to put words together in a sentence, but, more importantly, the ability to communicate ideas and concepts. It is an understanding of both language and culture. So how can we expect to compete in a global marketplace where foreign languages have been learned since childhood? I think we just need to be smarter.
We need more interaction with native speakers and foreign media. We have to learn how a foreign language is actually spoken, then emulate the accent that we hear. We should practice speaking as much as possible, with someone who speaks the language better than we do. Many of these components are already in place on our website - immerse yourself in texts and videos, ask questions and read notes. Meanwhile, we'll keep working on other ways to help you increase your fluency in the spoken language.
5.13.2009
Travel List
Hey, LangoLABBers!I keep a running tab of countries I would like to visit to learn more about their language and culture. Here's my updated list!
- India
- Argentina
- Japan
- Azerbaijan
- Egypt
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
