149 episodes

The podcast in conversation with multi-linguals. Join me each Monday as we sit down to discuss language and culture!

Speaking Tongues Elle Charisse

    • Education
    • 5.0 • 26 Ratings

The podcast in conversation with multi-linguals. Join me each Monday as we sit down to discuss language and culture!

    144. Speaking Georgian and Mingrelian 🇬🇪

    144. Speaking Georgian and Mingrelian 🇬🇪

    Hello Language Lovers! Thank you for joining me for this episode of Speaking Tongues, the podcast in conversation with multi linguals. Today, I’m speaking with Gvantsa about her languages of Georgian and Mingrelian. Gvantsa is a Master's student at the Technical University of Munich. Although she speaks several languages, her linguistic journey is particularly marked by a deep connection to Georgian, her native language, and Mingrelian, a language she has been intimately familiar with through family. 

    In this episode we discuss: 

    🇬🇪 Georgia’s relationship to the other Kartvelian languages

    🇬🇪 Changes of Georgian throughout the country including a town in the mountains with a different way of speaking

    🇬🇪 Folk tales, songs and dances in Georgian - including Georgian polyphonic singing

    🇬🇪 Speaking Mingrelian in families and the reasons why it’s become an endangered language

    🇬🇪 How Mingrelian is used and how it is expressed orthographically

    🇬🇪 How technology is changing the future of language study and how it has been helpful to her

    🇬🇪 Of course, we also had to talk about Georgian wine and food - so make sure you keep listening for that part of the conversation 

    Big thank you to Gvantsa for this incredible conversation about your languages and your culture. 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., Pat N. and John L.  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 Gvantsa: 

    https://www.instagram.com/felamushi?igsh=MXY4aWtwYzkzdWx0cA==



    To Find Speaking Tongues:

    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




    ---

    Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/speaking-tongues/message

    • 1 hr 7 min
    143. Speaking Mandarin

    143. Speaking Mandarin

    Hello Language Lovers! Thank you for joining me for this episode of Speaking Tongues, the podcast in conversation with multilinguals. This week, I’m joined by Emily of Language Travel Adoptee to talk about her language story and her journey of connecting to Mandarin Chinese

    In this episode Emily talks to us about: 

    💫 Her adoption story and her journey to deciding that she was ready to share it with the world

    💫 A reluctance she faced in connecting to her past and to the Chinese language

    💫 Healing and feeling her way through feelings of grief, shame and loss, turning it into into her power, her voice and her platform

    💫 Being authentic and helping other language learners navigate mental health

    💫 Taking initial steps in learning Mandarin and what she’s excited to learn on this journey. 



    Big thank you to Emily for sharing your story, for being vulnerable and for all the work you do around identity, confidence, and mental health. 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., Pat N. and John L.  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 Emily:

    Linktree: https://linktr.ee/languagetraveladoptee

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



    To Find Speaking Tongues 

    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




    ---

    Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/speaking-tongues/message

    • 1 hr
    142. Speaking Belize Kriol 🇧🇿

    142. Speaking Belize Kriol 🇧🇿

    Hello Language Lovers. Thank you for joining me for this episode of Speaking Tongues. This week, I’m thrilled to bring you this conversation with Belizean linguist, Silvanna Udz. 

    Silvaana Maree Udz, Ed.D., is a founding member of di National Kriol Council of Belize. In addition to ongoing Belize Kriol language outputs, she also spent seven years as an assistant professor teaching English in Taiwan, at Ming Cuan University,  researching di embryonic standardization of East Asian Englishes. Before that she worked at the University of Belize and at its pre-amalgamated colleges, teaching either full time or part time since 1981: Currently, she is an adjunct assistant professor at Galen University in Belize. Her current focus with Belize Kriol and the National Kriol Council of Belize is working with a team on updating the current Belize Kriol-English dictionary.

    In this episode, we discuss: 

    🇧🇿 The structure of Belize Kriol and some of it’s developmental origins

    🇧🇿 How she has worked with the team to document the changing language through usage

    🇧🇿 Standardizing spelling and learning the orthography rules

    🇧🇿 How education and getting kids involved in learning the Kriol early in school has proven successful

    🇧🇿 What we’re eating, drinking and doing while we’re spending time in Belize

    To Learn More: 

    National Kriol Council https://nationalkriolcouncil.org/the_council

    Kriol – Inglish Dikshineri

    https://www.sil.org/system/files/reapdata/91/95/49/91954925699176285931841170600318709537/BelizeKriol_EngDic_49337_2009.pdf



    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


    ---

    Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/speaking-tongues/message

    • 1 hr 1 min
    141. Speaking Basque

    141. Speaking Basque

    Hello Language Lovers! Thank you for joining me for this episode of Speaking Tongues, the podcast in conversation with multi linguals. This week, we’re talking with Eukene about her language of Basque. Eukene is a Ph.D. candidate in Linguistic Studies at the University of Miami. She is an advocate of minority languages and cultures. Her work focuses on the language variation in young Basque speakers and ethnolinguistic identities and attitudes towards Basque, both in the Basque Country and the Basque diaspora of Idaho.

    In this episode we discuss:

    - The perceptions of Basque being a “difficult” language and why that’s not true

    - Efforts that have been made over decades to ensure that children are learning the language

    - Trauma that exists within minoritized languages

    - The standard variety of Basque and the local languages spoken in Pais Vasco 

    - Conducting research among the Basque community in Idaho

    Big eskerrik asko to Eukene for sharing your language, your research 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., Pat N. and John L.  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 Eukene:

    Instagram & Threads: @minoritylanguaging2

    Twitter: @EukeneFL



    To Find Speaking Tongues 

    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


    ---

    Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/speaking-tongues/message

    • 1 hr 2 min
    140. Speaking Algerian Arabic

    140. Speaking Algerian Arabic

    Hello Language Lovers! Thank you for joining me for this episode of Speaking Tongues, the podcast in conversation with multilinguals. In this episode, we’re talking to Meriem about her Algerian language and culture, as well as architecture and design. Meriem is an Algerian-born, Doha-raised designer currently based in the US, coalescing cultural experiences into multidisciplinary design exploration and fabrication. 

    In this episode, we discuss

    🇩🇿The distinctions of spoken Arabic spoken in Algeria among other Arabics spoken in North Africa

    🇩🇿 Contrasts between Algerian and Gulf spoken Arabic

    🇩🇿 How the French colonization of Algeria has affected generations of speakers and educators

    🇩🇿 The way Amazigh culture and language and design are such a part of contemporary Algerian life

    🇩🇿 What to expect at an Algerian wedding and an Algerian birth

    🇩🇿 Rai music that we all know and love! 

    Big thank you to Meriam for sharing your culture, your heritage and your design sensibilities 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., Pat N. and John L.  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 Meriem

    @meriem.aiouna

    To Find Speaking Tongues 

    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


    ---

    Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/speaking-tongues/message

    • 1 hr 1 min
    139. Speaking Ktunaxa

    139. Speaking Ktunaxa

    Hello Language Lovers! Thanks for tuning in to this new episode. This week we’re speaking with Aiyana (IG@ktunaxapride) about her language of Ktunaxa. Aiyana Twigg is Indigenous, belonging to two nations in Canada, the Ktunaxa Nation and Blackfoot. She grew up within the Ktunaxa Nation in Tobacco Plains and graduated from University with a passion to revitalize her Indigenous language Ktunaxa. 

    In this episode we talk about

    Growing up in the community and her journey to wanting to learn more about the Ktunaxa language

    The efforts being taken to revitalize Ktunaxa and what those responsibilities are like, including developing dictionaries and apps with audio (yes!!)

    The wisdom ritual and traditions being passed down and recorded by elders in the community

    Advice for how we can support indigenous language and community. 

    And we even get to learn some Ktunaxa words and phrases along the way. 

    Big thank you to Aiyana for sharing your heritage, your language and your community and all of your hard work you do with the Ktunaxa Nation 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., Pat N. and John L.  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 Aiyana

    IG @ktunaxapride 

    Linktree:

    First Voices 

    https://www.firstvoices.com/



    To Find Speaking Tongues:

    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


    ---

    Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/speaking-tongues/message

    • 1 hr 7 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
26 Ratings

26 Ratings

yariarenas ,

Storytelling through languages and cultures

Elle has a gift for giving us a personalized taste of each language (and culture) she features. It's like she opens up a whole new world with every episode, leaving me excited to dive deeper! Her genuine curiosity shines through and her approach to multiculturalism makes it a pleasure to listen to.

Ughnicknames111 ,

Fun!

A fun, casual, welcoming way to learn about different cultures and languages

juveny ,

Wowwww this is amazing

English is my second lenguaje but it feels good to be able to comunícate with others even with accent ... so so proud of your podcast chica linda ... Juveny

Top Podcasts In Education

The Mel Robbins Podcast
Mel Robbins
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Dr. Jordan B. Peterson
Mick Unplugged
Mick Hunt
Do The Work
Do The Work
Coffee Break Spanish
Coffee Break Languages
TED Talks Daily
TED

You Might Also Like

Code Switch
NPR
Sibling Rivalry
Sibling Rivalry & Studio71
SpaceTime with Stuart Gary
Stuart Gary
Something Rhymes with Purple
Sony Music Entertainment
Radiolab
WNYC Studios
Science Friday
Science Friday and WNYC Studios