There are terms for describing confused multilingual speakers. Here in the US the term Spanglish describes intermingled Spanish and English portions in a line of communication. Consulting with google – the term Denglish describes the mix of German and English words. This is still different from natural integration processes of foreign terms into a native language. A process that has occurred many times in history. It could be the introduction of technology driven terms from foreign sources as a region or country introduces that technology. For example, when Peter I. opened up Russia to European technology for a modernization of the country a lot of Dutch and German terms were integrated – for example in the marine industry or ship building. Mатрос (Eng: sailor; Ger: Matrose), верфь (Eng: shipyard; Ger: Werft), каюта (Eng: cabin, Ger: Kajüte), штурман (Eng: navigator; Ger: Steuermann), and рюкзак (Eng: backpack, Ger: Rucksack) are some examples.

When we went on our recent one-week trip to Mexico I was excited for the opportunity to practice the Spanish skills, that I have acquired over the last six month or so. Leading up to the trip I increased the number of sessions I signed up for, and I also made sure to go through a full round of conversation in the “talk-abroad” offering of my language school, which meant that I had four 15 min conversations with people from Central and South America – here Mexico, Panama, Venezuela and Paraguay. There are always new and interesting facts that one can learn there for example I learned that Paraguay has a significant German population of immigrants that is still growing. Equipped with all these preparations we headed for Mexico, and I was determined to try my Spanish from the moment we landed. The first attempt yielded mixed results right away.

Get ready for the Superbowl! Though I am not talking about the game that observers say will be exciting and also I am not talking about the creative advertisement spots and the half-time show that are expected every year with equal suspense. You would wonder why, what I am about to refer to, would not be a candidate for the show Fear factor and perhaps it will eventually, when the excitement around the Superbowl has waned. Columbia Sportswear and Breakside Brewing in Portland are teaming up to create a new beer – called “Nature calls”. The image on the can features a bear – sitting on the “T” in “naTure” doing his business and the pile that results, forms the letter “A” in “nAture”. And indeed, as the news outlets illuminate in their stories, the beer is brewed with black bear poop collected trailside in Montana. It is touted as