Languages

4th November 2005, 12:00am

Share

Languages

https://www.tes.com/magazine/archive/languages-3
KS3 Ask students to match adjectives, such as “calm”, “angry”, “sunny”, to the colours they find most appropriate. Ask them to describe their personality and identify their favourite colour. Is there a link? Highlight the importance of cultural awareness when trading abroad. After Eight Mints only took off in Italy when the packaging was brightened up, and another company failed when it tried to export white wedding dresses to India.

KS4 A little project on idioms can be fun and draws attention to the dangers of literal translation. What does “blaumachen” mean? Or “rire jaune”? What is “un chiste verde”? * KS5 Use the internet to investigate the cultural and psychological significance of colours. Try www.paintcafe.comfrcouleurlangagepsychologieindex.asp in French or www.beta45.defarbcodestheorieheller.html in German.

* Answers to KS4: blaumachen = to skip work; rire jaune = to pretend to laugh, give a forced laugh; un chiste verde = a blue joke

Want to keep reading for free?

Register with Tes and you can read two free articles every month plus you'll have access to our range of award-winning newsletters.

Keep reading for just £1 per month

You've reached your limit of free articles this month. Subscribe for £1 per month for three months and get:

  • Unlimited access to all Tes magazine content
  • Exclusive subscriber-only stories
  • Award-winning email newsletters
Recent
Most read
Most shared