Category: Language, Culture, and Meaning The Illusion of Universal Words Many learners believe that some words are universal.“Beautiful.”“Nice.”“Wonderful.” At first glance, they seem simple and transparent. A student opens a dictionary, finds a translation, and assumes the meaning travels intact from one language to another. But languages rarely work that way. What looks like a […]
Tymur Levitin
Why the Same Numbers Can Tell Two Different Stories There was a moment recently when I found myself recalculating a small amount of money. It wasn’t a large sum.It wasn’t a conflict.It wasn’t even an argument. But it was a lesson. Two people.The same payments.The same lessons.The same numbers. And yet — two completely different […]
Tymur Levitin
Language doesn’t just describe. It acts.And if you don’t know what kind of action your words trigger — you’re not speaking a language. You’re walking into a trap. Let me tell you a story. It didn’t really happen. Or maybe it did. It happens often enough for me to turn it into a fictional example […]
Tymur Levitin
Same world – different words. Category: Author’s Column — Tymur Levitin on Language, Meaning, and Respect What Do You See? Imagine a peaceful clearing in the forest. A bright meadow. Green grass. Birds chirping. A shimmering lake. The scene is still, beautiful, complete. Now imagine five people walk into this space, each speaking a different language.They […]
Tymur Levitin
