Language Study
Linguistics and Etymology
- Afrolinguistics - 100+ Book Collection (Google Drive); compiled by @foxypiano on Twitter!
- Inclusion in Linguistics - details "intersectional forms of exclusion in linguistics" and how researchers can combat that with inclusion; edited by Anne H. Charity Hudley, Christine Mallinson, and Mart Bucholtz!
- Decolonizing Linguistics - companion novel to Inclusion in Linguistics further exploring colonialism's influence on the linguistics field and how to decenter colonialist ideology; edited by Anne H. Charity Hudley, Christine Mallinson, and Mart Bucholtz!
- A guide to the world's languages - by Ruhlen and Merritt (1987)!
Language Learning: General
- Mango Languages - I CANNOT recommend Mango ENOUGH. The first couple lessons are free, and if you get a library card (even temporarily) and sign up that way you get access to all the courses for free forever instead of having to pay. They even have some languages you can barely find easy-to-access resources for (like Armenian! They have Armenian! And Cherokee! And Kazahk! And Punjabi!)
- Language Transfer - completely free app and audio courses in many languages, some introductory and some complete (ex: introductory Turkish, complete Swahili)!
- Anki - flashcard program that helps you build vocabulary (I also love Drops and Memrise for similar reasons; there are paid features to both but I don't use them)!
- Italki - paid resource, provides real-time lessons and speaking practice! I've never used it myself but I've heard a lot of good things so it can't hurt to include.
- 21 Ways to Immerse Yourself in a Language Without Going Abroad - because immersion is extremely useful but most of us can't afford to just Leave The Country to get that; by Katherine Kostiuk!
* Not a recommendation, this is like the opposite of that: if you aren't aware yet Duolingo has SO painfully crumbled, it's nowhere near as reliable as it could have been years ago as it now predominantly relies or intends to predominantly rely on AI. I used to love that app for beginner language learning but I would not recommend it to ANYONE the way it is now.
Language Learning Specifics
Spanish (dialect differences)
- Variety in Spanish: Understanding the Differences - SpanishPod101!
- Understanding Spanish Dialects: A Parent's Guide to Raising Bilingual Kids - Sol Book Box; by Karina Batchelor!
- Which Spanish Dialect Should You Learn? Latin America vs. Spain - Breakthrough Spanish; by Connor Kane!
Spanish (Mexican)
- Resources to learn Mexican Spanish - Learn Latin American Spanish!
Sign Language (ASL)
- ASL University - online ASL curriculum with free-to-access lessons and self-study material! Invaluable for learners outside of the classroom.
Chinese (dialect differences)
- How Many Dialects Are There in Chinese? The Ultimate Breakdown - Yoyo Chinese; by Scott Norris!
- The Many Dialects of China - Asia Society!
- Chinese “Dialects”: A Smart Learner’s Guide To What The 7 Chinese Varieties Mean For You - Story Learning; by Olly Richards!
Chinese (Cantonese)
- Cantonese Learning - comprehensive independent study platform with audio and video incorporations into the lessons!
- Skritter - writing and repetitive study practice in traditional Chinese! (Also offers simplified.)
- Free Online Resources for Learning Cantonese - compiled resources for online Cantonese study; by Cantonese for Families!
Chinese (Mandarin)
- HSK Reading - reading practice divided by HSK level into beginner/intermediate/advanced!
- Mandarin Daily News - Taiwanese newspaper written for kids! (NOTE: written in traditional Chinese.)
- Most Recommended Resources For Learning Chinese - All Language Resources!
Arabic (MSA; dialect differences)
- The difference between Modern Standard Arabic and Arabic dialects - by Lingualism!
- Modern Standard Arabic (MSA): Why It’s Important and When to Use It - Milestone Localization!
- Which Arabic Dialect Should You Learn? A Complete Guide - Spoken Arabic School; by Ali Matar!
- 80 Free Resources To Learn Arabic Online - by Fluent Arabic (free learning program!), given sites provided may focus on different dialects, Fluent Arabic on its own centers classical Arabic!
Arabic (Egyptian)
- An introduction to Egyptian Arabic - comprehensive introductory guide to the Egyptian dialect; by Ernest T. Abdel-Massih!
- Egyptian Arabic Resources - Open Arabic!
Arabic (Levantine)
- Levantine Arabic Resources - Open Arabic! (Included in the learning guide: Lebanese, Jordanian, Syrian, and Palestinian Arabic language resources.)
Arabic (other dialects specified)
- Maghrebi Arabic Resources - Open Arabic! (Included in the learning guide: Algerian, Moroccan, and Tunisian Arabic language resources.)
- Gulf Arabic Resources - Open Arabic!
- Iraqi Arabic Resources - Open Arabic!
- Yemeni Arabic Resources - Open Arabic!
Japanese
- Renshuu - if you want to learn Japanese get Renshuu right now I am so serious. It helps you practice reading, listening, writing, sentence building, and has its own Discord server if you need language partners!
Native American Languages (compiled resources; masterposts)
- 3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Learning an Indigenous Language as a Non-Native - read this over BEFORE learning if you are not Native, and if you're white read it twice. It is so, so important to understand your intent, acknowledge your privilege and center Native perspectives, especially if the language you are learning is endangered.
- (cont.) Many Native people are reasonably hesitant to share parts of their culture, and you are not entitled to anything. You have to "accept and appreciate that there are some things you don’t get to learn about, like ceremony," as Taté Walker puts it, who herself is Mniconjou Lakota. I am including these resources on my site with the perspective that you will use and share them in GOOD FAITH. PLEASE do not prove me wrong.
- Native Languages of the Americas: Preserving and promoting American Indian languages - a nonprofit working to ensure that Native languages survive. Extremely comprehensive, I could not recommend this group enough!
- Native American Language Resource Center (NALRC) - NALRC has resources for Hawaiian, Native American and Alaska Native language learning! (Noting that it is affiliated with the Department of Education, but I did comb through as of August 2025 and it still looks reliable for now!)
: BACK TO HOME PAGE