Speaking in Tongues

What is a "rashidi calif"? I came across this in French:
Ali, le Premier Imam des chiites et le quatrième calife rashidi des sunnites avait, selon lui, appris le syriaque à Kufa et le pratiquait avec ses visiteurs.

Just listened to an interview with the Facebook founder. His rapid alternation between high and low tones reminds me of, just, slow motion yodeling. Is this type of intonation becoming a trend?

News from Texas: Can't those Asians just choose a name that is easier for Americans to deal with?

Edited by shilgia, twice, because apostrophes made TT eat the link.

google doesn't help. geologically speaking, what is a "maikop formation"?

I've been studying Mandarin using the Michel Thomas Method and Pimsluer Levels 1-3. I thought the MTM was very good, but the presenter sounds like a therapist teaching people who have had some traumatic experience learning Mandarin in the past - a little too kid gloves for me. I studied the Pimsluer straight afterwards, and the change in pace was palpable - the speakers spoke at normal Chinese speed (i.e. 100mph)! I was relieved that I was understood when I spoke to Chinese people in Malaysia…

Last summer, I was in both Bangladesh and Nepal where there are people of Chinese features and also Indian features. My friend in Bangladesh (well educated and very articulate in English) refers to himself as a Mongoloid. In Nepal, people of similar backgrounds, refer to themselfs as Mongolian (when speaking English). While in India, I was chastised by a Canadian when I used the term Oriental. He said that they were ASIAN!! -- trying to put me in my place. I in turn pointed out how ignorant he…

A cuckold is,appparently, "one of the few masculine specific words in the English language without a feminine counterpart".

Are there any others?

(Perhaps it is interesting to be reminded of those feminine specific words in the English language without the masculine counterpart as well).

hola everyone

what is the difference between:

BILL
ACT
LAW

in the american legal system? and does it differ from the British legal system?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/apr/06/sainsburys-pollack-colin-fish-stocks

A colin and chips? Sainsbury's gives unfashionable pollack a makeover

--
The latest rebranding exercise follows that of the humble pilchard, which was rechristened the Cornish sardine by the local industry in an effort to regenerate the region's faltering economy. The campaign transformed an unfashionable tinned meal-of-last-resort into a popular national favourite.
--

They do have rather unglamorous names don’t…

I've come across it twice - "You don't suit nicknames" in a book, and "you suit pink so well" from an acquaintance. Both were Scottish. Can anyone confirm or otherwise?