This is the last email of the year, which makes it less about tips and more about perspective.
Languages don’t grow in straight lines, and neither do we. This edition is about little progress, cultural rituals of renewal, and the quiet ways people everywhere mark a new beginning.
The “Then - Now - Next” Reflection
Pick one sentence you can say in your target language and reuse it across three moments:
Then: how things were at the start of the year
Now: how they feel today
Next: what you hope comes next year
Example (English-style idea):
At the beginning of the year, I was nervous speaking.
Now, I understand much more.
Next year, I want to speak more freely.
Why it works
This isn’t about perfection, it’s about noticing movement.
Language learning is often invisible on a day-to-day basis, but incredibly clear when you step back and look at it from a broader perspective.
Gentle reminder: finishing the year still learning is already success.
Word or Phrase to Carry Into the New Year
Japanese: 「良いお年を」 (yoi otoshi o)
Pronunciation: YO-ee oh-TOH-shee oh
Meaning: “Have a good year” (said before the new year begins)
Why it’s special
It’s not a celebration, it’s a wish.
You say it knowing the year isn’t finished yet, which makes it feel thoughtful, hopeful, and generous.
How it’s used
Spoken in the final days of December to friends, colleagues, shopkeepers, anyone you might not see again before January.
It’s a reminder that endings can be warm, not rushed.
Understanding Linguistics
Why Languages Treat Endings and Beginnings Differently
Many languages use special grammatical forms or expressions for transitions, not just time.
Examples:
In Japanese, different greetings exist before and after New Year
In Hebrew and Arabic, new-year greetings often invoke peace or blessing rather than time
In many Indigenous languages, time is spoken of cyclically, not linearly
Why this matters
Languages reflect how cultures understand change.
Some see the new year as a reset.
Others see it as a continuation, a turning of the wheel rather than a clean slate.
Neither is better, they simply frame hope differently.
Book to End the Year Thoughtfully
The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
This book is a collection of short reflections where ordinary human experiences, language, rituals, travel, learning, memory, are examined with curiosity and warmth.
Why it works beautifully for this moment
Reflects on everyday things we usually overlook
Blends personal experience with cultural observation
Thoughtful, gentle, and ideal for end-of-year reading
Encourages noticing progress rather than perfection
Why it fits a language-curious audience
Although it isn’t about language learning directly, it’s about how humans make meaning, how we describe the world, and why words matter when we reflect, remember, and begin again.
Did You Know?
Not Every Culture Celebrates the New Year in January
The “new year” moves depending on culture, calendar, and tradition:
China, Korea, Vietnam: Lunar New Year (late Jan / Feb)
Iran & Central Asia: Nowruz (spring equinox)
Ethiopia: Enkutatash (September)
Judaism: Rosh Hashanah (autumn)
Why it’s fascinating
New beginnings aren’t tied to dates, they’re tied to meaning.
Agriculture, seasons, spirituality, and history decide when “starting again” makes sense.
Know More About Culture
How Different Cultures “Clean” the Year Away
Across the world, people prepare for the new year not by adding, but by clearing.
Japan
Houses are deep-cleaned (ōsōji) to remove the old year’s energy.
Scotland (Hogmanay)
“First footing” rituals focus on who enters the home first, symbolising fortune.
Latin America
People often tidy homes and wear new clothes to symbolise readiness.
China
Cleaning happens before New Year, never during, to avoid sweeping away good luck.
Why it matters
New beginnings often start with space.
Cultural rituals remind us that letting go is an action, not a feeling.
Fun Linguistic Fact
Many Languages Have Special Words Only Used at the Turn of the Year
Some expressions exist only for this moment:
Japanese has seasonal greetings used just for year-end letters
German distinguishes between Silvester (New Year’s Eve) and Neujahr
In several languages, “Happy New Year” isn’t literal happiness, it’s health, peace, or luck
Why it’s beautiful
The turning of the year matters enough to deserve its own language.
Not borrowed words. Not reused phrases.
Something made just for this pause.
Happy new year from Language Learners Hub team! 😄
Join the Conversation
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