Wednesday 25 November 2009

St Andrew's Day

St Andrew's Day is the feast day of Saint Andrew and is celebrated on 30 November.

Saint Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland, and St. Andrew's Day is Scotland's official national day. Although most commonly associated with Scotland, Saint Andrew is also the patron saint of Greece, Romania and Russia.

In Germany, the feast day is celebrated as Andreasnacht ("St. Andrew's Night"), in Austria with the custom of Andreasgebet ("St. Andrew's Prayer"), and in Poland as Andrzejki ("Andrews").

This year, we are in for a treat. The Homecoming Scotland Finale Celebrations is the biggest ever programme of events co-ordinated to mark St Andrew’s Day. The spectacular programme has more than 40 events taking place across the country. With Scotland’s music providing the soundtrack, this is one party you simply can’t miss.

From the Highlands to Haddington, Dundee to Dumfries and many locations in between, there’s plenty of opportunity to join the celebrations and do something for St Andrew’s Day this Homecoming year. The festivities are delivered by event organisers and local authorities across the country who have developed exciting new events to mark the end of what has been a truly celebratory year for Scotland.

Events include, amongst other, torchlight processions, firework displays and a series of unique musical gatherings blending some of the finest musicians born in, and influenced by Scotland and its rich musical heritage, including Deacon Blue, Lloyd Cole, Eddie Reader, Midge Ure and Teenage Fanclub.

Come and join the celebrations!

By the way, do you know the origin of the Scottish flag? According to legend, in 832 A.D. King Ă“engus II (or King Angus) led the Picts and Scots in battle against the Angles, King Angus and his men were surrounded and he prayed for deliverance. During the night Saint Andrew, who was martyred on a saltire cross, appeared to Angus and assured him of victory. On the following morning a white saltire against the background of a blue sky appeared to both sides. The Picts and Scots were heartened by this, but the Angles lost confidence and were defeated. This saltire design has been the Scottish flag ever since.


Tuesday 17 November 2009

Expolingua Berlin 2009


For over two decades, Expolingua Berlin has been offering exhibitors an ideal platform to present a diverse spectrum of products and services related to language learning and teaching, as well as cultures from around the globe. Each year, approximately 200 exhibitors from over 30 countries and more than 15,000 visitors attend this multinational event.

At Expolingua Berlin, visitors can get in touch with different cultures and more than 60 languages. Experts provide first-hand information and advice on foreign language learning and teaching.

Visitors come to Expolingua Berlin to get expert advice on the wide-ranging options for learning and teaching foreign languages, as well as to participate in targeted networking with professionals in the language training industry. Language teachers, HR and training specialists, language travel agents, publishers, schools and cultural institutes come to Expolingua Berlin to make new contacts and refresh existing relationships.

Parallel to the exhibition, Expolingua Berlin’s seminar programme offers visitors a rich and varied series of lectures, workshops and mini-language courses. Visitors can choose from 100 presentations covering topics such as studying and working abroad, language tests and international educational programmes.

A varied cultural programme rounds off the exhibition each year, including film screenings.

So, this year inlingua Edinburgh is going to be there! IN OUR KILTS!! what a better way to represent Scotland! We promise photos. Just check our Facebook profile.

Wednesday 4 November 2009

Bonfire Night and the Gunpowder Plot

After Queen Elizabeth I died in 1603, English Catholics who had been persecuted under her rule had hoped that her successor, James I, would be more tolerant of their religion. James I had, after all, had a Catholic mother. Unfortunately, James did not turn out to be more tolerant than Elizabeth and a number of young men, 13 to be exact, decided that violent action was the answer.

A small group took shape, under the leadership of Robert Catesby. Catesby felt that violent action was warranted. Indeed, the thing to do was to blow up the Houses of Parliament. In doing so, they would kill the King, maybe even the Prince of Wales, and the Members of Parliament who were making life difficult for the Catholics. Today these conspirators would be known as extremists, or terrorists.

To carry out their plan, the conspirators got hold of 36 barrels of gunpowder and stored them in a cellar, just under the House of Lords.

But as the group worked on the plot, it became clear that innocent people would be hurt or killed in the attack, including some people who even fought for more rights for Catholics. Some of the plotters started having second thoughts. One of the group members even sent an anonymous letter warning his friend, Lord Monteagle, to stay away from the Parliament on November 5th.

The warning letter reached the King, and the King's forces made plans to stop the conspirators.

Guy Fawkes, who was in the cellar of the parliament with the 36 barrels of gunpowder when the authorities stormed it in the early hours of November 5th, was caught, tortured and executed.

It's unclear if the conspirators would ever have been able to pull off their plan to blow up the Parliament even if they had not been betrayed. Some have suggested that the gunpowder itself was so old as to be useless. Since Guy Fawkes and the other conspirators got caught before trying to ignite the powder, we'll never know for certain.

On the very night that the Gunpowder Plot was foiled, on November 5th, 1605, bonfires were set alight to celebrate the safety of the King. Since then, November 5th has become known as Bonfire Night. The event is commemorated every year with fireworks and burning effigies of Guy Fawkes on a bonfire.

Some of the English have been known to wonder, in a tongue in cheek kind of way, whether they are celebrating Fawkes' execution or honoring his attempt to do away with the government.

Geeky facts: Guy Fawkes is still alive in modern storytelling. If you don't believe us, just check the name of Dumbledore's phoenix bird in the Harry Potter saga. Yes, you are right, 'Fawkes' it is. Not difficult to make the connection, is it? And, amongst many others, the story is also present in the comic-book 'V for Vendetta', a masterpiece of the so called ninth art.

Thursday 29 October 2009

Trick or treat!! Know the whole story...

The Christian Festival on All Hallows (Saints) Day on 1 November was deliberately set to coincide with the last day of the year in the old Celtic calendar of 31 October. It was celebrated by the Druids as "Samhain" -from "Sain" meaning summer and "fuin" meaning "ending"- and was regarded as a "Feast of the Dead", when they would sometimes return as evil spirits. There were also ritual fires to ensure that the sun would return the following spring and there is still a lingering belief that children born on Hallowe'en have supernatural gifts.

Hallowe'en is actually the night before, where lanterns (Gaelic: samhnag), Hallowfires and such are supposed to scare the souls that will emerge at midnight away from your house. Samhuinn is also used in Gaelic for the entire month of November.

Many of the celebratory elements, such as playing pranks, originated in the notion that at this time the world was turned inside out prompting people to act with abandon against the usual social strictures.

In Scotland, Hallowe'en was traditionally associated with witches and bonfires. Fire is a central element in all Celtic celebrations. All hearthfires were put out and new fires lit from the great bonfires. Men lit torches in the bonfires and circled their homes and lands with them to obtain protection for the coming year.

In the last few hundred years, bonfires have ceased to be part of the celebration of Hallowe'en - they are reserved for Guy Fawkes night on 5 November. But other pagan rituals have been perpetuated with traditions such as "dookin' for apples" (removing an apple floating in a basin of water without using your hands, either spearing it with a fork held in your teeth or by biting it). Of course, apples were sacred to the Druids.

Then there are "tattie bogles" (potato scarecrows) or "neep lanterns" (turnip lanterns), made by scooping out a turnip and cutting through the skin to create eyes, nose and mouth. A candle was then placed inside (and turnip was on the menu for days afterwards). The pumpkin serves the same purpose in the USA and these are increasingly found in Scotland in more recent times - they are easier to scoop out! But children who have fun doing this do not realise that they are continuing a tradition of placing skulls on poles round encampments to scare away evil spirits.

By the end of the 19th century Hallowe'en had become very much a festival for children. Dressing up and going "guising" is a tradition which has lasted to the present day. The original idea was to dress as spirits of the dead but options have widened over the years. When money was tight, dressing up in some old clothes from grandparents was all that was required. But witches (with broomsticks, cloaks and pointed black hats) have always been popular, with blackened faces harping back to the pagan days when the Druids may have smeared their faces with ash from their bonfires. Long before "trick or treat", children went round the houses and had to perform a poem or a song or tell jokes before receiving nuts, apples or sweets. In recent years, concern about child safety has reduced the amount of "guising", and the children who do go out seem to think they should get something without having to do a "party piece".

Thursday 15 October 2009

The Thistle: Symbol of Scotland

Alongside tartan, the thistle is perhaps the most identifiable symbol of all things Scottish.

The thistle was adopted as the Emblem of Scotland during the rein of Alexander III (1249 - 1286). Legend has it that an Army of King Haakon of Norway, intent on conquering the Scots, landed at the Coast of Largs at night to surprise the sleeping Scottish Clansmen. In order to move more stealthily under the cover of darkness, the Norsemen removed their footewear.

But something else was hiding under the cover of darkness. One of Haakon's men unfortunately stood on one of these spiny little defenders and shrieked out in pain, alerting the Clansmen of the advancing Norsemen. Needless to say, the Scots won the day.

Sadly, there is no historical evidence to back up the tale and, in fact, there's even confusion as to the type of thistle that we see represented everywhere. There are many species of thistle and the spear thistle, stemless thistle, cotton thistle, Our Lady's thistle, musk thistle and melancholy thistle have all been suggested as possible candidates.

Whatever its origins, the thistle has been an important Scottish symbol for more than 500 years. Perhaps its first recognisable use was on silver coins issued in 1470 during the reign of James III and from the early 16th century, it was incorporated into the Royal Arms of Scotland. Scotland's premier Order of Chivalry, established in 1687, is The Most Ancient and Noble Order of the Thistle and its members wear a collar chain whose links are made of golden thistles. The Knights and Ladies of the Thistle also wear a breast star which bears the thistle emblem and a motto which is regularly associated with it, Nemo Me Impune Lacessit - 'no-one provokes me with impunity'.

Friday 9 October 2009

The Enchanted Forest

The Enchanted Forest is yet another evidence of all the magic Scotland has got to offer. It has been enthralling and amazing visitors to Perthshire since 2002 and has become the nation's premier sound and light experience. This outdoor event, taking place at the eerie Faskally Wood, offers a magical autumn experience for all ages.

Attracting around 20,000 visitors every year, the event offers visitors a unique opportunity to experience the outdoors, at night and with spectacular imagery. Using the forest as a natural backdrop, you will experience a lighting show that is, quite simply, out of this world.

This year, the theme is 'Scottish Myths and legends', and the event brings Scotland's history to life with faeries, witches, kelpies and bogey men, not to mention stunning water features, lighting displays and fabulous pyrotechnics. Meet Tam O Shanter and his horse, play with the faeries in an interactive wood, or look deep into Robert the Bruce's cave.

This year, The Enchanted Forest will take place between 16th October and 1st November. A show you just don't want to miss!!

Thursday 1 October 2009

Wigtown Book Town

Situated in the southwest of Scotland, with the Central Belt & Ayrshire to the north, Cumbria & the Lake District to the south, the Scottish Borders & Northumberland to the east, and Ireland to the west, this kaleidoscope of beautiful pastoral landscape, rugged coastline, woodland and forest, moorland and mountain is a rich cultural melting pot.

Wigtown was officially designated as Scotland's National Book Town in 1998 and is now home to over 20 book-related business. A book lovers haven - and with over quarter of a million books to choose from, old and new... it is impossible to escape empty-handed. On top of that, Wigtown was the winner of a prestigious Thistle Award for tourism in 2009, and has nowadays become what The Times calls a 'must-see event in Scotland's cultural calendar'.

This autumn will again see many of the best writers in the UK descending on Scotland's National Book Town for 170 events over 10 days. Authors appearing include Diana Athill, Iain Banks, John Boyne, Christopher Brookmyre, William Dalrymple, Julia Donaldson, Roddy Doyle, Quintin Jardine, Irma Kurtz, Kenny Logan, Chris Mullin, Nick Nairn & David Owen. In addition, there is theatre, music, art exhibitions and a full children's programme.

As part of the Homecoming 2009 celebrations, this year's events will also include a unique festival-within-a-festival celebrating whisky's relationship to writing. With music, tastings and some of the world's top whisky experts, including Charlie MacLean, Gavin Smith, Ian Buxton, Hans Offringa, Robin Laing and Dave Broom - it will appeal to anyone who has ever curled up with a book and a dram.

This year the festival runs from 25 September to 4 October... hurry up if you want to enjoy this truly unique Scottish gem!

Monday 7 September 2009

All is quiet now, but not for long...



That's it, the festivals are over, and the fireworks last night marked the end of a mad mad season, full of theatre, concerts, street entertainment, thousands of tourists... and work, a lot of work. Everybody seems to have gone home now, the city feels almost empty in comparison. However, this won't last long.

Apart from running our normal intensive courses, we are now getting ready for our Autumn evening terms.

We are starting our English evening term next week (14 Sept) and we are offering a 5% discount for early birds who join before 10th Sept. We are offering our general English couses as well as preparation courses for the Cambridge examinatios (FCE, CAE and CPE) and IELTS. All our English courses run 2 days a week, either Mon and Wed or Tue and Thu, usually from 18.30 to 20.00.

On top of that, our Foreign Language term starts on the week of 28 Sept! We offer a wide range of languages, both on a 1-2-1 and a group basis. We are also offering an early bird discount: enrol before 18th Sept and get 5% off! Don't waste this fantastic opportunity to start studying a new language or to improve your skills if you already speak one!!

If you are interested, you can contact us on 0131 220 5119 or at info@inlingua-edinburgh.co.uk

Monday 31 August 2009

Fireworks!

The Edinburgh Festival goes out each year with literally many, very large bangs, in its annual Festival Fireworks Concert on Sunday 6 September at 9pm.

Beneath Edinburgh Castle, the world-renowed Scottish Chamber Orchestra will play while a fireworks team based in the castle provides synchronised visual accompaniment.

You need a ticket to hear the SCO playing at the Ross Band Stand in Princes Street Gardens, but the majority of spectators tune into local radio to hear the live broadcast and watch the pyrotechnians paint the sky in explosive colour.

Vantage points can be found around the city, from Princes Street to Calton Hill. Inverleith Park's free Family Viewing Area is also popular, not just for its great views of the castle, but also the fact that there is a live video link and top notch sound system to capture the Concert in the Gardens that accompanies the fireworks display. It's not as exciting as being up close, under the castle, but you can avoid the uptown crush of Princes Street. Get there earlyish - proceedings start at 7pm - to bag a good spot.

Tuesday 18 August 2009

Festival of Politics

Not all the festivals taking place in Edinburgh in August deal with theatre, street performance, cinema, art or dance... Festival of Politics has just started, a truly original festival where you can even ask that burning question or issue you would like to raise with Members of the Scottish Parliament.

Now in its fifth year, the Festival of Politics has proven itself an invaluable tool in encouraging people to engage with the Scottish Parliament – so much so that the initiative is now being adopted by other Parliaments around the world. The Scottish Parliament has, during the last ten years, striven to be open and accessible to all.

You can find more information at http://www.festivalofpolitics.org.uk/

Friday 7 August 2009

Edinburgh Mela Festival 2009


The Edinburgh Mela was founded in 1995 by members of the city's minority ethnic communities. The first festival was held in Meadowbank Stadium and quickly grew to attract 20,000 people each year. It was the first Mela in Scotland and has gained a strong reputation in the UK.

In 2000 the festival moved to Pilrig Park and in recent years has drawn large numbers of people over the weekend.

This year's Mela Festival takes place from the 7th - 9th August at Pilrig Park.

Welcome to the 15th Edinburgh Mela Festival. In this year of Homecoming we are celebrating Scotland's place in the world as a vibrant, culturally diverse nation. A land that has, over many years, welcomed generations of immigrant communities who have chosen to make Scotland their home. We're thinking of this as our year of Home-be-coming. We've decided to place a particular focus on artists who draw on a range of heritages to make innovative and contemporary work that reaches across artistic and cultural boundaries.

Come to our party, and share in the celebration - we think we have all the right ingredients!

You can find more information visiting http://www.edinburgh-mela.co.uk/

Tuesday 4 August 2009

NIck Pynn

Nick Pynn is back!!!

And we are in for a treat, as he will presenting some of his new material, The Colours of the Night.

The Colours of the Night is a collection of new compositions by Nick Pynn, featuring orchestral musicians who have performed their parts individually, above Bom-Bane's cafe in Brighton. Many of them have never met. Several of the pieces from the album are recreated in this year's Fringe by Nick layering up, with the help of technology...

The Colours of the Night will be officially released on the Roundhill label and distributed by Cadiz Music. But you can buy a copy here after the show!

Shows will take place on Aug 7th-9th, 11th-15th, 18th-23rd and 25th-30th (£8.50)
Previews Aug 5th and 6th (£6.50)

You can buy your tickets directly at the fringe office or alternatively at the school

Monday 27 July 2009

Edinburgh Jazz Festival


For ten days the sounds of the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival resonate through the city of Edinburgh - in parks, churches, clubs, bars and concert halls. The best international musicians rub shoulders with top Scottish talent - unique collaborations, world premieres, Scottish debuts, outstanding musicianship all contribute to the exciting Festival atmosphere.

Major concert halls host the best players in the world: Roy Hargrove, Joe Temperley, Chick Corea, David Murray, Wynton Marsalis have all performed. The Festival has a strong track record with mainstream jazz: Dick Hyman, Jeremy Monteiro, Scott Hamliton, Ken Peplowski, John Allred are all festival favourites.

Scottish jazz musicians celebrate the best of Scottish jazz during the Festival and feature in orchestras, leading their own bands, in international collaborations, often presenting new projects. The Blues is a key component and the Festival has presented some of the biggest names in the business from BB King and Buddy Guy to Scottish musicians like Maggie Bell and Tam White.

The UK's largest jazz event, Jazz on A Summer's Day sets its stall out in Princes Street Gardens under the shadow of Edinburgh Castle and showcases top Festival performers - all for Free. While the Mardi Gras brings the spirit of New Orleans to the Grassmarket.

The Jazz Festival runs from the 31st of July to the 9th of August. Don't you dare miss it! You can find more information at http://www.edinburghjazzfestival.co.uk/



Thursday 16 July 2009

Edinburgh Fringe Festival


The Edinburgh Festival Fringe (commonly known as The Fringe) started in 1947 when 8 theatre groups turned up uninvited to the first Edinburgh International Festival (EIF). Over the years, more perfomers came to Edinburgh to perform on the outskirts of the EIF and by 1958 the Festival Fringe Society was formed to provide information, a central box office and a published programme of all the Fringe shows. Central to the society's constitution was the policy that there should be no artistic vetting from the society. Which still holds true to this very day.
The Fringe caters for the biggest names in showbiz to the performers in the street and covers all sorts of art forms such as theatre, comedy, children's shows, dance, physical theatre, musicals, operas, all genres of music, exhibitions, and events. In 2008, hundreds of groups participated in putting on 2,088 different shows with a total of 31,320 performances in 247 venues.

The Fringe is the largest of a number of festivals that come together in Scotland's capital every year, in and around August.

The Fringe is an open arts festival, which means that anyone can perform without any constraints from the Festival Fringe Society. The Festival Fringe Society (commonly known as the Fringe Office) does not produce any of the shows, does not invite anybody to perform, does not run any venues and pays no fees to performers. They do, however, help performers every step of the way.

So, here's one more reason to come to Edinburgh!! Come and join the thousands of visitors that visit the city willing to participate in one of the most important events of the world. It runs from the 7th to the 31st of August. Don't miss it!!

Wednesday 13 May 2009

Edinburgh International Film Festival


The EIFF is back!! Moving from August to June last year proved to be a complete success. If you are a movie-buff you can avoid all the August rush with its multiple festivals and the thousands of tourists. The EIFF is one of the most famous film festivals in the world. Come and be the first to watch some of the most amazing new talents or have the privilege to see an old classic on the big screen. The Film Festival runs a series of interviews with important names in the film industry, come and see them in person! We can guarantee it's one of the most amazing experiences in the world. Just listen to your idols and ask them whichever question you always wanted to ask them! Some highlights this year include such classic figures as Roger Corman, famous for adapting some of Poe's stories, and some new geniuses as Darren Aronofsky, director of Pi, Requiem for a Dream or The Wrestler. You'll regret it if you miss them! The EIFF runs from the 17th to the 28th of June and is yet another excellent excuse to come to Edinburgh!

Wednesday 15 April 2009

Play on Words - English Theatre Course

Play on Words, our English theatre course, is starting again on Wednesday 22nd of April. It doesn't matter if you don't want to be an actor, just come and improve your pronunciation and diction and have fun at the same time! Takind a theatre course is such a fantastic opportunity to increase your self confidence, so why not improve your English in the same course, too!

Last term was a complete success, people left the room absolutely happy and content, all excited and looking forward to rehearsing the parts they had been given.

As everybody has been so happy with the course, we have decided to do it again.
The course runs every Wednesday from 19:13 to 21:15, and the next block of 4 weeks will start, as we have already said, on the 22nd of April.

Also, if you are not 100% sure, you can always come and pay just for one week and, if you don't like it, you don't need to pay for the rest. But, to be honest, everyone likes it!!

Please come to the school or phone/email us if you want to enrol in the course.

inlingua Language Centre
29 Hanover St
Edinburgh EH2 2DL

Tel. 0131 220 5119
Email. info@inlingua-edinburgh.co.uk

Thursday 26 March 2009

Inlnlingua - Language translation services in Edinburgh


Did you know that Inlingua Edinburgh offers professional translation services. We translate anything from Amharic to Welsh!

All of our translators are fully qualified and will be able to offer a full official translation of any document you need! Whether you need a birth certificate or a company brochure translated, Inlingua Edinburgh is happy to offer you its fast, efficient and competent translation service. Our translators have years of experience in their selected fields and subjects and are exclusively multi-lingual and native speakers.

We pride ourselves in a professional and efficient service.

Inlingua Edinburgh operates with two price structures:

1.minimum charge for less than 500 words
if your document has less than 500 words (word count in target language) then our minimum rate applies

2.pro rata charge per 1000 words
if your document comprises various pages of densely written text, then our pro rata rate applies (word count in target language)

Please contact our staff for a quote and more information on our rates. You can email us at info@inlingua-edinburgh.co.uk or call us +44(0)1312205119! We will be happy to answer any questions you might have!


Friday 20 March 2009

IELTS Preparation Course

IELTS is the International English Language Testing System. It measures ability to communicate in English across all four language skills – listening, reading, writing and speaking – for people who intend to study or work where English is the language of communication.

More than 6,000 education institutions, faculties, government agencies and professional organisations around the world recognise IELTS scores as a trusted and valid indicator of ability to communicate in English.

Over 1,000,000 people a year are now using IELTS to open doors throughout the English-speaking world and beyond. The test is taken every year across 120 countries, and is one of the fastest growing English language tests in the world, and sets the standard in integrity, research and innovation.

That's why at inlingua Edinburgh we have decided to add an IELTS preparation course to our existing Cambridge examination courses (FCE, CAE and CPE). So, if you are interested, come and joing our group. The course runs every Monday and Wednesday evenings, from 18.30 to 20.00.

And remember we still have the Early Bird offer! (Re-) enrol for any of our evening courses before the end of March and get a 5% discount!!

Thursday 12 March 2009

Why are Inlinua Language courses in Edinburgh different?


There are so many language schools in Edinburgh it's difficult and confusing to find the one that is right for you.

Inlingua is unique in that it only employs teachers that are either bilingual or native speakers, so you can be sure that you are learning from experts! We also only employ fully qualified teachers, making all our courses consistent and regulated. Inlingua is the most well regarded language centre in Edinburgh as it offers the widest range of courses from beginner to advanced, from Turkish beginners language courses to advanced German language classes.

We also have a great deal of corporate foreign language classes, our past clients have included the Libyan Embassy and Lufthansa!


Inlingua is not just a language school it is also a
cultural centre with plenty of events involving our multicultural staff. Our most recent addition to this is our course for English Theatre Course 'Play on Words' - Inlingua Edinburgh will also be a venue for the famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival to find out more click here!

We are also offering a fantastic Early Bird offer, if you re-enrol for any of our evening courses before the end of March you will get a 5% discount! To find out more give us a call on +44(0)131 220 5119 or drop us an email to info@inlingua-edinburgh.co.uk !

Friday 6 March 2009

Special offer!!


Organising a new term is often a rather stressful task. Loads of phonecalls, thousands of emails and a humongous amount of paperwork. And all left for the last minute.

So, we thought we could reward people who made our live easier by (re-)enroling early! That is the reason why we have introduced the Early Bird Offer: (re-)enrol in any of our evening groups before the end of March and get a 5% discount!

it can't get any better than this, can it? What are you waiting for? Come and (re-)enrol!

Monday 2 March 2009

inlingua Edinburgh will be a Fringe Festival venue again this year...

For the fourth year running, inlingua Edinburgh will be a Venue again during the Fringe Festival 2009.

We are delighted to announce the return of two long-standing artists/ performers, Nick Pynn and Paul Webster.

Nick Pynn is an outstanding musician who has won the Spirit of the Fringe Award and whose CD ''Afterplanesman'' was awarded amongst the 100 top CDs of 2008 by the Times! Come and join him for an evening of fantastic and highly original music in the Red Room by candle light and lose yourself in his melodies, rhythms and stories – all accompanied by his own devised musical instruments as well as classic guitar, violin and the cocolele! Nick Pynn consistently and regularly gets 4 and 5* reviews.

Paul Webster is a truly remarkable actor who portrays Adolf Hitler in his final hour in the bunker. Paul's performance is very powerful and gives us insight into this notorious, dangerous dictator and it is hard to believe it is Paul who sits in front of us! ''Hitler Alone'' has been reviewed every year as an extraordinary 4* show – for those who wish to have an audience with Adolf.

Tuesday 24 February 2009

inlingua Edinburgh now offers a brand new proofreading service!

inlingua Edinburgh is aware of the need people have when submitting essays, dissertations, thesis and all other types of documents. If you need professional help to make your text read and flow to perfection, what you need is a proofreader. A proofreader is someone who will check all the spelling, punctuation and tenses, as well as make all the necessary changes to get better readability, cohesion and logic.
We offer 3 types of proofreading services: light proofreading, editing and you can even book an one-to-one appointment with a writing consultant so you can ask him or her all your questions personally.

Wednesday 18 February 2009

Language courses in Edinburgh at Inlingua...

Learn English in Edinburgh and other languages at Inglingua Edinburgh. We offer languages courses in Edinburgh so you can learn English, Spanish, Italian, French, German and many other languages at the our language college. Inlingua is a great place to learn a language in Scotland.

If you would like more information about our languages courses in Edinburgh you can contact us on 0131 220 5119 or send us an email at info@inlingua-edinburgh.co.uk.

Our language teachers have over 35 years experience. Inlingua was established in 1968 and the Edinburgh centre opened in summer 2005. Its multinational and multilingual staff (with more than 35 years of experience between them) will ensure that you have a successful and memorable time while learning a new language or improving existing skills.

We offer small group language lessons and we even offer a free language assessment service to check your ability.
Inlingua language centre Edinburgh is situated in the heart of the commercial city centre, also known as the New Town. Easy access by public transport or car makes it an ideal location.

Edinburgh’s train station Waverley is only 5 mins walk away and so is the bus station. All major tourist attractions are within easy walking distance and the famous Edinburgh Castle, which towers over the city, can even be seen from some of our classrooms! There is an excellent choice of first class restaurants, cafes, bars, pubs and shops to keep you during your time with Inlingua.

For those of you who are planning to learn English in the UK, Edinburgh is the perfect location to do so. The city has an idyllic location between hills and the sea and you can walk everywhere in the city centre.

Edinburgh has a great international atmosphere all year round with its many cultural activities make it a great choice for city breaks and the perfect place to learn English. Edinburgh was recently awarded the world’s first city of literature due to well-known authors such as J K Rowling, Ian Rankin and Robert Louis Stevenson to name but a few. The famous international festivals in the summer and the world’s biggest New Year Celebration “Hogmanay’’ attract visitors from all over the world – as do the scenic and unique Highlands which are only a 2 hours’ drive away.

Inlingua Edinburgh is the perfect place to learn English, French, Spanish, German – the list is endless. Get in touch with our staff at our Edinbugh language college and we would be happy to help.

You can reach us on 0131 220 5119 or send us an email at info@inlingua-edinburgh.co.uk

Wednesday 11 February 2009

Inlingua Edinburgh has a brand new website!


Inlingua Edinburgh has a brand new website! We have upgraded our website for all our students learning English in Edinburgh and for people that would like to try their hands at any of the other languages that we offer. We have been busier than ever, if you would like to book a place on a course with us then please do get in touch and we would be happy to help you our number is 0131 220 5119. Some of our courses offer a great way to have an educational vacation in Edinburgh as they include accommodation with host families, their could be no better way to learn from a native speaker than living with a family of them, just be careful not to catch the Scottish accent! If you would like more information about our courses then please visit our website www.learnenglishinedinburgh.com !

Inlingua language school Edinburgh and...cultural centre!

Inlingua Edinburgh is a language school based in the heart of Edinburgh. We are unlike any other English School in the capital as we offer a programme of cultural programmes as well as courses in over ten different languages. Most recently we have started an English for actors course 'Play on Words' . On a Wednesday night our 'red room' is home to a range of multilingual thespians, but if you don't want to be an actor then don't worry, the course is a great chance to improve your vocabulary, to express your feelings in English, to improve your grammar, to increase self confidence and to have fun!

Edinburgh City Guide Top 5 things to do!



  1. Visit the castle. It does seem obvious but it is worth the climb for the spectacular views alone. Once inside the castle you get a feel for the not so clean cut history of Scotland's capital. As well as all the facts there are ghost stories galore as well as legendary secret passageways and torture chambers!

  2. Shop until you drop in the Grassmarket. The trendy unique shops of the Grassmarket offer a welcome alternative to the droves of chain stores that populate Princes street. Top tips include hip hangout Totty Rocks, chic knitting supplier K1 and the iconic magazine/t-shirt shop Analogue. After all this shopping what better place to knock back a few 'wee drabs' than the appropriately named Last Drop, situated on the site of the most popular execution gallows in the city.

  3. Meet some real life ghosts. Edinburgh is actually famous for it's paranormal activity. If you dare you can take a tour from a number of locations along the Royal Mile that will take you deep into the hidden underground city – don't say we didn't warn you!

  4. Cutting edge art. Edinburgh boasts the largest art college in Scotland and is part of the reason for the city's cultural reputation. Sean Connery even enjoyed a stint as a life model once upon a time. The capital has some of the best and most exciting art galleries in Europe, anything from dramatic renaissance works at the National Gallery on The Mound to the edgy realms of Scotland's emerging talent at The Collective on Cockburn Street. Definetly recommended is The Fruitmarket Gallery on Market Street, directly next to Waverley train station, it's lively curating, fantastic bookshop and stylish cafe offer the perfect spot to while away the afternoon.

  5. A taste of the great outdoors. One of the most striking things about the Scottish capital are the two dormant volcanoes that dominate the skyline. Walking up the affectionately named Arthur's seat you feel as though you have entered a surreal ultra-natural wilderness in the heart of a capital city, you can even find a secluded loch, where cheeky locals skinny dip after a night out, within view of the Queen's city residence Holyrood Palace

Wednesday 4 February 2009

Our New English Theatre Course - learn to speak English through acting!

Our new English Theatre course starts tonight. It's a great opportunity to learn to speak English with all the confidence you need to take to the stage. The objectives are to improve pronunciation and diction, to increase vocabulary, to express feelings in English, to improve grammar and if that's not enough to give you greater self confidence. It's sure to be plenty of fun!
Tonight there will be a free introductory course from 7.15pm until 9.15pm.
For more information give us a call on 0131 220 5119.
If you would like more information about any of our language courses then please do give us a call on 0131 220 5119, as well as teaching English in Edinburgh we also teach Arabic, Bulgarian, Croatian, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Slovenian, Mandarin, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish & Turkish.
Hopefully we will see you tonight!

Wednesday 28 January 2009

Welcome to our new blog 'Learn Languages in Edinburgh'!

Learn languages in Edinburgh is the new blog from Inlingua Edinburgh. We offer courses in Arabic, Bulgarian, Croatian, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Slovenian, Mandarin, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish & Turkish. If that's not enough we also hold a wide range of events throughout the year, think of us as more of a global cultural centre than a language school!
Our new blog will feature all the latest news from our foreign language courses in Edinburgh as well as all the lowdown and inside knowledge of what there is to do in this fantastic city!
If you would like to know more about our language courses in Edinburgh then please call us on
0131 220 5119 or send us a quick email info@inlingua-edinburgh.co.uk .
We are situated right in the heart of the Scottish capital on Hannover street, close to the buzz of Princes Street and overlooked by the famous castle.
Our website offers a handy tool where you can test your ability to see which level of course will be best suited to you. We at Inlingua are unique and stand apart from other Edinburgh language schools, our staff have 35 years experience between them and we believe in a truly authentic language learning experience, all of our staff are either bi-lingual or native speakers! You are sure to be chatting away in another tongue in no time at all!