10 June 2008
When 4,000 hoteliers polled by the travel company Expedia agree in saying that the Brits are some of the worst tourists for speaking the local language when on holiday, some effort has to be made to enhance our appearance to the world.
Tourists eager to learn a new language and immerse themselves into a new culture could not be better than in Corsica. The French island is not only French; it is also the home of many Corsican-speaking inhabitants.
The language sounds similar to Italian and originates from Latin, with strong influences from Tuscan.
Widely taught at school on the island, the Corsican language is an important part of the insulars' shared culture, and locals are generally pleased and extremely surprised when visitors try to exchange a few words in Corsu.
A CD-Rom is currently available for beginners to learn some of the basics of the language. In Corsu is an interactive way of learning how to write and speak the Corsu, designed for a French-speaking audience.