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Thanks to a long history of migration, many Portuguese speak many different languages, and that's a big draw for European call centers. It's one of the few bright spots in Portugal's bleak economy.

The account has gained more than 100,000 followers worldwide in less than six months. Followers, who represent a wide variety of professions and religions, are convinced the language of the ancient Romans is perfectly suited to 21st century social media.

Also: Judy Blume gets her own holiday; Michael Chabon considers the superhero costume; the best books coming out this week.

The almost 13-minute speech marked the first time a senator had addressed the legislative body entirely in a foreign language.

Also: T.S. Eliot on cats; LGBT literary awards; and Jonah Lehrer gets back in the game.

German spelling bees are about to get easier: The longest word in German has been retired. It has 63 letters.

Arvind Mahankali, a 13-year-old from Bayside, N.Y., won the Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday after correctly spelling "knaidel." It's a yiddish term of German origin meaning "dumpling." Mahankali had stumbled on German words two years in a row. This year, he said, "the German curse has turned into in a German blessing."

For centuries, the French have been sans a term for "French kiss." The latest edition of a popular dictionary attempts to rectify that.

The French Parliament is at odds over a measure that allows French universities to teach in English. Those in favor say it will help attract more international students, while opponents fear it will marginalize the French language.

Elysha O'Brien calls herself a "Mexican white girl." Not just because of her ethnically ambiguous appearance, she says, but also because she can't speak Spanish. Fearing their children would experience discrimination if they spoke Spanish, her parents chose not to teach them their native tongue.