'Gamified' language app Duolingo finally adds Japanese

Just as many readers are swapping paperbacks for tablets, many language learners are trading in their textbooks for apps so they can study on the go. One of the most popular language applications on the market is Duolingo, a program that "gamifies" learning by rewarding players with points and new levels after they memorize vocabulary words and grammar points. The app, which has over 170 million users around the world, currently offers over 20 language courses, including Spanish, Vietnamese and Turkish. But Japanese had been notably missing until this week, when it was released on Friday by the Apple store for iOS. Duolingo's landing page for its Japanese course showed that more than 60,000 people signed up to be notified the moment that lessons were finally added. Duolingo co-founder and CEO Luis von Ahn said in a news release that Japanese was the most requested lesson in the company's five-year history.