Quiero saber si uds. conocen a este escritor mexicano, Jorge Ibargüengoitia. ¿Han leído sus libros? Aparentemente es uno de los mejores escritores mexicanos. Ya compré uno de sus libros y me interesa comprar otro. El que compré no lo he leído todavía pero los compro cuando están en oferta porque sé que tarde o temprano los leeré. Me avisan.

El libro que tengo es Dos crímenes:




Aquí está el otro que quiero comprar. Según los comentarios el libro es muy bueno:






-Marianopolita.

For those of you who are fans of Isabel Allende’s literature, you may want to know that her new novel, La isla bajo el mar will be released on August 25, the hard cover edition only.

I read the summary of the book and I am intrigued by the fact that the setting of the novel and time frame is Saint-Domingue of the eighteenth century. An island that was considered the 'Pearl of the Antilles' and a rich French empire’ is certainly not the Saint-Domingue or Haiti that we currently know today. Rather it’s quite the opposite being the poorest country in the western hemisphere.

I will pre order the book to ensure a copy however, what intrigues me most is the setting and storyline which strays so far from the typical themes of this author. As well, it’s always interesting to see how an author handles a controversial topic and culture that is not his/ her own. In this case slavery, racism among other issues.

Although my reading list is completely full and has been for the past few years this book once received will be placed on the top of the pile.



-Marianopolita.

Here is a good and poignant article on Dominican identity, pelo malo and negrofobia. Deeply rooted in the culture and inculcated in the minds of the majority of Dominicans which perpetuates the colonist dogma and anti-haitianismo. To deny or put yet another spin on the reality is another blow to the already existing notion of a society that's 'acomplejada with a clear falta de identidad'. I also think it's interesting to note that it is posted in a Dominican newspaper, Clave Digital.


A must read article for those who realize the profound depths and negativity associated with terms such as 'pelo malo' and 'pelo bueno'. No it's not just about straightening your hair! It speaks to the social construct of a society that has not advanced in terms of color, race, and social equality among other injustices.

...and yes this is my opinion.


Here is the article: Pelo malo y otras fobias :: CLAVE digital


~Marianopolita.

A unique Dominican merenguero/ artista





This award is handed out yearly to outstanding figures in the Latin community and for music lovers and especially fans of unsung heroes, the news of this award to Chichi Perlata for his contribution to Dominican music is very inspiring. He is definitely not your ordinary merenguero and no one as far as I know has emulated his style. IMO, Chichi Peralta has mastered the art of fusion of tropical rhythms with a dominant influence on afro beats to create a style of merengue the artist himself coined as merengue africano.

His first album Pa' otro la'o was a hit. Many of the songs fall under the category of 'tropical' as none are distinctly merengue. He gained popularity and recognition in Latin America and internationally because of two songs- Amor narcótic and la ciguaga. His second album IMO was not a stellar production. Not one of the songs stood out nor was a hit and almost was a complete change in genre as compared to the first album going from tropical to Dominican folkore. Apparently, his third album, Más que suficiente is a return to form with the hit song Zalamera. If his new release is rhythmically similar to his two successful and popular albums, Pa' otro la'o and Más que suficiente, this Dominican artist will be rising to another level among the small unique group of merengueros who continue to maintain this rhythm that is authentically and uniquely Dominican.

I am definitely looking forward to purchasing his third album and this new release. I am also happy to know that Héctor Acosta, another Dominican merenguero who has held his own as a solo artist and was a huge contributor to Los Toros Band will also be recognized.


Article from Clave Digital: Chichí Peralta recibirá premio a excelencia musical en EEUU :: CLAVE digital



-Marianopolita

As an avid fan of Latin music and collector of a variety of genres- salsa, merengue and bachata being the principal three, without a doubt Héctor Acosta stands out among merengue artists and is an important contributor to Latin music in general. This artist of humble origins who began as one of the key singers of Los Toros band, and nicknamed El Torito accordingly, has a repertoire of albums that attest to the success of the artist and the group. Perhaps underestimated in the beginning of his career by many Acosta has been a prolific figure in Los Toros band and Dominican music for over fifteen years.


He branched out as a solo artist in 2006 and has maintained the same level of popularity and success that he has become known for in Dominican music. His first solo album 'Sigo siendo yo' was a success and displays the level of musical talent and versatility that only few Latin artists can boast. Not only is Acosta a merenguero but he has successfully crossed over to other genres principally bachata and balada. While most of his albums are very good, I have a few favorites and would recommend them to those who like traditional merengue:

1/ Raíces



2/ Y no hay problema

3/ Pa' la calle



4/ Toromanía

Que viva el merengue tradicional...

Hector Acosta - Bio of Dominican Music's 'El Torito'


~Marianopolita.

For the small audience of Spanish book readers on DR1, you may be interested in this weekly list of book recommendations posted in El Universal (Cartagena, Colombia). I look at it on a regular basis but not every week, however, that will change because every time I do read through the short list of books they are good recommendations. As well, it's a great way to get to know contemporary authors in Spanish literature. There are so many good choices of books to read and it's hard to know the 'whose who' unless they are well promoted or their books are published by the well-respected and popular publishing houses such as Alfaguara, Planeta, Sudamericana, Santana etc.


Two of three books this week interest me because of the themes and the authors. It's just two more possible authors two choose from down the road since literature can be enjoyed at any time.

1/ Ricardo Silva Romero- Colombian

-details about the author are in the link.

2/ Carla Guelfenbein-Chilean

Whenever I find out about female authors, I am immediately interested as the literary sphere is still dominated by men although women have come a long way. The summary of her literary work seems intriguing and promising. I will definitely sample her writing in the future. It's good to see female authors continue to challenge a long standing tradition of the male voices in Spanish traditional and contemporary literature.

-details about the author are in the link.


Here is this week's links and the column is published weekly on Sundays.

Suplementos - Dominical -> Libros/ Recomendados - El Universal


-Marianopolita.

I finished reading my third novel this summer and it was worth the read. I wish I had more time to dedicate to literature although I have been focusing on reading of all kinds not only novels thus the slow down on finishing my selected books for the first half of summer 2009.

I read Pura vida and it was a first time sample of this author's work. I think he is very creative and captured the essence of a storyline typical of many Latin and tropical countries in general aka the so-called 'paradise'. The concept is relative depending on one's personal situation. The novel is the story of so many poor Latin American youth who cling to hope for a better life however, in the meantime life has little meaning and everyday is 'pura vida'.


See my commentary in this thread:

http://www.dr1.com/forums/778674-post105.html

The next novel I will be reading is a French novel titled Il était parti dans la nuit by Youssef Amghar.

See link for a brief preview of the book:



Il était parti dans la nuit - Google Books


-Marianopolita

I found this article intriguing about the millionth word in the English language which is about to be created. Does English need anymore words? With the surge of technology and the internet, words pop up overnight especially since English is the most widely used language on the web.

How are newly coined words monitored and who determines if they are valid or not? The first indicator is a dictionary. Who approves the words and how long does it take for them to appear? Do American dictionaries have the same words as British ones? Keeping informed about the change in language is challenging but also very insightful. Speaking is so natural to many people around the world whether one speaks English, French, Spanish etc. but we all don't have the same command, vocabulary, fluency native and non-native speakers alike.

English is a lingua franca and with that comes its price meaning the language is subject to constant change, irregular forms/ usage which means acceptance of words and terms before they are officially approved by a governing body.

So what will be the mystery millionth word? It could be slang or most likely a newly coined term from the web.

English, a forever changing tongue and a global vehicle of communication.

BBC Mundo - Aprenda Inglés - Inminente millonésima palabra


-Marianopolita

I finished book 4 a couple weeks ago and I enjoyed the stories immensely. Not only are the authors of Le Petit Nicolas renowned for their stories for decades in children's French literature but the grammar is top notch which is important when children read in all languages. This is not to say the book lacks humour or usage of everyday expressions. It's full of French idioms, expressions, colloquialisms from France and once again confirms that diversity in language does not mean lack of uniformity. Any French speaker from any country or region where French is spoken can enjoy Le Petit Nicolas. Actually, it's a very integral part of French academic/ scholastic programs. Adults read the books with their children. I started book 3 and thus far it's equally entertaining.


-Marianopolita

'Disappearing languages'- BBC Mundo - Aprenda Inglés - Idiomas en vías de extinción

IMO, this article can be used a premise as to what happened to many of the Caribbean languages in the 16th/ 17th century. Taíno for example was one of the numerous indigenous languages spoken in the Caribbean pre arrival of the Spaniards. Although history books state that all Taínos were wiped out of the Caribbean in a relatively short time in years after their arrival, there is a current counter argument and debate that there are some Taíno survivors in the Caribbean which includes PR, DR and Cuba. Although I am not pursuing the debate, I would say mostly likely that it's true. Yes, the numbers are small but there are probably Taíno survivors thus the evidence of culture and its language in the Caribbean and Caribbean basin.

Before I could even post what I wanted to say after reading this brief but great article in the BBC, I had to do a some research because Taino, the language is not my area of expertise although I have more than some basic knowledge, accuracy of information is important. Out from some the links I have read which are part of the ongoing research being done by one of the organizations of Caribbean languages (a dot.org link) is that there is a modern day Taíno Creole spoken in the Caribbean which obviously differs from the original Taíno language. The Creole is a mixture of Taíno and Spanish thus making it a Creole. The original Taíno language did not survive simply because it was not 'written' down. Therefore, when a population dies, the language goes with them. If the UNESCO concept existed in the 16th/ 17th century, the Taíno linguistic patrimony would probably still be preserved. As a result what remains from Taíno principally are words used in all categories of vocabulary i.e. food, names of towns, animals, flowers, fruit etc.

The issue of language preservation is a polemic topic in many countries in the Americas. Canada and Paraguay are two examples with French and Guaraní that readily come to mind. The English/ French debate in Canada goes back a long way and I don't believe even most Canadians understand it especially those who have never lived in Quebec. Although English and French are the official languages and the population is significant enough for French language survival people need to speak it for it to survive and evolve from generation to generation. Quebec is an isolated French-speaking region as compared to other countries where French is spoken. It certainly did not evolve the way French did in other lands and archaisms and distinctness of Canadian French are key aspects. However, like all language diversity it does not impede communication among French speakers.

This article speaks to the importance of passing on language from generation to generation especially in multilingual countries such Canada and the USA. Bilingualism in the USA is controversial, most of it involves Spanish. In general, Spanish is lost by the second generation and in some states the 'unilingual' language policy is in force. Although the survival of Spanish is not in jeopardy in Latin America and Spain, for Spanish speakers in the USA, it's important, IMO, to keep the heritage language alive thus in this discussion of language preservation the debate becomes two fold. It definitely has to be addressed on more than one level.

Anyone who speaks more than one language should be sensitive to the importance of language and culture preservation.


-Marianopolita

One can always rely on the BBC for well written, interesting and informative articles about language. The latest piece of info is about the release of a comprehensive dictionary of Spanish in Argentina. This is only the second of its kind in Latin America. The first integral dictionary in Latin America was released in the 70’s in Mexico.

This dictionary is a repertoire of the everyday colloquial Spanish spoken in Argentina which one can hear anywhere while walking in the streets of Buenos Aires. Clearly, the words, expressions and phrases may be a far cry from what one may find in the RAE however, it serves as a specialized reference for the locals and anyone who has an insatiable curiosity for the diversity that the Spanish language has to offer not to mention one may just need to look up a word specific to the country.



According to the article, the dictionary has about 40,000 words and it’s not classified as a dictionary of Argentineanisms because it includes indigenous and Spanish words as well as foreign ones used in their vernacular. The most important aspect is it explains the meaning that they have in Argentina if they differ from the standard.

Here is a prime example of how the meaning of words differs or the many ways to say the same word in Spanish:

-this example is classic because neither of two words are ones that I use or readily come to mind. Nevera is the one that I use for fridge and is used in other regions just as commonly.

For the purists, a dictionary such as this may legitimatize a country’s 'incorrect' way of speaking whereas one member of the Academia Argentina de Letras states that 'each Hispano-American country’s objective should be to allow absolute legitimacy for their way of speaking'.

The dictionary is a result of the work of sixty experts and more than three years to put it together. This regional dictionary does include words that are not in the RAE. It also includes 'lunfardo' expressions which is the argot (slang) of the lower classes in Buenos Aires.

-what I think would be a great linguistic reference is an equivalent source of the Dominican vernacular compiled by the local erudite of language. Is it possible? It would certainly shed some light on the critique of the Dominican vernacular by many Spanish speakers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mundo/cultura_s...rgentino.shtml

-Marianopolita

Every year for the past few years I have challenged myself to a book reading list for the summer. I like to make a list to have an idea in mind what I would like to read vs. what I actually do get a chance to read as well as it keeps me focused.

Most of the times, I read two of the selected novels and end up reading novels that were not on my selected profile. Time is always the obstructing factor not desire. Anyway another summer is approaching and while I maintain ordinary life schedules and duties, I hope to read some interesting literature in Spanish and French.

Here is a preliminary list of books I hope to read over the next two months and then I can aspire to read a few more towards mid-summer:


1/ El asalto- Reinaldo Arias

-his literature is always a realistic dose of Castro's Cuba.

2/ Pura Vida- José María Mendiluce

-this one really intrigues me as the setting is in Costa Rica and the author is from Spain.

3/ Purgatorio- Tomás Eloy Martínez

-looking forward to this novel as it will be my first sample of this Argentine author’s writing.



4/ L’Africain- J.M.G. Le Clézio

-Nobel Literature prize winner 2008.




Youth literature

5/ Le Petit Nicolas- the new series- Books 1-4

-I am almost finished book #4. Looking forward to more laughs with book #3




-Marianopolita

For those of you who like discussions on language, you may be interested in this recent blog entry.

DR1 is an English speaking message board made up of a diverse group of posters. Most are foreigners, some are Dominicans living in country or abroad, Latinos and Europeans etc. However, Spanish is not the primary language of many but is the language of the DR.

From reading the threads over the years the vast majority of foreigners do not speak Spanish or speak and understand at a very basic level. Many have the desire to learn and some are pursuing methods that best suit their learning ability or lifestyle.

One aspect about learning a language is making errors. It's part of the process. Learning a language is easier for some people as compared to others, some people just don't understand the grammatical aspects to make correct sentences, some just want to communicate regardless how many errors they make etc.

IMO, Spanish is a fun language but not an easy one to learn. Surely, there are other languages that are more difficult and couple that with having to learn characters like in Chinese or Japanese, Spanish will seem easy. Nevertheless many people struggle with the Romance languages as they do with other language groups (meaning of a different origin).

On DR1 posts have Spanish words or phrases in them and I believe posters post what they believe is the correct word, expression or phrase. However, many are blunders, incorrect grammatically or make no sense. I always find it interesting to read how posters interpret the language not realizing the error although what s/he meant to say can be understood. One way to learn is to analyze the error(s) and understand (grammatically) why it's incorrect.

Here is a list of Spanish language blunders on DR1 that I chose randomly that make for an interesting grammar review. As well, some proofreading tips that I use can help with some of these. In English homonyms are one of the biggest errors that people make when typing emails, writing in forums etc. For e.g. its vs. it's, there vs. their, are vs. our etc. Spelling errors can be resolved via spell check. One aspect that I am trying to improve on is proofreading which will enable me to catch those common grammar and typographical errors that I make and can be avoided.

Here are some of the DR1 Spanish blunders from recent posts / threads:


1/ 'Que ya se perdio mi esperanza! Oops I'm already married - just kidding! Best of luck to you new future. Felicidades!'- post #3-

the highlighted part is incorrect. The meaning is not what's intended although it can be understood.

http://www.dr1.com/forums/general-st...g-married.html

2/ 'you need and move on...buenas suerte'- post #47- no /s/ on "buenas". It s/b 'buena suerte'

http://www.dr1.com/forums/men-mars-w...dom-rep-5.html

3/ 'El merengue es mejor que la lambada, pero quiero dirigir'- post #4 (I think a translator was used)

http://www.dr1.com/forums/general-st...ic-leonel.html

4/ 'porque los gringos no les gusta que se liga lo agrio con lo dulce'- post #22 - grammar is the problem in the highlighted part of the phrase.

http://www.dr1.com/forums/living/893...r-again-3.html

5/ 'no te apure!' -post #8 - mixing the vernacular with written language. S/b 'no te apures'. The /s/ must be in the written form.

http://www.dr1.com/forums/living/899...tml#post746874

6/ 'dominicanyols porque no se usa por(entre?) la genta educada.'- post #6- grammar (the highlighted part is incorrect)

http://www.dr1.com/forums/living/899...tml#post746874

7/ 'naaah Mariposacita,...' - post #68- the diminutive is Mariposita

http://www.dr1.com/forums/living/902...tml#post748915


8/ 'At 1:39, he shows his fridge. What's that in the can?antes de que ensena la vaina de hielo?'- post #1 -grammar. The highlighted part s/b 'enseñe'... antes de que enseñe.

http://www.dr1.com/forums/spanish-10...-diciendo.html

9/ 'Damilo, Aglo mi, Presta mi, Tate Quieto, Orita, dejame tranquilla'.- post #34- these are examples of how the poster interprets what's heard.

http://www.dr1.com/forums/706178-post34.html


IMO, some keys to successful language learning include a combination of factors:

*grammatical study both formal instruction and independent review

*reading at your level and progressing accordingly

* speaking and interaction with Spanish speakers whenever possible

* listening to the language- e.g. music, the radio, television (especially the news)

* time- there's no time limit to language learning. The first few years are the most difficult.

I recommend this book that I purchased out of curiosity and it covers a lot of ground regarding errors made not only by learners but native speakers as well. I was presently surprised with the material covered. It's available on Amazon.



Here's part of the editorial summary:

Correct Your Spanish Blunders: How to Avoid 99% of the Common Mistakes Made by Learners of Spanish: Jean Yates: Amazon.ca: Books



-Marianopolita

Isabel Allende will be releasing a novel in the fall titled "La isla bajo el mar". Under the literary genre of “Realismo mágico" which is common among some Latin American authors but not as popular today as per the author, Isabel Allende's novel will includes elements of magical realism in a novel that's clearly fiction.



-I think this is an interesting comment by Isabel about contemporary literature today. Even though I am avid reader, I never consider the genre or even classifying Latin American literature today as such 'much more urban and realistic'.

I have read a few of Allende's novels and have been pleasantly suprised the latest one being La suma de los días which was a very refreshing read. I feel the author really summed up the years of her life very well in a book that is somewhat of an autobiography. I am looking forward to this one that will have a totally different theme.

According to the article some of the best authors of this literary genre include:

1/ Gabriel García Márquez

2/ Juan Rulfo y Laura Esquivel

3/ and Isabel Allende

Although I have read one of GGM's books, Noticia de un secuestro, it definitely was not in the category of 'magical realism'. The book was a very real example of what the country has been plagued with over the past forty years. The story of a kidnapping and how those ruthless narco traffickers negotiate with family members to release innocent people in captivity.

I do intend read more of GGM in the future especially since he is one of Latin America's greatest authors.

Regarding Juan Rulfo and Laura Esquivel, I have yet to sample their work but I do have one book by each of them therefore it's only a matter of time.

?Realismo mágico no está vigente?: Isabel Allende - Vivir - LaPrensa.hn



-Marianopolita