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...

'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...

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...

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...

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...