As one of Argentina’s most famed writers, Jorge Luis Borges produced numerous original works of fiction, poetry, and essays; however, a lesser-known fact is that Borges also made significant contributions to literature through his work as a translator.
Borges’ paternal grandmother was English, and he grew up in Buenos Aires speaking both Spanish and English at [...]
Archive for the 'Spanish Language' Category
Borges as Translator
05Mar10Jorge Luis Borges, one of Argentina’s most celebrated writers, wrote not only in his native Spanish but in English as well. In collaboration with American translator Norman Thomas di Giovanni, Borges penned a number of short stories in English including “The Library of Babel” and “The Lottery in Babylon.” Unfortunately, after Borges’ death in 1986, [...]
The Ladino Language
13Feb10The Ladino language permits you to travel (linguistically-speaking) through a time warp of sorts. If you ever wondered what Spanish sounded like in the 14th and 15th centuries, take a listen to Ladino, and you’ll be afforded a glimpse (or rather a sound byte) of the past. Also known as Judeo-Spanish, Ladino is currently spoken [...]
When North African Muslims (often referred to as the Moors) defeated the Visigothic King Roderic and subsequently swept through the Iberian Peninsula, they began nearly eight centuries of Muslim rule in both Spain and Portugal. Al-Andalus was the Arabic name given to the parts of Spain governed by Islamic leaders at various times during the [...]
Whether you’re just starting to dabble in the world of foreign language study or you’re an accomplished polyglot with five languages under your belt, the Spanish Language resources you’re looking for are merely a click away. From beginner language forums to college-level courses, the Internet offers a wealth of language resources that are available [...]
Latinos and the 2010 U.S. Census
30Dec09With the 2010 U.S. Census set to begin in March, members of the Latino community are at odds over their participation in the decennial survey. Some fear that the census data collected by the government could provide an inaccurate tally of the population. “Concerns about an accurate count of the Latino community partly stem from [...]
Spanish speakers around the world, take heart; you don’t speak incorrectly, just differently. The Real Academia Española (RAE), Spain’s language authority, is finally acknowledging the diversity of grammar and vocabulary among the Spanish language’s nearly 500 million speakers in some 20 countries. The language mavens at the RAE just released a two-volume set detailing the [...]
Google adds another language tool to its arsenal with the introduction of Google Dictionary. Google’s new dictionary offers up results in close to 30 languages, including the major Western European languages, Russian, Chinese, Arabic, and Hindi. Notable exceptions from the line-up include Japanese and Persian (Farsi), though surely Google will work to support these languages [...]
Latinos and the Nonprofit Sector
26Nov09With the Hispanic segment of the U.S. population growing rapidly, it’s no wonder that retailers have begun to sit up and take notice of this group’s influence; however, it’s undeniable that the non-profit sector needs to engage Latinos as well in order to advance their agendas. Hispanics have a great deal to offer nonprofit organizations [...]
Over the centuries, Spanish has made a significant contribution to the English language. When American settlers began exploring the west in the early 19th century, they crossed paths with an established Mexican culture that supplied the English language with a number of everyday words. Merchants conducting trade in the Spanish-influenced Caribbean brought back not only [...]
