Pittsburgh, Presidents and Languages

Two Presidents: Obama -I admire- and Zapatero -from Spain, I despise- have visited Pittsburgh, Pa. these last few days, and neither -just my luck- speak languages. I mention this because Pittsburgh homes my Alma Mater, Duquesne University, and the University of Pittsburgh, where I was taught English, Spanish anbd French, among other things. What a travesty of an international meeting!

In the XIX Century educated people spoke languages as a matter of course. Peruse Mann's Death in Venice where at the hotel von Aschenbach hears all the educated European languages.
Today more than ever the mastery of languages is a must, as I have written in my El laberinto del idioma inglés, which I recommend, of course.
And while we are at it, I also recommend Duquesne University and the University of Pittsburgh, to all those who wish to pursue a serious - a no-nonsense- education.

El idioma inglés y su laberinto

I put together and published El laberinto del idioma inglés, hoja de ruta as an answer and guide to and for Spaniards seeking to learn the English language.
If you happen to be a Spaniard studying English, may I recommend this book that will help you in your quest? In it you will find a lot of practical advice that will answer many of your questions about language learning in general. You will read: 1, Learning and mastering a foreign language IS possible. 2. Spaniards are not linguistically handicapped. 3. It's impossible to pick up a language in ten days. 4. A lot of hard work is needed. 5. Grammar and study are the easiest and fastest way to learn. 6. Beware of language quacks and charlatans. 7. Languages pave the way to culture, and perhaps jobs.
Read it and you will learn a few things about languages and it will save you time and effort.

http://www.ed-serbal.es/

In Ediciones del Serbal (http://www.ed-serbal.es/ and http://www.ed-serbal.es/listado.asp?familia=Diccionarios&idfamilia=62) you'll find information about most of my books, along with reviews, interviews and even videos. Check their web page whenever you have a minute to spare. Thank you.

Contact:

By the way, my address is: delfincarbonellatyahoo.com, just in case. (Of course, change the "at" to @, naturally).

Latest photograph

Picture taken last August in Alicante, Spain.

My Bibliography / Mi bibliografía

Important publications / Publicaciones importantes: Books/libros

· La novelística de J. A. de Zunzunegui (Dos Continentes)
· Edition of Los amantes de Teruel de Hartzenbusch (Anaya)
· Diccionario malsonante, inglés y castellano (Istmo, 1992)
· A Phraseological Dictionary, English and Spanish (Ediciones del Serbal, 1995)
· Dictionary of Proverbs, English and Spanish, (Ediciones del Serbal, 1996 and Barron’s Educational Series, 1998, N.Y. Special Award for Bilingual Lexicography, Universidad de Extremadura, Spain)
· A Spanish and English Dictionary of Slang And Unconventional Language, with a foreword by Camilo José Cela (Ediciones del Serbal, 1997)
· Gran diccionario de argot. Foreword by Luis María Anson, Spanish Royal Academy. (Larousse, 2000; McGraw-Hill, Chicago, November, 2002.)
· Diccionario panhispánico de refranes de autoridades, with a foreword by Alonso Zamora Vicente, Spanish Royal Academy, (Editorial Herder, November, 2002.)
· English in Action. First Year. English for Spanish speakers. (Serbal, Oct. 2002)
· English in Action. Second Year. English for Spanish speakers. (Serbal,Oct. 2002)
· English in Action. Third Year. English for Spanish speakers. (Serbal, Oct. 2002)
· English in Action. Fourth Year. English for Spanish speakers. (Serbal, Oct. 2003)
· A Shorter Colloquial Dictionary English and Spanish, Foreword by Hugh Rawson. (Serbal, Jan.2004)
· A Spanish and English Dictionary of Idioms, Foreword by Edward Gates (Serbal, June, 2004).
· The New Dictionary of Current Sayings and Proverbs, Spanish and English, Foreword by Dr. John Simpson, Editor in Chief, Oxford English Dictionary (Serbal, 2005)
· Diccionario de clichés (Foreword by José Jiménez Lozano, Premio Cervantes 2002, Ed. del Serbal, 2006.)
· Diccionario sohez (Foreword by Luis María Anson, Serbal, 2007; 2nd. Ed. 2008)
· Diccionario panhispánico de citas, 1900-2008, (Foreword by Enrique Vila-Matas, Serbal, 2008).
· Edition of Julio Cejador’s Diccionario fraseológico del Siglo de Oro (Fraseología o estilística castellana), with Abraham Madroñal (Serbal, 2008).
· El laberinto del idioma inglés. Hoja de ruta (Foreword by Dr. James A. Parr, Serbal, 2009)