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Gaston Dorren

Goodreads Author

Born

in Valkenburg aan de Geul, Netherlands

Website

http://www.languagewriter.com

Twitter

languagewriter

Genre

Nonfiction

Influences

John McWhorter, Guy Deutscher, Midas Dekkers

Member Since

December 2012

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Having started to talk before I could walk, I remember my pre-schooler’s frustration at being unable to read. In my teens and later, I learnt a handful of languages sort of well; I've dabbled in many others since.

In recent years, I've published several books about language and linguistics, in both English and Dutch.
* Lingo (2014), about the languages of Europe; also available in Dutch (Lingua), German (Sprachen), Russian (Lingvo), Spanish, Swedish and Norwegian; Italian forthcoming.
* Babel (2018), about the world's 20 largest languages. Spanish, Mandarin (2), Norwegian, Italian, Polish, Russian, Korean, Vietnamese and Dutch translations are scheduled for 2019/20.
* Vakantie in eigen taal (2016), about the Dutch languages.
* Nieuwe tongen (199 ...more

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Gaston Dorren’s books

Average rating: 3.85 · 8,905 ratings · 1,214 reviews · 11 distinct works • Similar authors

	Lingo: A Language Spotter's Guide to Europe by Gaston Dorren (Goodreads Author), Alison Edwards (Translator) 3.92 avg rating — 4,622 ratings — published 2014 — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Babel: Around the World in Twenty Languages 3.79 avg rating — 4,115 ratings — published 2018	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Taaltoerisme: Feiten en verhalen over 53 Europese talen 3.84 avg rating — 56 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Zeven talen in zeven dagen 3.84 avg rating — 44 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Vakantie in eigen taal 3.34 avg rating — 50 ratings — published 2016 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	De Dutchionary 3.27 avg rating — 11 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Het land van Hilde: archeologie in het Noord-Hollandse kustgebied by Claudia Dekkers, Gaston Dorren (Goodreads Author), Rob van Eerden really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 3 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Nieuwe tongen: de talen van migranten in Nederland en Vlaanderen 3.67 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 1999	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	De campesino in het paleis: het landbouwbeleid van Peru's president Garcia it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 1989	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Game of the Rose: The Third World in the Global Flower Trade by Niala Maharaj, Gaston Dorren (Goodreads Author) it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 1995	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Published on September 18, 2024 07:28

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Gaston is Currently Reading

Gaston Dorren is currently reading

Memory Craft

by Lynne Kelly (Goodreads Author)

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Jan 08, 2024 07:07AM

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How the World Thinks: A Global History of Philosophy

by Julian Baggini (Goodreads Author)

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Gaston Dorren and 32 other people liked CanadianReader's review of The Vulnerables: "Nunez employs essentially the same fragmented, allusive, meditative format for this novel that she used in the two fictional works that preceded it. I felt the approach was much less effective here. This novel lacks the focus and drama of the earlier" Read more of this review »
Sep 13, 2025 02:51PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Vulnerables by Sigrid Nunez. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Vulnerables by Sigrid Nunez <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Gaston Dorren rated a book it was ok Die Verletzlichen by Sigrid Nunez	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Gaston Dorren rated a book really liked it A Letter of Mary (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, #3) by Laurie R. King (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Gaston Dorren rated a book really liked it A Monstrous Regiment of Women (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, #2) by Laurie R. King (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 15, 2025 01:34PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of A Monstrous Regiment of Women by Laurie R. King. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — A Monstrous Regiment of Women by Laurie R. King <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
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Gaston Dorren and 98 other people liked LauraRW's review of The Moor (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, #4): "I read reviews warning the reader to skip over this one in the series, but that advice goes against my nature as a reader. I wish I had been able to listen. Meanwhile, the book is summed up as follows. (Here be spoilers) Holmes--"Russell, come to rainy," Read more of this review »
May 15, 2025 11:48AM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Moor by Laurie R. King. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Moor by Laurie R. King <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Gaston Dorren rated a book liked it The Moor (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, #4) by Laurie R. King (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Gaston Dorren rated a book it was amazing The Beekeeper's Apprentice (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, #1) by Laurie R. King (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Quotes by Gaston Dorren (?)

“If you're one of those people who worry that the English language is going to the dogs, linguists are of no help to you. Whatever it is that annoys you - double negatives, the demise of whom, the non-standard usage of literally - linguists will answer that a language is a living thing, and is always changing. You can't stop the process, so you'd better get used to it.”
― Gaston Dorren, Lingo: A Language Spotter's Guide to Europe

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“fanfarronear”
― Gaston Dorren, Lingo

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“Gönnen (also spelt as goennen) – the exact opposite of ‘to envy’: to be gladdened by someone else’s fortune. Old”
― Gaston Dorren, Lingo

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