Gaston Dorren

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Gaston Dorren

Goodreads Author


Born
in Valkenburg aan de Geul, Netherlands
Website

Twitter

Genre

Influences
John McWhorter, Guy Deutscher, Midas Dekkers

Member Since
December 2012


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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Popular Answered Questions

Gaston Dorren I suppose that if I wrote fiction, I would suffer from writer's block a lot. But since I do non-fiction, the sheer amount of fascinating stuff out the…moreI suppose that if I wrote fiction, I would suffer from writer's block a lot. But since I do non-fiction, the sheer amount of fascinating stuff out there waiting to be written about keeps me going without a hitch. The only block that I can imagine stopping me is the inscribed slab of stone that will sit on top of me at some point in the future.(less)
Gaston Dorren Hi Michael, thanks for your question.
I'm aware that this can seem strange. The thing is, the cover shown on Goodreads is an early draft, with errors …more
Hi Michael, thanks for your question.
I'm aware that this can seem strange. The thing is, the cover shown on Goodreads is an early draft, with errors in *all four* non-Latin words. Fortunately, the cover that was published is correct.
It so happens that the Russian word for Babel actually is Vavilon, with the stress on the final syllable. This is because Russian, borrowed the Greek form (Βαβυλών), and in Greek, the pronunciation of beta at some point in history shifted from /b/ to /v/. The name of the writer Isaac Babel, on the other hand, is spelt Исаак Бабель, with two b's.(less)
Average rating: 3.85 · 8,905 ratings · 1,214 reviews · 11 distinct worksSimilar authors
Lingo: A Language Spotter's...

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3.92 avg rating — 4,622 ratings — published 2014 — 8 editions
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Babel: Around the World in ...

3.79 avg rating — 4,115 ratings — published 2018
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Taaltoerisme: Feiten en ver...

3.84 avg rating — 56 ratings2 editions
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Zeven talen in zeven dagen

3.84 avg rating — 44 ratings
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Vakantie in eigen taal

3.34 avg rating — 50 ratings — published 2016 — 2 editions
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De Dutchionary

3.27 avg rating — 11 ratings2 editions
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Het land van Hilde: archeol...

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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 3 ratings
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Nieuwe tongen: de talen van...

3.67 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 1999
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De campesino in het paleis:...

it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 1989
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The Game of the Rose: The T...

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it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 1995
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Published on September 18, 2024 07:28
Memory Craft
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Gaston’s Recent Updates

Gaston Dorren and 32 other people liked CanadianReader's review of The Vulnerables:
The Vulnerables by Sigrid Nunez
"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 »
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The Moor by Laurie R. King
"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 »
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Quotes by Gaston Dorren  (?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)

“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

“fanfarronear”
Gaston Dorren, Lingo

“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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