The Minimalism Program is many things to many researchers, and there are by now many alternative versions of it. Central to all is the fundamental question: to what extent is the human language faculty an optimal solution to minimal design specifications. Taken as a whole, the volume outlines the main features of Minimalism, its historical and conceptual sources, and provides an illustration of minimalist theorizing by looking at several properties of the syntactic component of grammar. Some contributions concentrate on what kind of computational tools are made available in a minimalist syntactic component, and how the computational system interacts with external and interface domains of the mind/brain. Other contributions specifically focus on direct empirical gains that emerge from adopting minimalist guidelines.
Would you like your children to grow up bilingual, even if you aren’t yet? Then speak to your kids in Spanish as you learn the language along with them. Becoming a Bilingual Family gives English-speaking parents the tools to start speaking Spanish with their kids in their earliest years, when children are most receptive to learning languages. It teaches the vocabulary and idioms for speaking to children in Spanish and offers practical, proven ways to create a language-learning environment at home. The first part of the book introduces parents to many resources—books, audio books, music, television, computer programs, childcare workers, school, and friends—that can help you establish a home environment conducive to the acquisition of Spanish. The second part is a Spanish phrasebook that takes you through all the typical activities that parents and children share, from getting up in the morning to going to bed at night. Few, if any, other Spanish study aids provide this much vocabulary and guidance for talking to small children about common daily activities. The authors also include a quick course in Spanish pronunciation and enough grammar to get a parent started. Spanish-language resources, kids’ names in Spanish, and an easy-to-use index and glossary complete the book. Take the Markses’ advice and start talking to your kids in Spanish, even if it’s not perfect. You’ll learn the language together and share the excitement of discovering the peoples and cultures that make up the Spanish-speaking world.
With the increase in travel to Spanish-speaking countries as well as the rise in the Latino population in the United States, a growing number of people are in need of a quick reference to help them communicate. Sadly, most Spanish reference books contain outdated phrases organized in a manner that make it difficult to find the right words for the right situation. The Everything Spanish Phrase Book remedies these shortcomings with a practical, real-world approach to language learning that is both quick and easy to use. From ordering dinner and asking for directions to working and communicating in Latino communities, this handy guide provides readers with all they need as ellos hablan español in any setting. Organized by situation, The Everything Spanish Phrase Book contains the right words for: Traveling and making reservations Dining and shopping Speaking Spanish in a business setting Working with the Latino community Fully indexed and complete with a pronunciation guide and helpful dictionaries, The Everything Spanish Phrase Book is the ideal resource for business or pleasure.