| Parents who look for a way to help their children | | | | wrought. Everything goes wrong for the |
| to learn a foreign language (or to learn theirs) | | | | representant of the antique school, of the old |
| often rely on bilingual books for children. Since it | | | | England. |
| may happen to be difficult to make children read, | | | | But in the end, it is the ghost who has a present |
| their efforts are not always rewarded. The latest | | | | for the new world. His legacy goes to Virginia, the |
| language learning software, bilingual audio books | | | | one who will reconcile the two worlds by marrying |
| for children, solves the problem. | | | | an English duke. |
| The Canterville Ghost has been chosen to | | | | While reading the story, children are entertained, |
| become the first English-Spanish bilingual audio | | | | not afraid. |
| book. The sentence-for-sentence alternation | | | | Adult readers will enjoy the way Oscar Wilde pits |
| makes it an easy language learning tool while | | | | an American family against a British ghost, one |
| sparing the learners the misunderstandings they | | | | culture against the other. The inserted ads, that |
| often get when they listen to an audiobook | | | | sounded so American one century ago, are still |
| recorded only in the language they learn. | | | | funny. The stereotypes of both cultures are |
| According to MultilingualBookstore chief publisher, | | | | reexamined. |
| the choice of The Canterville Ghost, by Oscar | | | | In the Christian theology, the ghosts cannot exist, |
| Wilde, was made because it "meets linguistic, | | | | since a soul is or is not saved, but cannot choose |
| trade, and technical requirements." The book to | | | | a third way. No Christian can believe in ghosts. But |
| record should treat of a general subject, so that | | | | it is the ghost himself who asks for someone |
| the vocabulary would be useful for anyone; it | | | | praying for him, so that he can be forgiven; and it |
| should be suitable for listeners of all ages; and not | | | | is Virginia, a believer and a member of the "Free |
| only should it allow cutting, but also had to keep | | | | American Reformed Episcopalian Church" who |
| its qualities despite the cutting. | | | | prays with and for him. The conclusion is clear: |
| The English-Spanish audiobook presents the | | | | two choices are not enough. |
| recording of the original text (for the English part) | | | | Almost all Multilingual bilingual audio books, for |
| that is to say: some sentences are quite long | | | | children or not, follow a |
| because, despite the classification "suitable for | | | | sentence-by-sentence alternation. It is what best |
| children" the book is a piece of art, not a teaching | | | | mirrors the side by side bilingual books. It makes |
| tool. The Spanish translation uses modern Spanish. | | | | them perfectly suitable for beginners. The bilingual |
| The Canterville Ghost is a parody of a ghost | | | | audio book Spanish-English works the same way, |
| story. All the elements are in place: the old | | | | so that the beginners do not have to do guess |
| mansion, the armour in the hall, the blood stain, | | | | work, they learn the easiest possible way almost |
| the chains, the secret corridor, etc, but they do | | | | as they learnt their mother tongue, except that |
| not work the way they are supposed to. They | | | | they do not ask their mother to repeat when |
| are present, but the circumstances make them | | | | there is something that escapes their |
| less ghostly than they should be, mainly because | | | | understanding, they simply hit the "Replay" touch. |
| they are seen from the materialistic point of view | | | | The bilingual audiobook is a little less than three |
| of the American family, the Otises. For them, a | | | | hour long. Each one of the seven chapters of the |
| detergent may remove the stain, the ghost's | | | | Canterville Ghost has its own corresponding mp3 |
| chains may be lubricated, a syrup may improve | | | | file, so that even children may listen to the story |
| Sir Simon's awful voice etc. | | | | since the length of a file is within their ability to |
| Even things that are not related with the Otises | | | | focus. |
| refuse to work. When the ghost makes the | | | | Many adult listeners who are looking for a handy |
| terrible oath, using the "picturesque phraseology | | | | tool to refresh their Spanish will also find |
| of the antique school" -something that is known | | | | pleasant to stop saying: "I have not read it yet," |
| to have yet proved its worth- though Chanticleer | | | | when asked what they think of Oscar Wilde's tale |
| "sounds his merry sound" at once, then he | | | | and instead will proudly reply: "Actually, I prefer to |
| remains mute, instead of serving Sir Simon's | | | | listen to it in Spanish. |
| purpose and allowing "deeds of blood" to be | | | | |