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I am considering creating an edition of Don Quixte that would alternate the original (Spanish) with English, paragraph-by-paragraph (a paragraph of Spanish, followed by its English translation).

I love Don Quixote, but I'm wondering if there are at least a few Spanish constructions used therein that are too archaic to be of much benefit to Spanish speakers learning English or, even more "dangerous," English speakers learning Spanish.

Are there any particular constructions used in the book that you would advise people not to learn today?

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  • Whether Don Quixote, or any text, is useful for a Spanish learner is a very subjective question; it depends on the particular learner, their learning styles and preferences, their current level of Spanish knowledge, and their objectives as a student. As such, I am closing this question as Primarily Opinion Based. I'm open to edits to make it more objective, but I'm honestly not sure how to salvage this question for the site.
    – Flimzy
    Feb 13, 2014 at 19:58
  • @Flimzy: I have tried to make the question more objective by asking for "particular" constructions used in the book that might be archaic, and wonder if the question can be reopened in its current form.
    – Tom Au
    Apr 27, 2014 at 0:09

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Although most of the words are still used right now, some adjectives and expressions may be too old, the same would happen if someone would do the reverse, for English learning, by translating Shakespeare's books.

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    I think the comparation with Shakespeare is pertinent, but also that Cervantes' Spanish is a little less different (less archaic). But there is a additional complication: sometimes (not many) Don Quixote speaks using the style of old chivalry books, a Spanish that already in his time was archaic.
    – leonbloy
    Feb 13, 2014 at 1:53

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