You've all seen the Cortina Method language courses, right? Cortina's [Language Name] in 20 Lessons, Intended for Self-Study and for Use in Schools? Did you ever wonder who Cortina was? I just tried to find out, and was amazed to discover that the only biographical information I can find online beyond his name (Rafael Díez de la Cortina) is this Spanish Wikipedia article, which doesn't even have a death date! I realize the guy didn't get a Nobel prize or anything, but he founded a very successful series of language courses; how could he have disappeared without trace? If anybody knows anything about his fate, please share; I'd like to do at least a skeletal English Wikipedia article, but I'm damned if I'm going to produce one without a date of death. (For that matter, there doesn't seem to be anything online about the publishing company, either; googling "Cortina Method" just gets individual books, and the Wikipedia disambiguation page has nothing relevant.)
Posted by languagehat at December 15, 2007 05:34 PMSpeaking of language teachers disappearing without a trace, what has happened to Jack Seward? He wrote in length about his experiences with Japanese culture & language since WWII; I have a copy of his "Japanese in Action" which I reread from time to time for entertainment value. The most recent reference for him that I've dug up is from 1999.
Posted by: Christopher Sundita at December 16, 2007 12:26 AMMaybe there's no death date because Rafael Díez de la Cortina is still alive and a sprightly 148 years young.
I confess I'm disappointed to discover that the Cortina method does not involve cars.
Posted by: Stephen Judd at December 18, 2007 02:18 PMI found a bit of information here: http://www.cursos-ingles-cortina.com/la_historia.html
The marketing department there might have more biographical details.
Also, this page was tantalizing:
http://www.immigrantships.net/1800/saratoga811116.html
A certain "Rafael diaz de la cortina" was a passenger, but the age given would be off by a couple years, if 1859 was, indeed, his correct birthdate AND if the age provided to Immigration in New York was correct.
Tantalizing indeed—thanks for the research!
Posted by: language hat at December 21, 2007 09:03 AMThese two searches (especially the second one) may be helpful:
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22Cortina%27s+Spanish%22
http://books.google.com/books?q=%22cortina%27s+spanish%22&btnG=Search+Books
Posted by: Aaron at December 26, 2007 07:59 AM