LINGUISTICS / LANGUAGE

This Basic English site has a download that is supposed to change text into BE which, if it works, could be a way of changing passages from literature into a limited vocabulary reading--though probably too cumbersome. That could then be tweaked to include other targeted vocab or grammar patterns while maintaining controlled readability. Ogden's simplified spelling rules could be adjusted in the final document to standard spelling with spellcheck. www.diac.com/~entente/basicpg.html

Here is the text of what is called Simplified English parameters which is being used as rules for technical publications: www.userlab.com/Downloads/SE.pdf

The gov't website on how to write documents in" plain language": plainlanguage.gov/
and here is another handbook from the SEC with similar guidelines in pdf format: www.sec.gov/pdf/handbook.pdf

A Plain English guide: www.plainenglish.co.uk/plainenglishguide.html
and also another: www.webpagecontent.com/arc_archive/139/5/
and www.wordcentre.co.uk/links.htm#business

Has an interesting conglomeration of information on music, learning and linguistics ( and see also the related blog ) : http://www.cyberpg.com/toc.asp

Council of Europe Language Portfolio is a concept being developed for certifying language proficiency in the EU.

Map of disappearing language groups in Europe