Dictionary Reviews

I first studied Cantonese in 1974, using the Yale University text of Parker P.F. Huang. In 2002 I acquired Basic Cantonese by Yip & Matthews. It was an excellent review and also clarified certain points further. In addition, it had the benefits of more recent linguistic scholarship.

Another good feature was the answer key at the back of the book, which is immensely helpful when the learner has to rely on self-study.

Also, it is helpful when the learner needs to get an informal Cantonese tutor, like a spouse or other family member. The vast majority of Cantonese speakers have no acquaintance with the Yale University spelling system used in this and other books. So one of the first steps is to teach the spelling system to the tutor. And this book does an excellent job. I recommend it without reservation.

Virginia Yip and Stephen Matthews have done it well. This is the clearest, most useful Cantonese language book yet. Each lesson builds on the previous one, as you would expect, but the inclusion of vocabulary that actually is useful in the world, and their clear method for discribing tonal pronunciations goes far beyond what has been available to date. Yip and Matthews draw on film, radio and t.v. for many of their examples, presenting this vital language as it is currently spoken. Using this book in conjuction with their "Essential Cantonese Grammar" will move your studies ahead vigorously and easily.

Basic Spanish Grammar is an excellent starting point for one who wants to begin learning the spanish language, or is in need of a refresher course. I recently enrolled in a conversational spanish course and this book was one of the two texts used in class.

All of the exercises contained within the book are written in a clear manner which makes them easy to understand. Basic concepts which I hadn't thought of in about 15 years since my last spanish class came back very quickly and I was able to expand upon my previous knowledge at a much quicker pace than I would have thought possible.

The vocabulary is introduced in a logical manner, with examples that show just how they would be used in everyday speech. The sections dealing with the gender of words, plural forms, and definite and indefinite articles is very helpful for one who hasn't been previously introduced to the concepts.

I highly recommend this book to anybody who wishes to learn the language. Beginning students will find the book very informative, especially when combined with the pronunciation tapes or CD's.

In studing with this book with my professor, it has been very easy to understand the principles of Spanish grammar. The book is laid out in a way that a person who does not speak or read Spanish can easily understand and learn. The homework exercises are excellent. The format is excellent as well.

I have this book, and it is excellent. The lessons are short and concise, but clearly illustrated. Each topic is presented in a manner in which one can go to any lesson, in any order. It has been a well used resource for me in some of the finer points of beginning french grammer. I would recommend this book to anyone serious about studying French.

This book is divided into 99 units that each explain a particular grammar point. Each unit is a page long with related exercises included. It especially appeals to me to be able to pick it up and learn small snippets of French Grammar at a time. This is a great companion for any learners of French.

This is perhaps the most In-depth work on the Tagalog language that I am aware of. This is a college textbook with lots of cultural notes. This book was written in the 1960's so some of the references are a bit dated. This book is for the serious student.

Beginning Tagalog : A Course for Speakers of English (Book & Cassette ed)

"Overflowing with color photographs of families from around the world, this book tells of the delights and experiences that can result from knowing more than one language. Schwalm, a specialist in early childhood education, wrote the book to help develop an appreciation and respect for second-language learners.The book begins with how to learn a second language, then focuses on five bilingual children in their day-to-day experiences. There is also a colorful list of more than 600 languages to emphasize the breadth of diversity in the world. The children featured in this book speak English as well as Spanish, Hmong, and Tagalog. This book could also be enlightening for English-only speaking children who live in a community with many bilingual people."

Since reading this book to my students, they have become more enthusiastic about learning another language, and they are developing an understandingc of how a language is acquired. The children especially enjoy the true to life photographs.

I also own another book in the Berlitz Essentials series along with the German one, and they're great! They present the language in life-like senarios, which is VERY helpful. The phonetic guide is also of great assistance.

This book is a definitely must-own for anyone wanting to learn German.

Each chapter starts with a conversation. The phonetic pronunciation for each word is shown. Then comes a bit of grammar, lots of vocabulary, and, lastly, a quiz. The book is thorough, and practical. The best I've seen. Highly recommended

One big advantage to the "Berlitz Greek Phrase Book & Dictionary" is that it feets easily in your back pocket, shirt pocket, purse, whatever. The key thing is to pay attention to the pronunciation guide (as you travel around Greece you can practice by sounding out words on signs and such). You will do a lot better if you can look at the Greek words and sound out the words rather than relying on the phonetic spellings in English. The first key section covers Basic Expressions, so the basics are up front where they need to be. Other sections deal with key areas such as Accommodations, Eating Out, Travel, Sightseeing, Leisure, Making Friends, Stores & Services, and Health. The back of the book has both an English-Greek dictionary & index as well as a Greek-English glossary, along with a nice little Reference section (public holidays, maps, emergency, info, etc.). The final comment is that you have to make a real effort to use what you learn because you will probably be stunned at how many people speak English. We just came back from a week there and we had no problems. Still, it was nice to be able to show I knew a little something and was not afraid to totally embarrass myself by opening my mouth. You might be using some other book to learn the language, but for carting around this little Berlitz book is the obvious choice.

Of all the Greek language resources I picked up before travelling to Greece, this handy little book is definitely the most valuable. By using this book and having some patient instruction from some friendly Greeks (who will be very happy that you've taken the time to learn something of their language), I was able to go through nearly all of my daily activities without resorting to English. This gave me a much richer experience in Greece and allowed me to develope closer relationships with many of the locals I came to know. If you're going to ELLADA, please please please buy at least this one little book. Invaluable. Efharisto!

Students, teachers, and researchers will find this an invaluable tool in their study of World War II. This is the most complete and up-to-date work, including over 1,000 personalities from the war.

Mr. Boatner put together a well laid out reference manual, with an exceelent glossery for help in identifying terms. This book needs to be a required tool for every researcher or student of World War II.

In looking through this wonderful book, the reader will first realize that the biographies are very well written by the author, Mark Boatner, but next will be amazed at the comprehensive nature of the entries. Virtually all the important personages of that war are covered and are cross-referenced to insure that all vital information is provided. Other similar books do not compare because they do not contain enough information on each entry, do not have all the personages contained in this book, and usually are as "dry as dust" to read. Pertinent bibliographical data accompanies each entry and at the end of the book is a complete and exhaustive bibliography of works and sources used, as well as an extensive glossary. This book is a must for all reference librarians as well as anyone interested in World War II

I just completed three years of law school, and I really wish I had bought Black's sooner. Our legal system is hundreds of years old, and courts and commentators continue to use much of the same archaic language that has been used since the middle ages!

While this dictionary gives only a superficial treatment to legal terms, oftentimes that's all you need. Throughout law school you'll constantly be reading cases and law review articles and coming across words or phrases you've never heard of before. Black's explains them quickly and precisely. This book is really an investment in your legal future.

We don't realize our privat property rights until we see it in the very book that helped to enact our laws . Black's Law Book clears any confusion.

George Kosmo

This book saved me inordinate amounts of time in researching HRM topics. I could not have survived without it. I particularly liked the concise and relevant summaries of international developments in HRM.

The editors fully succeeded in their goals of creating a comprehensive, credible, and user-friendly dictionary of nearly 600 terms, grounded in basic and applied research. This reference presents the input of over 225 contributors with terms ranging from 360 degree appraisals and at-risk pay to learning organization, KSAOs, and workplace violence. The definitions are truly encyclopedic in nature, with much detail and each carries a bibliography. Nations, laws and associations are also included. A wealth of information, strongly recommended!