The best introduction to bilingualism
587701
I am a sociolinguist with a specialism in bilingualism, and every year I teach a course on bilingalism to undergraduates in a prestigious UK university. The students are in their second or final year of a degree programme, and have all done some basic courses in linguistics, but don't typically have a lot of background in linguistics, though they are very bright. Another prerequisite for the module is the ability to hold a conversation in more than one language. The module attracts students from many countries (this year it is UK, Spain, Mexico, and Mauritius), though most are, naturally, British.

When I knew that MULTIPLE VOICES was out I sent for a review copy and it arrived just in time to let me put it in as a text book for 2005-6. It's a second semester course, so the students have just started using it. When I saw MULTIPLE VOICES, I thought it would be the best introduction to bilingualism currently on offer, and now (so far) the students are confirming this.

My students find it clear and interesting. They especially like the boxes with stories about people that begin every chapter. In general, they like the appearance of bilingual narratives throughout the book. They find this brings reality home to them and helps them remember the concepts better. They like the bullet points that sum up the chapters too. They notice that central concepts are repeated and feel that this helps to keep them in their minds.

My students are giving me very positive feedback about this book, and I am happy that I had time to chose it. Carol Myers-Scotton is a major researcher and theorist in the area, but the book isn't restricted to her own theory. If  you are looking for a textbook for a course on bilingualism, it's hard to imagine what would compete with it at the moment.
560660
The author has said it all in his introduction. Beyer's two books provide an excellent transition from the made-up Latin of most elementary textbooks to the language of real Latin authors writing to native speakers of Latin. These books provide a sorely needed bridge as students begin to deal with the complexities of Caesar (usually the first component of real Latin encountered by students as they emerge from the basic grammar and vocabulary building stage). Beyer's two books (on the founding of Rome and Hannibal's invasion of Italy) give students confidence in this transition while at the same time providing authentic Latin about parts of Roman history which are of high interest to the student. Another excellent component is the selections (in English) of Livy's "Ab Urbe Condita" to give more depth and generate a higher interest in student's. The Latin passages are slightly annotated when somewhat more complex structures are used, and there is a glossary at the end of the book. Highly recommended!
585163
I'm a casual user of Spanish. I've used, off and on, the original paperback version of this book for over 20 years. I vacation often in Mexico and have recently been to Spain. I'm comfortable with its "dialogue" format. I feel that I'm learning the language - not just picking up phrases to use in certain situations. I've tried Rosetta Stone and prefer this to merely parroting sounds. It's mix of dialogue, vocabulary, grammar and syntax has built, I feel, insight into the workings of the language which has generalized to a comprehension and familiarity beyond the book's lesson plans. I've received compliments from native Spanish speakers on my comprehension, pronunciation and skill regarding verb tenses.
841060
If you desire to become bilingual in English and Spanish, I strongly suggest you pick up Expressionary/Expresionario by Guillermo Racines and Paul Egelhaaf.  This book is a version of a Spanish-English dictionary that translates expressions instead of just words and helpfully explains the subtleties of difference in colloquialisms among different Spanish-speaking towns.  A great tool especially for Spanish and English-as-a-second language teachers.
1106809
The best introduction: clear, inviting, doesn't assume the reader understands any basics so there are no
gaps in the reading. The nuts and bolts with lots of details on dress, gender, rituals.  Oddly entertaining as well. It covers the main basicss. If you have tried to read the 900 page version by the "Bharata bros and gave up due to the strangled explainations and Edwardian English  and repetition....get this edition. If you can find it! Students enjoy reading it.  Why is this book not re-issued in paper in a version in the USA???
4201337
I have been teaching individuals (adults and children) foreign languages for over 20 years and have spent countless dollars on books and other learning materials that always fall short.  FINALLY, I have materials I can use with older children, teens, and adults.  The Living Languages materials (only this one - not other Living Language materials) are concise and thorough, with content organized in a logical fashion.  Audio cds are a good supplement for learners to hear a native speaker.  I use this material in conjunction with Rosetta Stone.  Together, they provide a COMPLETE learning experience.
4036524
I've spoken German on at least some level my entire adulthood and adolescence, and would consider myself currently a strong B2 / borderline C1 user of the language.  It all started with this colorful book in the 8th grade.  We used it for two years before moving on to "Die Welt der Jugend" in the 10th.  Haven't seen a copy since high school, but remember the lessons well, and also some of the characters like Peter Kahl, Alois Reiter, Marianne Mueller, etc.  This book had only been in print for a couple years when our German classes first began back in 1980.  By that time, the fashions were already somewhat dated, since everyday German styles still lagged a little behind North America in those days.

What I remember most from the book were the excellent grammatical exercises and clear explanations on articles and case endings, and especially the conjugation of verbs and sentence structure.  After a couple years I could properly conjugate most all irregular German verbs and make a sentence using the subjunctive mood.  Our teacher was most adept at teaching grammar, but didn't make much use of the conversational exercises.  Don't remember ever using the audio tapes, but it's possible we did here and there.  Additionally, in each chapter there were copious amounts of vocabulary presented.  After completing this book, I'd absorbed enough of the language to strike up a simple conversation with the Germans I met traveling through the U.S. while on vacation.  If our teacher had focused more on conversation and vocabulary provided in the book and not concentrated solely on grammar, I might have been better prepared when taking German in college.  As it was, "Unsere Freunde" and "Die Welt der Jugend" contained everything (if taught properly) to prepare a high school student for the rigors of intermediate college German or becoming an exchange student overseas.

As others have written, this book is an excellent foundational learning tool that provides an interesting window into the cultural and geopolitical life of the German-speaking world of the late '70s.  (Since they still haven't decided on a comprehensive Rechtschreibung that everyone can agree on, this book would also be useful to anyone wanting to master the written forms which prevailed in Germany prior to the 1997 Rechtschreibreform).
2919230
An slew of easy readers in various languages have appeared recently, making it even easier to learn new languages with confidence. Even reading a small book in another language feels like a quantum leap over memorizing vocabulary, verb drills and introducing yourself repeatedly until your own name becomes redundant. "Pauvre Anne" provides an incredibly great introduction to reading French for those just past the beginner mark. Those familiar with basic sentence structure and grammar, including the present and pass&eacute; compos&eacute; verb tenses, will have no problem reading the book cover to cover. The difficulty also increases as the text progresses. Chapter One contains very basic sentence structures of an almost "Dick & Jane" variety, but soon the sentences elongate and the grammatical forms become more varied. Nonetheless, the difficulty never really rises above beginner.

Even better, there is a story. Not a complicated or even an extremely compelling one, but a story nonetheless. Anne lives in the American suburbs and has problems. Her friends can afford new clothes, cars and other luxury items but her family cannot. She then gets the chance to travel to Belgium and upon her return she finds that her life wasn't so bad after all. Given the limited grammar and vocabulary involved, the fact that "Pauvre Anne" has a story at all is impressive. And it will definitely engage new French readers regardless of the story's depth. The back of the book also contains all of the vocabulary needed to finish the book. Even the verbs appear conjugated, so readers won't have to worry about having a dictionary or a verb guide handy. The book remains self-contained.

A few other great first French readers exist and "Pauvre Anne" is as good as any of them. Its nice compact size also makes it looks unintimidating to beginners. And of course it's only the first book in a series. So start here and start reading real French.
839601
For those of you who want a bilingual child, starting early is the best way to achieve success.  Brainy Baby is a great place to start!
471975
In preparation for a long term relocation to Northern India, I've been buying books on Hindi left, right and center. In some cases, the material is dated (with some languages, you can get away with that), offering vocabulary that has changed and grown. Few of them have audio support, and fewer still present things in a way that isn't immediately daunting to the reader. "Elementary Hindi" does all of these things - the Devanagari is broken up through several chapters, and introduces useful vocabulary ("What is this/that" and colors in the very first chapter; pronouns, greetings and giving you enough information to ask more nuanced questions in the second, etc) along with the critical audio components in order to make sure you're pronouncing things correctly.

Whether in a classroom environment or as a self-learner, Elementary Hindi (and its workbook) are incredible assets for language learning and I recommend them as the top of the line material for modern Hindi.
1065103
Italian Fluency is an excellent book for people looking to improve their vocabulary or looking for a supplement for a standard introductory Italian textbook. The first part of the book, the shortest, has some general advice about learning Italian using the "modalities" of reading, writing, listening, and speaking that would seem to apply to any language. For example, the author advises that Wikipedia is a great reading resource with a wealth of articles translated into Italian (and other languages). The bulk of book, however, is split into a section about cognates (words that are the same or nearly the same in both Italian and English) and a section about essential vocabulary. The cognates are organized into a multitude of categories and subcategories. The last section, my favorite, contains 1000+ essential words most commonly used in Italian and which "enable about 80% of everyday speech." Each word is used in a sentence which is also translated into (or from) English. Many of the sentences are quotes which range from Einstein to Dave Barry; fun reading even if you are not learning Italian. I would love to see versions of this book for German, Spanish, and French, even if only to see what kind of covers the author could come up with for those languages.
4166093
This is a great book for someone just beginning to learn Yiddish or for those with some familiarity with the language to brush up and add to their knowledge.  The book is easy to use and offers a variety of interesting, fun exercises.  It uses both Yiddish letters and transliterated English letters. In a disarmingly simple style, using pictures, poems, songs and a range of exercises, you will pick up vocabulary and grammar.  Another plus is a short history of the language and an explanation of the various Yiddish language.  I've used several introductory Yiddish texts - this one is by far the best.
929445
While, living in China, I often find myself annoyed by the inescapable dichotomy of China/foreign countries which this title promotes, but oh well. This book really is a gem. The first part tells you everything a beginner needs to know about the language, including pinyin, phonetics (that includes all possible syllables), tones (that includes all the "tone sandhi" rules), and parts of speech  and sentence elements (along with their names in Chinese and common examples), word order, and rules for writing.

The second, and longest, part, is a collection of fairly authentic, every-day, situational dialogues, accompanied by sentence pattern references and examples: most sentence patterns in the dialogue are highlighted, used in 4 other example sentences, and linked to a more comprehensive index in the back of the book. There is also a list of 25-50 new words either featured in the dialogue or essential to that chapter's topic, and written exercises. The written exercises, usually involving rewriting the sentence with a particular sentence pattern or filling in blanks, are nothing too engaging, yet they certainly constitute good practice for reading and writing the words from the chapter, and answers are included at the very end.

Finally, the third part of the book consists of the grammar index I mentioned, with clear, helpful explanations in both Chinese and English, and a few short stories and riddles for further practice.

I am not a total beginner at Chinese. I've been focussing on oral language in an immersive setting so I've gotten to a decent conversational level, but there are plenty of gaps in my knowledge. This book is extremely useful for filling those gaps. I think for any high-beginning/low intermediate learner this book is great, although I wonder if perhaps the density of new words and grammatical patterns isn't too high for a total beginner. For someone at a slightly higher intermediate level, the book might be too easy, but it also might be a good review. After all, it's good to read at a slightly lower level than your own, and I think there will be some words that are unknown to someone with an elementary level of reading proficiency. All in all, though, while it's a pretty good text book, it's even more valuable as a reference, and the sentence patterns especially are something I'm sure I'll find myself going back to even after another year or two of studying Chinese.
318881
This book is arranged in chapters that can stand alone or be read as a volume.  Chapters are divided into sub chapters which similarly stand alone or can be read as a cohesive work of prose.

While the author is British, the emphasis is universal. The British influence shows the most in the discussion of dialects.

The articles vary from being anecdotal to factually meaty. The chapters on vocabulary show how vocabulary is learned with great anecdotes and factual backup.  Like Crystal, I think that this is a very much neglected area of language learning.

I like that he uses interesting sentences and words for examples.  Too often books on linguistics provide dull stilted examples.
3304796
I am beyond beginner Spanish and this book digs into the idioms and "how" to speak more like a native. There are plenty of exercises. I don't write in the book, so I can review over and over. I have many Advance Spanish books, and they are all very good, but I really love how this one is presented. Lots of new words and reading for comprehension. I would like "possible" answers to the comprehension, but other than that, this is a must have book. I'll keep looking for more like this!
4331215
Becoming Fluent is easily one of the best books I have read in a long time. The authors draw from their extensive background in cognitive science to write a fun, easy to read book that is accessible for a general audience yet deeply rooted in science and rigorous research. While this book is specifically geared to learning a language, aspects of it apply to learning in general and provide very good strategies for all college students and anyone interested in learning new concepts and skills.

Chapters 1 to 3 set the stage and provide general information about language, language acquisition, and learning in general. The skills and strategies Roberts and Kreuz describe are useful not only in learning language, but also such diverse subjects as math or history. Chapters 4-6 delve into theory more deeply, but the authors explain all concepts clearly and understandably, and provide plenty of examples that permit the non-academic reader to make sense of complex ideas. In chapters 7 and 8, the authors explain how memory works, and how best to utilize memory to learn and retain a language. Learning something is, after all, about remembering it, and the various aspects of memory, including emotions, contribute to learning language and anything else we want to learn.

Having successfully acquired a second language, reading Becoming Fluent felt like looking back into my learning process for me. I could see how I had applied each of the strategies Roberts and Kreuz explain, and how each of these contributed to my language acquisition. As I read the book, I kept thinking, yes, I did that, and now I understand how and why. It was a very satisfying book to read as a bilingual speaker. I felt validated.

It is the opinion of this reviewer that Roberts and Kreuz's Becoming Fluent should be required reading for all students starting a new language and should be featured front and center in Foreign Language departments everywhere. Truly, this excellent book is also a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience.
2313606
Bravo to Berlitz for having produced a one-stop comprehensive source of information on the Spanish language.  I find Berlitz Spanish Grammar Handbook to be invaluable in its depth, clarity and precision in explaining and deciphering often incredibily difficult concepts in Spanish.

This handbook can be used either as a strict grammar reference or to acquire a general or specific understanding of most aspects of Spanish grammar.  It may also be used as one of several means of acquiring a working knowledge of the `syntax' of the language.

Syntax means `word order' or how words fit together to convey meaning.  I find the handbook to be quite good at demonstrating common everyday syntax in a simple fashion by means of the direct examples it provides.

Fortunately, this grammar handbook does not assume that you know the meanings of different grammatical terms.  It  contains abundant explanations for each specific  point in Spanish grammar and there are always complete explanations provided for all grammatical terms.  The way in which the classic grammatical term and explanation is followed immediately by a practical example of everyday use is one of Berlitz Grammar Handbook's greatest strengths.

Another major plus to this grammar handbook is the huge number of practical and authentic mini-monologues which utilize different points of grammar in actual real-life contexts to illustrate a point of grammar as it's really spoken.

It is obvious that Bertlitz intended this manual for individuals who actually wish to `use' their  Spanish in real life situations.  The handbook also makes clear which constructions are only for formal and not everyday use.

Overall, I recommend Berlitz Spanish Grammar Handbook as a very good reference guide and learning tool for Spanish.  With Berlitz Spanish Grammar Handbook you will be satisfied whether your are a complete novice or a language expert.  It literally  has something for everyone.

MARK FROBOSE/ AUTHOR OF THE BEHIND THE WHEEL CD COURSES IN SPANISH, FRENCH, ITALIAN, GERMAN, PORTUGUESE, CHINESE, JAPANESE, &  ARABIC