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Prepare travelers for their next vacation with In-Flight, a 60-minute program available in 23 languages. Each audio CD covers 400 essential words and phrases—from greetings and polite expressions to the vocabulary necessary for hotel check-in, dining out, and getting around. The accompanying invaluable pocket-sized “Boarding Pass” is a handy cheat-sheet for on-the-go reference.

Living Language In-Flight courses provide the perfect way to make the most of travel time and learn the essential words and phrases to get to the hotel, eat at a restaurant, and make a good first impression. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

You can do it
CD gives you an easy way to simply learn a few words and phrases. My normal practice is to set myself a vacation goal of learning 10 words before I travel.This CD makes it possible.It skips all the complex grammer, and has you jump right in so you can greet people, and say a few polite phrases. ... Read more

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This book, derived from the acclaimed Cambridge Encyclopedia of the World's Ancient Languages, describes the ancient languages of Mesopotamia, Egypt and Aksum, for the convenience of students and specialists working in that area. Each chapter of the work focuses on an individual language or, in some instances, a set of closely related varieties of a language. Providing a full descriptive presentation, each of these chapters examines the writing system(s), phonology, morphology, syntax and lexicon of that language, and places the language within its proper linguistic and historical context. The volume brings together an international array of scholars, each a leading specialist in ancient language study. While designed primarily for scholars and students of linguistics, this work will prove invaluable to all whose studies take them into the realm of ancient language. ... Read more

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In True to the Language Game, Keith Gilyard, one of the major African American figures to emerge in language and cultural studies, makes his most seminal work available in one volume. This collection of new and previously published essays contains Gilyard’s most relevant scholarly contributions to deliberations about linguistic diversity, cultural identity, critical literacy, writing instruction, literary texts, and popular culture. The volume also features contemporary treatises on such timely topics as "students’ right to their own language," code-switching pedagogy, and political discourse surrounding the rise of Barack Obama. Gilyard weaves together serious analysis, theoretical work, policy discussions, and personal reflections on the interplay of language, literacy, and social justice to make True to the Language Game essential reading for students and scholars in rhetorical studies, composition studies, applied linguistics, and education.

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Understanding African American Rhetoric is an engaging exploration of African American language within its cultural and political context. Eighteen original essays by leading scholars chronicle and celebrate the influence of classical African oral traditions upon the evolution of contemporary African American linguistic practices such as signifyin', playin' the dozens, and call-and-response.Drawing upon a breadth of historical, legal, and cultural texts ranging from Johnnie Cochran's closing arguments in the OJ Simpson trial to the rap lyrics of Tupac Shakur and Lauryn Hill, this ambitious and expansive collection is grounded in the sway of history over language and culture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

African American Rhtetoric
Even for my college course, this was more of a research text for a graduate school course. ... Read more

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Wole Soyinka, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature and one of the foremost living African writers, here analyses the interconnecting worlds of myth, ritual and literature in Africa. The ways in which the African world perceives itself as a cultural entity, and the differences between its essential unity of experience and literary form and the sense of division pervading Western literature, are just some of the issues addressed. The centrality of ritual gives drama a prominent place in Soyinka's discussion, but he deals in equally illuminating ways with contemporary poetry and fiction. Above all, the fascinating insights in this book serve to highlight the importance of African criticism in addition to the literary and cultural achievements which are the subject of its penetrating analysis. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Cantankerous Soyinka
The Ocident meets Africa in it's inherent opacity. This collection of Soyinka's essays are typical of his volatile temperment bursting through as to evoke a degree of amusement. Lumbering and academic a good study read.Providing a predictable alternative reading of the african tradition. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Quick shipping
I ordered the book over the weekend and recieved it in 4 days. I am a very happy with this service ... Read more

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Representing Bushmen draws on the work of Jacques Derrida, Edward Said, and Martin Bernal to show how the study of language was integral to the formation of racial discrimination in South Africa. Author Shane Moran demonstrates the central role of literary history to the cultural racism and ideology that fed into apartheid by tracing the ethno-aesthetic figuration of the Bushmen in W. H. I. Bleek's theory of the origin of language. Moran examines the gestation of colonial ideology, and provocatively traces aspects of the post-apartheid rhetoric of commemoration and national unity to their colonialist roots. This detailed and compelling volume contributes significantly to current trends in post-apartheid scholarship. Moran emphasizes the need for a cautious interrogation of the colonial archive and scrutiny of critical discourses used by the would-be postcolonial intellectual, and poses a timely challenge to those committed to exorcising that legacy. ... Read more

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The first truly continentally representative collection of modern African drama in any language, this Norton Critical Edition includes plays from Egypt, Algeria, the Republic of South Africa, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Kenya.

"Backgrounds and Criticism" presents documents on modern African drama generally and on the assembled texts and authors specifically, including little-known materials. Featured are essays on Tawfik al-Hakim, Kateb Yacine, Athol Fugard, Wole Soyinka, Tsegaye Gabre-Medhin, Ama Ata Aidoo, Ngugi Wa Thiong'o, and Femi Osofisan.

About the series: No other series of classic texts equals the caliber of the Norton Critical Editions. Each volume combines the most authoritative text available with the comprehensive pedagogical apparatus necessary to appreciate the work fully. Careful editing, first-rate translation, and thorough explanatory annotations allow each text to meet the highest literary standards while remaining accessible to students. Each edition is printed on acid-free paper and every text in the series remains in print. Norton Critical Editions are the choice for excellence in scholarship for students at more than 2,000 universities worldwide. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great African Plays
This book was required for class, but I would not think of selling it back as I've enjoyed these plays so much.

Nice collection
I bought this book for a class on Modern African Literature, and I have never been a fan of reading poetry or plays. However, I absolutely loved the collection presented in this book.First off, African plays and poetry are very different that those of other parts of the world, mainly in the way that they are presented and meant to be performed.Because of this, I was able to really envision what was happening; also, I thought the topics of the plays were great, especially those set in South Africa during apartheid.Overall, great book! ... Read more

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HEAR IT, LEARN IT, SPEAK IT ®

What is the Pimsleur® difference?

The Pimsleur Method™ provides the most effective language-learning program ever developed. The Pimsleur Method™ gives you quick command of Twi structure without tedious drills. Learning to speak Twi can actually be enjoyable and rewarding.

The key reason most people struggle with new languages is that they aren't given proper instruction, only bits and pieces of a language. Other language programs sell only pieces -- dictionaries; grammar books and instructions; lists of hundreds or even thousands of words and definitions; audios containing useless drills. They leave it to you to assemble these pieces as you try to speak. Pimsleur enables you to spend your time learning to speak the language rather than just studying its parts.

When you were learning English, could you speak before you knew how to conjugate verbs? Of course you could. That same learning process is what Pimsleur replicates. Pimsleur presents the whole language as one integrated piece so you can succeed.

With Pimsleur you get:

• Grammar and vocabulary taught together in everyday conversation,
• Interactive audio-only instruction that teaches spoken language organically,
• The flexibility to learn anytime, anywhere,
• 30-minute lessons designed to optimize the amount of language you can learn in one sitting.

Millions of people have used Pimsleur to gain real conversational skills in new languages quickly and easily, wherever and whenever -- without books, written exercises, or drills. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Re-issue - Not Modern Pimsleur Course
I am a big fan of Pimsleur courses, and have found them to be the only audio course format I have been able to learn from.

However, this offering is not a standard Pimsleur course, but a re-issue of a course they made for the Peace Corps years ago.

In spite of the problems, I am glad to have this course, as Twi is not commonly taught in the US.
... Read more

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For persons who wish to learn a new language or want to improve their knowledge of English, Afrikaans, Xhosa or Zulu. This aid offers words in alphabetical lists, covering 51 topics. Phrases which are often needed, covering 27 topics and is useful for pupils, students, teachers and the general public. ... Read more

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Publisher: Trübner ... Read more

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This work gives examples of the interplay of animals and human beings in the folk tale. The aspects of behaviour of the animals represents the character of a human being. These tales are those specifically for children, and can be classified on the basis of their purpose. ... Read more

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This simple and effective introduction to Swahili will teach you everything you need to speak, understand, read, and write in Swahili.This program assumes no background in the language, and it explains each new concept clearly with plenty of examples, making it ideal for beginners or anyone who wants a thorough review.Living Language Swahili includes:

·A course book and six audio CDs
·Two unique sets of recordings, one for use with the book, and a second for use anywhere to review and reinforce
·Natural dialogues, clear grammar notes, vocabulary building, and key expressions
·Plenty of practice, both written and recorded
·Notes on culture, cuisine, history, geography, and more
·Real life “discovery” activities and internet resources
·An extensive two-way glossary ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Both books complement one another
While this book is much better written than Teach Yourself Swahili, it covers about half of the material taught in the Teach Yourself book. If only it would cover just as much.
Teach Yourself Swahili goes at a very fast pace with several gaps, sometimes making the student feel insecure because not enough examples are given of all the unfoldings of a grammar rule, whereas Living Language Swahili abounds in examples making you feel very comfortable and secure of grammar usage.
On the other hand, Living Language Swahili starts right away giving long texts with many unexplained words and unexplained grammar constructions, but a translation is given at the end. It may be a shock considering most language teaching methods. In this aspect, Teach Yourself Swahili goes more slowly giving you more time to acquire knowledge and mastery in text reading.
In the end, Living Language Swahili is a much better written book, whereas Teach Yourself Swahili will introduce you to complex texts more gradually and cover much more language material, thus taking you to a much more complete knowledge of the language if you can forgive its lack of method.
I find the two books being read side-by-side and complementing each other.

Kitabu hiki kitakufundishia lugha ya Kiswahili!
This book is simply amazing. I am in complete agreement with the first two people who commented on it. As they have already done an excellent job of describing it, I just wanted to put forward another positive opinion.

The book is very easy to use, very informational about the language and culture, and guides you very smoothly throughout, ultimately leading you to a strong intermediate level in Swahili. This book was immensely fun to use, and my motivation for studying the language dropped off quite a bit, because I knew that my remaining resource at that point was Teach Yourself Swahili, which isn't nearly as good.

I had used much of this book and TY Swahili before going to Tanzania for two weeks in July, and I can say that it was very helpful and the people I met there were incredulous at my abilities in the language. I credit my success in Swahili to this book and I think it is a must-have for all learners of Swahili!

Kitabu hiki kimenifundishia lugha ya Afrika nzuri hii vizuri sana, na kitakufundishia pia! Na kitabu hiki, Kiswahili si lugha ngumu, ni lugha rahisi na ya kusisimuwa.

(This book has taught me this beautiful African language very well, and it will teach you too! With this book, Swahili is not a difficult language, it is an easy and exciting language.)

Good luck! Kila la kheri!

Not for beginners
This book and the CDs are great if you have already studied Swahili but are not suitable for somone who is just starting to learn the language.

The best one yet!
During a recent visit to Tanzania I became fascinated with the people there and with Swahili. In my enthusiasm and desire to learn Swahili in the most elegant way possible, I purchased about 8 books and 3 audio programs. When I happened upon this book listing in Amazon.com I almost didn't buy it thinking that I already had more books than I needed. However, I was intrigued by the first reader's review and decided to take a chance on it. I was not dissapointed!!! I totally agree with the first review. This book and set of tapes is the clearest and most "user-friendly" program to date. I am very pleased with the style and extremely well-integrated teaching process. If, unlike me, you want to buy only ONE book - I would recommnend this one.

Excellent
If you could judge a book by its cover, choose this one. The cover picture is delicious, and so is the book! The book will be like a mother to you - it guides you through each step as if no one had ever taught you carefully, sensitively enough, how to learn a language on your own. I say this book is not tedious because it doesn't ask you to simply figure that part (the self-teaching part) out all on your own. On the other hand, if you already know how to teach yourself, that's not a problem - just skim through those parts.

I have used Teach Yourself: Swahili by Joan Russell, Kiswahili Kwa Kitendo, and Swahili: A Foundation... by Hinnebusch, and I have already basically gone through two semester's worth of Swahili, but this one put together by native East Africans is my favorite and still has a lot to teach me after all that. It starts you out with a friendly introduction to each lesson, gives you a warm-up, and the dialogues are longer than in other courses, especially the non-audio ones. Dialogues also come with translations. As usual, there's a list of vocab and, like Teach Yourself, there's a list of key phrases, but unlike Teach yourself, they are more than just translations from the dialogue. Culture notes are a lot of fun and quite elaborate and practical:

"When you get to your table, you won't find napkins (tishu) waiting there for you. Napkins are generally available at the restaurant counter, and customers help themselves. Don't be surprised if you see other customers eating with their hands; this is acceptable table manners in many parts of the world. If you choose to eat with your hand, be sure to use your right hand, as eating with the left hand is considered to be at least odd, if not downright rude and unhygienic, especially in Muslim communities... When you're ready to pay the bill, simply ask naomba kulipa (can I pay?)..."

There are also readings which come in Swahili with English translation. These readings are simpler than in other courses, which makes them less tedious - I'm not sure if that means you get less out of it. Then there are grammar notes. There are the exercises, which are plentiful and simple; answer key at the end of the lesson. Finally, there's an independent study box in each lesson which just suggests how you can enhance your learning experience, but it's a good reminder if you are bad about keeping up with journals and the like, or if you've never studied a language before.

The audio is much better than Teach Yourself: the voices are clearer, with better enunciation. Also, Teach Yourself fills up half of the recordings with annoying English-speakers who are just telling you about the dialogue, which Living Language doesn't do. You end up with about 12 times more audio than Teach Yourself. There are two sections to the audio: one you listen to along with the lesson, the other is supplemental and can be listened to any time.

Another great thing about this course is that it's brand new and very modern! Each lesson has a salient theme, which is drilled into you by its recurrence in each part of the lesson. And there are a lot of parts to each lesson - it's very elaborate! Unique to this book is its inclusion of a lesson on internet language. This course doesn't look very long, and although I have only glanced at most of it, it seems unlikely to be quite as thorough as Hinnebusch. If you are very intent on learning the language, it couldn't hurt to have both Hinnebusch and this book, but this one would be my first recommendation for the independent learner. ... Read more

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Uniting a sense of the political dimensions of language appropriation with a serious, yet accessible linguistic terminology, The African Palimpsest examines the strategies of 'indigenization' whereby West African writers have made their literary English or French distinctively 'African'. Through the apt metaphor ofthe palimpsest - a surface that has been written on, written over, partially erased and written over again - the book examines such well-known West African writers as Achebe, Armah, Ekwensi, Kourouma, Okara, Saro-Wiwa, Soyinka and Tutuola as well as lesser-known writers from francophone and anglophone Africa. Providing a great variety of case-studies in Nigerian Pidgin, Akan, Igbo, Maninka, Yoruba, Wolof and other African languages, the book also clarifies the vital interface between Europhone African writing and the new outlets for African artistic expression in (auto-)translation, broadcast television, radio and film.Hailed as a classic in the 1990s, The African Palimpsest is here reprinted in a com¬pletely revised edition, with a new Introduction, updated data and bibliography, and with due consideration of more recent theoretical approaches.PRAISE FOR THE AFRICAN PALIMPSEST UPON ITS FIRST PUBLICATION"A very valuable book . a detailed exploration in its concern with language change as demonstrated in post-colonial African literatures" (Bill Ashcroft, University of New South Wales) - "Apart from its great documentary value, The African Palimpsest provides many theoretical concepts that will be useful to scholars of African litera¬tures, linguists in general . as well as comparatists who want to gain fresh insights into the processes by which Vulgar Latin once gave birth to the Romance languages." (Ahmed Sheikh Bangura, University of California, Santa Barbara) - "As Zabus' book suggests, it is the area where the various languages of a community meet and cross-over . that is likely to provide the most productive site for the generation of a new literature that is true to the real linguistic situation that pertains in so much of contem¬porary urban Africa." (Stewart Brown, University of Birmingham)CHANTAL ZABUS is Professor of British and Postcolonial Literatures at the Univer¬sity Paris 13. She is the author of Tempests after Shakespeare (2002) and Between Rites and Rights: Excision in Women's Texts and Human Contexts (2007). She has edited Le Secret: Motif et moteur de la littérature (with Jacques Derrida, 1999); Changements au féminin en Afrique noire (2000), and Fearful Symmetries: Essays and Testimonies Around Excision and Circumcision (forthcoming 2008). ... Read more

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In response to the flood of interest in African American Vernacular English (AAVE) following the recent controversy over "Ebonics," this book brings together sixteen essays on the subject by a leading expert in the field, one who has been researching and writing on it for a quarter of a century.

Rickford's essays cover the three central areas in which questions continue to come in from teachers, students, linguists, the news media, and interested members of the public:What are the features of AAVE/Ebonics and how is it used?What is its evolution and where is it headed?What are its educational implications?The answers to these questions are sometimes matters of controversy even within linguistics, the scientific study of language, but Rickford's essays - written between 1975 and 1998 - provide an informed commentary on them based on systematic research rather than the opinionated misinformation that dominated media commentary on Ebonics. ... Read more

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While many books decry the crisis in the schooling of African American children, they are often disconnected from the lived experiences and work of classroom teachers and principals. In Change Is Gonna Come, the authors look back to go forward, providing specific practices that K-12 literacy educators can use to transform their schools. The text addresses four major debates: the fight for access to literacy; supports and roadblocks to success; best practices, theories, and perspectives on teaching African American students; and the role of African American families in the literacy lives of their children. Throughout, the authors highlight the valuable lessons learned from the past and include real stories from their own diverse family histories and experiences as teachers, parents, and community members. ... Read more

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This book is comprehensive in scope making it valuable for general linguists as well as Africanists.Basic description is accompanied throughout by historical notes, thus making the book interesting to general historical linguists.The author of this long-awaited book is regarded as the world's foremost authority on the Hausa language. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Most impressive
I have many grammars, but this one is the most impressive work I've ever seen.It is a encyclopedic reference grammar rather than a grammar used for teaching a language.The scope and thoroughness is like nothing I've ever seen before.There should be such grammars for every language. ... Read more