Arabic Language and Grammar [Hardcover]

Jochanan Kapliwatzky (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Ams Pr Inc (June 1953)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0404562833
• ISBN-13: 978-0404562830
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,986,764 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent comprehensive course of training in Arabic Grammar, March 19, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Arabic Language and Grammar (Hardcover)

I used the 4 volume set during my studies years ago. I have intermittently studied Arabic and taught Arabic to American Muslim students over the past 15 years. I have yet to find an Arabic Grammar to match Kapliwatzky's at any price. My only complaint is that sometimes he gets TOO detailed.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, moderately paced, logically thought out., January 30, 2005

By 

Lee V. Douglas (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Arabic Language and Grammar (Hardcover)

Jochanan Kapliwatzky taught Arabic and other Semitic subjects in Vienna and Berlin in the 1920's and 1930's. In Israel he wrote a series of books, one of which is the present title for English speakers who wish to learn Modern Standard Arabic. I have been told that it is intended for middle-school students, and the pace of presentation bears this out. Mastery of the first volume takes the student to approximately half or less of a college level semester, but mastery of all four would be a feat to admire. True, his knowledge of colloquial English failed him when he used some words that are ambiguous and probably caused middle school pupils to titter, but this a charming quirk rather than a defect.

It is published in four hard bound volumes of 100-150 pages each, with an accompanying brochure-sized key to exercises for volume one. The author states in the introduction that he wishes to avoid overly complex explanations and to make Arabic grammar accessible to everyone. In this, I believe, he has succeeded.

My edition was published in 1959, cost a modest $16.00, and the four blue volumes occupy a place of honor in my library. I love the book for the beauty of its Arabic font, the copious vocabulary, the many exercises and readings that reinforce what has already been studied, and the thorough coverage of the language's grammar.

Alas, this title appears to be out of print, and searches on second-hand dealers' sites such as www.bookfinder.com have turned up several copies of volume one, and one of volume four, both at outrageous prices. Lucky is the student who finds the whole set at a reasonable price.

There are alternatives. One might look at the following:

"A New Arabic grammar of the written language" by Haywood and Nahmad, published by the Harvard University Press.

"Modern literary Arabic" by David Cowan, published by the Cambridge University Press.

"Arabic" by A. S. Tritton (as a last resort), part of the "Teach Yourself Books" series).

"Standard Arabic" by Schulz, Krahl and Reuschel. This one, I believe, is the new the new leader for English speakers who want to learn Arabic.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazon, Please Research, January 20, 2006

By 

Thomas F. Ogara (Jacksonville, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Arabic Language and Grammar (Hardcover)

This is the best grammar I ever found for Arabic. However, the standard complaint is that it's out of print. The first copy I had was printed by Rubin Mass in Jerusalem, which was printed in the 1970's.

Well, there is a new edition out, and Amazon should check it out. It's printed in India. I have no details about who printed it, or where - it simply says "sixteenth edition" on the cover - but there is definitely a market for this book.