Beginner's Yoruba (Hippocrene Beginner's Series) [Paperback]

Kayode J. Fakinlede (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2005

"Beginner's Yoruba" is now available with two accompanying audio CDs. It provides an introduction to the Yoruba language, which is spoken by over 30 million people in south-western Nigeria, parts of the Benin Republic, and Togo, as well as in the diaspora populations of Brazil, Cuba, and Haiti. The 15 lessons are designed for both classroom use and self-study. Practice dialogues, combined with grammatical explanations, aid the student in understanding the basics of the language. Each lesson also contains a vocabulary section that highlights the important aspects of its featured topic. The audio CDs, which complement the lessons, help the student easily master the language's unique tones and vowel sounds, often considered the most difficult aspect of the language to learn. Quizzes and practice exercises are integrated into the lessons to help reinforce the material. The book also includes information on various aspects of Yoruba culture, including religion, songs, and folklore.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Kayode J Fakinlede

Product Details

• Paperback: 282 pages
• Publisher: Hippocrene Books, Inc.; Book & 2 CDs edition (October 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0781810698
• ISBN-13: 978-0781810692
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #300,790 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #43 in Books > Education & Reference > Foreign Languages > African > Instruction

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very authentic, August 23, 2006

By 

Olena Y. Rabinowitz "Book lover" (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beginner's Yoruba (Hippocrene Beginner's Series) (Paperback)

This is my first encounter with Yoruba and I have to say that CDs are really helping. However, the book is very short and not particular about certain aspects and details of grammar and other nuances - for someone who NEVER spoke Yoruba and doesn't have anybody to ask for a clue, it leaves a lot of questions unanswered - for this, however, there are hopefully other Yoruba textbooks.
On the brighter note, I would like to add that the book does a very good job in giving a little insight on Yoruba people and Yoruba culture in general. I would recommend it as a good start book for anyone who wants to learn Yoruba - you can't go wrong with it.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good learning tool..., August 18, 2006

By 

Matanah "SistahSpeak!" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beginner's Yoruba (Hippocrene Beginner's Series) (Paperback)

While I am still in the process of learning the Yoruba language, I think that this book is a nice beginners tool. Please keep in mind that the new book comes with to audio CD's that are MUCH NEEDED! So if you're considering buying the book used, fine, but be sure to ask if the CD's come with.

Without the audio assistance, I'm not sure how great of a tool this will be in your journey to learn the beautiful language of Yoruba!

Best,
S

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great starting point, March 21, 2008

By 

ButterflySoulfire "EO" (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Beginner's Yoruba (Hippocrene Beginner's Series) (Paperback)

This book contains a great amount of vocabulary. It teaches you the Anglicized versions of certain words such as "teacher" but it also gives you the Yoruba word. Although I didn't appreciate the Anglicized words at first, they are good to know because a lot of people use them. The CD is an excellent and necessary addition to the book. There are lots of dialogues and lists of vocabulary on them (there are 2 CDs). The CD does skip over some of the exercises in the book, which I guess you're supposed to go over by yourself or with a teacher, though. All in all, it's a great set and, if mastered, can bring the user to a high level of fluency. I also like that the narrator, who speaks English to announce the lessons, is a native speaker and doesn't butcher the names of the characters in the dialogues. There is a Yoruba book/CD set created by another publisher who uses a British narrator. It really throws you off course throughout the CD. Watch out for that one and buy this one instead!