Breaking Out of Beginner's Spanish [Paperback]

Joseph J. Keenan (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 029274322X | ISBN-13: 978-0292743229 | Publication Date: 1994 | Edition: 1

Many language books are boring - this one is not. Written by a native English speaker who learned Spanish the hard way - by trying to talk to Spanish-speaking people - it offers English speakers with a basic knowledge of Spanish with hundreds of tips for using the language more fluently and colloquially, with fewer obvious 'gringo' errors. Writing with humour, common sense, and a minimum of jargon, Joseph Keenan covers everything from pronunciation, verb usage, and common grammatical mistakes to the subtleties of addressing other people, 'trickster' words that look alike in both languages, inadvertent obscenities, and intentional swearing. He guides readers through the set phrases and idiomatic expressions that pepper the native speaker's conversation and provides a valuable introduction to the most widely used Spanish slang. With this book, both students in school and adult learners who never want to see another classroom can rapidly improve their speaking ability. "Breaking Out of Beginner's Spanish" will be an essential aid in passing the supreme language test-communicating fluently with native speakers. Joseph J. Keenan is a journalist, editor, and environmentalist who has lived and worked in Mexico since 1984.

Editorial Reviews

Review

" ...a breakthrough ...indispensable reading for any non-native speaker of Spanish ..." William F. Harrison, co-author of Spanish Memory Book: A New Approach to Vocabulary Building

Language Notes

Text: English, Spanish --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 229 pages
• Publisher: University of Texas Press; 1 edition (1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 029274322X
• ISBN-13: 978-0292743229
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (143 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,421 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #10 in Books > Education & Reference > Foreign Language Nonfiction > Spanish
  • #31 in Books > Education & Reference > Foreign Languages > Instruction > Spanish
  • #31 in Books > Education & Reference > Foreign Languages > Spanish

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

580 of 583 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is deserving of about 10 stars!, December 4, 1999

By 

amy wilds fuller (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Breaking Out of Beginner's Spanish (Paperback)

As a Spanish major who has also spent several summers in Mexico, I have read pretty much every Spanish text I have come across. In all that reading, I have never found another Spanish book that even comes close to this one (in accuracy, helpfulness, readability, and other key areas).

Keenan does an excellent job of picking out the specific Spanish words and phrases that cause English speakers the most problems. I have several friends who are also studying Spanish. It seems like 9 times out of 10 when they ask me a question, it is an issue that was covered in "Breaking out.."

This book was written with the reader's attention span in mind. Imagine: a Spanish text that is actually enjoyable to read! I read this book cover-to-cover at least once a year. Every time I glean some new pointer that I can implement in my constant quest to sound like less of a gringa.

Sections include a discussion of the subjunctive, a chapter on cursing (!), cultural info, general language learning tips, useful verbs to add to your repertoire, and discussion of the evolution of the Spanish language. To me, the most helpful sections were those dealing with word choice: a couple of chapters that deal with stuff like "what is the difference between regresar, volver, devolver, etc.?"

If you have a general grasp of the basics in Spanish but feel like your learning has kind of reached a plateau, this book is an excellent resource for learning how to get your Spanish to the next level.

The only negative I can think of is that the book is not indexed. As a result, after reading the book initially, when you find yourself with a question that you know was answered somewhere in the book (a frequent ocurrence), it sometimes takes a moment to flip through the book and find the exact paragraph where he talked about it.

If I could only have one Spanish book, it would be this one. I would even choose it over 501 verbs and probably even my dictionary.

179 of 179 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not so much a language book as a guide into another culture, April 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Breaking Out of Beginner's Spanish (Paperback)

You may as well be trying to learn Latin with most Spanish books. Not only are they dry and boring, they are absolutely lifeless! Keenan presents Spanish as a living language, full of real life examples and situations (and I don't mean asking the maid in your hotel room for more towels!) I have read this book until the pages have fallen out. Take it from someone who followed Keenan's advice, went to Mexico, and started talking to the locals - you will never find a more helpful resource for your sojourn. The section on invectives and obcenities is worth the price of admission. You may never have an inclination to use any of these words, but I guarantee you it is very, very useful knowing when they are being used toward you. Finally, never have I encountered a Spanish language book which enlightens one as to why everything in Spanish is reversed, e.g. blanca y negra for black and white. Keenan's wonderful book helps you get inside the Spanish speaker's mind and world to the extent that you might just realize it is the English speaker that has everything backwards.

280 of 284 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent but not for amateurs..., January 16, 2002

By 

Michael Dickson "To improve is to change. To ... (Patzcuaro, Michoacan, Mexico) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Breaking Out of Beginner's Spanish (Paperback)

I moved to Mexico two years ago and enrolled in a language school right off the bat. I also bought this book. After reading it, I thought it was helpful, but not excessively so because I didn't quite "get" everything it was trying to tell me. I stuck it on the bookshelf.

Now, two years later, I'm going through it again and discovering a virtual gold mine of information. My point being: Take the book's title seriously. It is a book for people firmly at the intermediate level or above. For these people, it answers a ton of things that have proved baffling. For these people, the book is a gem. If you are departing the beginner stage, this stupendous book will answer lots of those things you've been scratching your head over. Immensely valuable.

But don't buy it for Spanish 101.