Customer Reviews

Cassell's Colloquial Spanish: A Handbook of Idiomatic Usage (Including Latin-American Spanish)

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I can't say enough good things about this little gem. It's an outstanding reference book. The author's mastery of Spanish is rather humbling, but he is able to convey a great deal of knowledge using a writing style that is both relaxed and very enjoyable to read.

This book is a sort of Spanish-to-English dictionary, but it doesn't simply list English equivalents of a Spanish word the way a regular bilingual dictionary does. It goes into a discussion of the word in question and explains the little nuances and shades in meaning in a way that most dictionaries never come close to doing. The definitions given include examples and anecdotes that put the words in context to help the reader better grasp their meaning. When necessary, the author is always careful to point out the various meanings a particular word might have in different parts of the Spanish-speaking world. Further, the author is not afraid to list "off-color" or vulgar words in an attempt to save the reader from unwittingly making a fool of him or herself by using the wrong word in the wrong part of the world.

My only "complaint" is that this book isn't even longer and more exhaustive than it is (it's 303 pages), although the book's relative brevity makes it easier to completely read and digest. Still, a second volume that picks up where this one leaves off would be wonderful to have.

I've lived in South America and have a four-year college degree in Spanish, yet I still learn something new (or relearn something I've forgotten) every time I pick up this book. Students of all ability levels from beginning to very advanced will benefit from this work. That said, I think most beginning students will already have enough on their hands with learning the nuts and bolts of Spanish grammar and acquiring a basic vocabulary. For that reason, I tend to think that a book of this type is better suited for intermediate and up students. Along with a good dictionary like the Larousse Gran Diccionario, this is a must-own reference book for any serious student of the Spanish language.

This book is really beyond praise -- one of the most enjoyable and yet edifying books I have ever read. You can see clearly that the author has a real knowledge of the whole Spanish-speaking world, from Spain to Tierra del Fuego. (This is one reason why this book is considerably better than Keenan's book, which focuses on Mexican usage almost exclusively.) In addition to sound advice about False, Unreliable, and Good Friends, (words that appear similar in Spanish and English but whose meanings may or may not be the same) he has some absolutely fascinating tidbits of information: e.g., -barra- in music means the vertical bar-line; what we call a musical bar or measure is compás. Speaking of bars, I think he's had a few nights out with these -hispanohablantes-, and thus he understands the culture in a familiar and deeply amicable way. He has a fine sense of humor and insight. I read the book cover to cover and recommend the same without reservation.

It's kind of hard to review a book when you are speechless with admiration. In the US we don't have much of a culture of foreign language learning, so we fail to appreciate the importance of vocabulary. I read a remark by Hemingway once to the effect that when he decided to tackle Spanish he bought a dictionary and began to read, so it lead me to try an experiment. I took a bilingual dictionary and started to read the *English* side and I soon discovered that there was hardly a single English phrase in the entire dictionary (bilingual dictionaries have less vocabulary than a big monolingual dictionaries, naturally) that one would not expect a fluent English speaker to know. This was frightening, because it implied that a fluent Spanish speaker would probably know all the words and idioms on the Spanish side! So how should a native English speaker, who wishes to become fluent in Spanish, make a serious effort at expanding his vocabulary in Spanish? The problem with reading a bilingual dictionary (a la Hemingway) is that such dictionaries are notoriously inaccurate and are virtually completely devoid of contextual information that would serve to illustrate how words are actually used. It would be an exaggeration to say that Bryson's book fills the entire gap; it's too small for that, but it does fill quite a few gaping holes, and it is beautifully written with a lot of amusing anecdotes that help one *remember* what is being taught. He has also changed the way I think about language. His book has taught me, among other things, to always look for English cognates as a means of alerting myself to how Spanish speakers use different metaphors than English speakers to express similar concepts. Before Bryson I was less conscious of the Spanish I used & my mastery was diminished as a result. For that habit of mind, and for the many useful clarifications, I am very grateful. Mr. Bryson thank you so much for this fine book. I only wish there were a few academics who took an interest in offering the kind of service you have offered us. Then perhaps we would have a Colloquial Spanish the size of a Gran Larousse. - John Strong

In an earlier commentary about this book, a reviewer wondered how a $7 paperback could be going for upwards of $140. Well, the answer is: scarcity. This is where you have to be careful. The book listed under the title "Cassell's Colloquial Spanish" is said to be the third revised edition, published in 1981. That edition is indeed quite rare, which accounts for its fetching big bucks. However, that's not the end of the story. A couple of other reviewers lamented that there isn't an updated version of this book. It turns out there is, but with a different subtitle.

Which leads me to my story. After seeing the book offered from one of the online sellers at a "bargain basement" (compared to all the others, that is) price, I ordered what I thought to be the 1981 edition. When the book arrived, though, I noticed some differences from the picture and publication info I'd seen at Amazon. So I went back and compared ISBN numbers. The book I'd ordered was not the 1981 edition; the ISBN number for that one is 0020794304. The ISBN number on the one I received is 030407943X. Confused, I typed in that number and was startled by the result. The title of the book with that ISBN number was listed as "Spanish Colloquial", and no author's name was listed anywhere (BTW, Amazon has corrected the title and added the author's name). What's more, the publisher was listed as Orion Publishing Company, not Cassell's. The particularly strange thing about that is the name Orion appears nowhere in the book I have, while the name Cassell's appears several times (I found out later that Orion owned the printing rights to the Cassell's line for several years, but no longer). In addition, the book's cataloging info indicates that the 1981 edition was reprinted three times: 1985, 1988 and 1993. The copy I have is the 1993 reprint, even though the concluding words of the introduction are "Abingdon, 1980, A. Bryson Gerrard." My guess is the 1993 reprint is far less rare than the 1981 third edition. To top it all off, several sellers were offering the 1993 printing at prices lower than what I paid.

So was I duped? It appears that way. But I'm not going to send the book back, because it does contain everything I was hoping to find in the first place. And I concur wholeheartedly with all of the other reviewers. Gerrard has done a tremendous service to English speakers who are passionate about learning Spanish. Some of the information in Gerrard's book is a bit dated, though, which obviously can't be blamed on him. Just try to recall the state of the Internet in 1980 and you'll understand. I don't know if Mr. Gerrard is dead now, but don't let the passage of two and a half decades dissuade you from enjoying his fine work. However, taking into account the need for a more contemporary reference, I would also recommend "Streetwise Spanish" -- both volumes, the dialogue book and the dictionary/thesaurus.

While I agree with all the comments of previous reviewers on this little gem of a book, I feel that it is incumbent on me to point out what this book is, and what it is not. It is not a general review of Spanish slang. It was not meant to be, and while it covers a fair amount of slang, it is more in the sense of pointing out those types of colloquialisms that are long-standing and which the foreigner should understand when he or she hears them, e.g., common and universal obscenities. For an extensive review of colloquialisms along with background on the ones that are peculiar to specific areas of the Hispanic world, the book "Streetwise Spanish" is a better choice.

However, in the field of discussing the basic nuts and bolts of standard spoken Spanish, there is simply no better book on the market than this one. It is true that Joseph Keenan's recent offering, "Breaking Out of Beginner's Spanish" offers more in the way of colloquial grammar points, but "Cassell's Colloquial Spanish" will acquaint you with the the sort of vocabulary that you will hear the most often at home, on the street, in the classroom or the office or anywhere else you may end up. If you learn what's in this book you'll be able to communicate effectively 95 percent of the time. What's more, the book is a good read, good enought even to be a bedside book. There aren't many language books you can say that about.

I'm an intermediate Spanish learner, and when I get sick of grinding memorization, etc, I pick up this book. It's enjoyable, and you really can read it straight through.

Here's a representative entry that shows how many examples the author gives from various countries --

carpeta: A Friend of unusual Falsity since not only does it not mean "carpet" but has very diverse meanings within the Hispanic world. In Spain and Mexico it means a "file," of the sort used in offices. In Peru it means a "desk" of the sort used in schools (elsewhere usually pupitre) and in Colombia it means a "table-cloth" (ornamental; not for meals). I have also heard it used for a "brief-case."

A carpet, as you know, is una alfombra. Wall-to-wall carpet is hecha a medida, "made to measure," but is often referred to as moqueta, "moquette" (carpet-material).

This wondrous work has been at my side, in my car, and on my bedside table since I found it quite by accident about two years ago. I have shared this book with Spanish students, native Hispanics, and English grammarians, all of whom have appreciated it as much as I have. I must agree with the other reviewers that the only thing wrong with it is that there isn't a part two, because in a language so rich with words--and diversity within its speakers--there are so many entries left to cover.

The writer is gentlemanly,clever,humorous,and accurate all at the same time. Don't miss this one.

This book is excellent. I read it as a teenager while studying 3rd year Spanish. Granted, there are swear words and other colorful expressions in the book, but the treatment is well done. The author gives a lot of insight into Latin American culture, as well as the differences between usage in different countries and regions. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn Spanish beyond the canned classroom conversational patterns.

Tired of getting the wrong context due to routine translation? This gem is your answer. An incredibly useful companion for clarifying common usage and nuance, this book is actually fun to read because of its anecdotal format. The authors experience, insight and style are all a delight compared to typical fare in this category. It's a bargain at thrice the price! My only questions: Why hasn't there been an updated edition in many years and why isn't this book a part of every Spanish course

This reference is not only extremely useful but fun to read! I have worn mine out and only wish there was a more up to date version. Also, I hope that in future editions the author will cover more of Latin America. Perhaps even publish an edition of Latin American usage exclusivly.

Update: I recently noticed this book is selling used for almost a $100 dollars!! Although it is a fine book and reference, that is ridiculous! How sellers can charge so much for a small paperback book is beyond me. There are many other fine Spanish grammer and vocabulary books and if you are a serious student you will find them.
Good luck