Colloquial Turkish (The Colloquial Series) [Paperback]

Bayraktaroglu (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 3, 1992 | Series: The Colloquial Series

An introduction to written and spoken Turkish as used in everyday situations, covering such topics as making an introduction, asking for information and describing physical appearance. 15 practical lessons explain the core principles of the Turkish language and demonstrate their use. All grammar and vocabulary is introduced in context. Key features include: full use of situational dialogues; clear explanations and examples; comprehensive range of exercises; and verb tables, pronunciation guide and a 2-way glossary. "Colloquial Turkish" assumes no previous knowledge of the language and can be used for self-study or with a teacher. The cassette, recorded by native speakers, is designed to improve the understanding and pronunciation of this language. This book should be of interest to all language learners, teachers and travellers.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"It is almost impossible to find a book that has such a good combination of Turkish grammar, modern colloquial expressions and cultural information." -- Martha Larson, Cornell University

Language Notes

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

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Product Details

• Paperback: 245 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; Bk&Cassett edition (December 3, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415040752
• ISBN-13: 978-0415040754
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.7 x 2.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,305,587 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #31 in Books > Education & Reference > Foreign Language Nonfiction > More Languages > Turkish

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Vay allah! What a great book!, July 18, 2000

By 

"fife_campbell" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Colloquial Turkish (The Colloquial Series) (Paperback)

Turkish people have laughed in astonishment at the phrases and words that I've used after learning them from this book. There are some mistakes in the text but these are easy to notice (mostly typos). What I like most is the the way the book concentrates on every day conversation. I love all the expressions of astonishment and especially the space-fillers used by Turks when they're thinking about what they're going to say next. I've not seen those described anywhere else! I thought the speakers on the tape were talking too quickly too soon but now I've seen some Turkish tv and understood a fair amount of what they were saying I've changed my mind.

All in all I'm glad I got this book and tape pack.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not a good beginner's book., April 19, 2001

By 

Tim W. Talpas "timmah" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Colloquial Turkish (The Colloquial Series) (Paperback)

I purchased this book hoping to gain a better understanding of spoken, conversational Turkish, but was thwarted at every turn. The lessons are poorly structured; each starts with a box of phrases that are not defined or translated, and it is up to you to figure out what they mean. The lessons are arranged according to conversational topic (such as "Greetings" or "Inquiring about someone's age"), and gramatical concepts are interspersed throughout, which makes it difficult to look up how adjectives are treated, for example. The lessons should include a list of all new words/phrases and their definitions. Explanations of gramatical concepts aren't labeled as such and sometimes are confusing.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars not for beginners, October 1, 2004

By 

A. Jennerjahn "follower of Jesus" (Long Island, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Colloquial Turkish (The Colloquial Series) (Paperback)

Maybe the problem is simply that the book is mislabelled -- it says it is for beginners or intermediate.

All I can say is, it is way too hard for beginners. Maybe it is good for intermediate, but I'm not in a position to know.

If you are looking for a good start for a beginner, 'Getting by in Turkish' is a really easy way to pick up a few words and phrases that you can use right away.