Customer Reviews

Georgian-English/English-Georgian Dictionary and Phrasebook (Hippocrene Dictionary & Phrasebook)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I've yet to find a better book to serve as an introduction to this challenging language. The book is not for serious language students, but it does an excellent job of introducing the basics of language. There are also some informative cultural insights which is found interesting and appropriate. I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who is considering visiting this marvelous country and its wonderful people. In light of the dearth of quality or current material on the introduction to the Georgian langauge and culture, I find this book to be a pleasant surprise.

It's a usefull book if you are going there fore a shorther period and just need to use the most common phrases, but for studying the language its of no use since the georgian letters is left out- but as i said this makes it a good travelcompanian for a shorter visit!

Considering the near non-existence of study materials available for the Georgian language, I suppose we should be glad that this exists at all. BUT...

When comparing this with something as good as the Lonely Planet Russian Phrasebook, this little book pretty much falls flat. The words and phrases are not presented in Georgian script and the dimensions of the book are unusual - tall and narrow, so it sticks well out of your pocket. But it is inexpensive, and it's not really meant to be a serious study tool.

Using this along with the two cassete (why not CD's? AAARGH!) Georgian mini-course by Khatuna Gelashvili would at least allow you to HEAR what the language sounds like. Georgian makes some pretty interesting sounds that are nearly impossible for an English speaker to mimic, but if you can hear it spoken, chances are you'll at least be understood. Amazon doesn't sell the mini course, so you'll have to look elsewhere. There's also an online study course available if you really want to learn this obscure language beyond the phrasebook stage. Good luck!

This is one of the worst Georgian dictionaries around, unfortunately it is the only one published in the U.S. I would recommend trying to find an imported dictionary before buying this. I know Thea Khitarishvili is quite ashamed of writing this book in haste for Nicholas Awde, and Nicholas Awde does not know any Georgian. This will only give you simple Georgian enough if you only plan to be a one time tourist trip to Georgia. It is recommended that if one really wants to learn Georgian that one purchase one of Aronson's book on Georgian language.

I found this book to be very helpful. Georgian is a difficult language by anyones standards. You will not be able to learn the language with this book. You should be able to learn words that will help you in communicating in Georgia. I used this book for six months while in Georgia. The book translates words in Georgian into close sounding "words" spelled with English letters. The problem with this, is that Georgian has seven more letters than English and several more sounds that we don't make in English. That makes translation using English letters very difficult. I would recommend that anyone going to Georgia take this book, however. It is the only book that is pocket sized that I have found.

This book was very useful for me during my two week stay in Georgia. It spelled the words in the Roman alphabet, so I could sound out the pronunciation of the words. There is a section in the back divided into introductions, healthcare, shopping, relief work, etc. with phrases to use in certain situations. This helped me greatly in using complete sentences to converse with others. No, you will not learn Georgian from this book. No, every word in the language is not in this book, but it is a good start for a beginner.

Too bad it isn't in mkhedruli, it isn't in Georgian script. It is however the best and only dictionary for less than $30-40. And you will be able to tell someone not to shoot at you or to steer clear of minefields.

This little book is useful mainly because it's the only book of its kind available to most Americans.
The book seems clearly to be a quickie, compiled in a hurry for the specialized use of NGOs, aid workers, Doctors Without Borders, and the like. Thus, in both the brief dictionary and the phrasebook, word and expression selection is geared to these people's specialized short-term needs at the expense of the general traveler's. Many common and useful words seem to have been sacrificed to those needs. "Uncle" is in the dictionary but not "aunt." Five pages are devoted to "relief aid" phraseology, but in "food and drink" only five (!) vegetables make the cut. The staple Georgian cheesebread, khachapuri, is relegated to a footnote.
The grammar section is very sketchy indeed. And employing Roman rather than Georgian type may have short-term advantages, but does not help with signs nor in asking for directions. The book is simply not geared to longer-term needs such as learning the language. In fairness, it clearly isn't intended to.
In summary, although this book falls short of my needs, on its own terms it certainly rates a "gentleman's C," especially since there's no viable alternative. But for a one-time visit, buy it -- it's way better than nothing.

Used in combination with an audio-visual course, such as
"Beginner's Georgian," by Dodona Kiziria, this book will
give the student/traveller a good foothold on everyday
vocabulary. Having vocabulary arranged by topic is an asset
in the study of any language and this book goes beyond that, even listing the opposites of adjectives. Great book for a great price!

first of all I should explain that I am just starting with the georgian language.(...)
You were a little unfortunate in showing page 3 as sample because there you find gushin translated as tomorrow. Gushin means yesterday. Tomorrow in Georgian is "Khval". I imagine this must have been corrected in the last pages but it gives a wrong impression of the dictionary. Regards