Customer Reviews

Handbook of Vlax Romani

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I first acquired this book during Prof. Hancock's course taught at the University of Texas. Being a lover of languages, I was dismayed to see a lack of grammars or lexicons for Romani. This book is the definitive guide to Romani written in English. Do not expect a simple "Teach Yourself Romani in 30 days" work here; this book reflects both Hancock's linguistic background and an expectation of the reader's.

I would ay that this is the best work out there in English on Vlax Romani, and that is because it is the only, as far as I know. Notwithstanding, it is a good book, providing an in-depth description of the Vlax Romani language for the learner. Grammar is presented clearly and difficult items are given an explanation designed for laymen, not linguists. A large and informative section on the various spelling systems in use is provided, and a solid description of the phonology is also given, slightly tainted by attitude. He calls linguistic borrowing, a normal process when languages are in contact, "interference", namely, other languages interfered with Romani. If you take that attitude, then a hundred or so languages have "interfered" with English, which has been and still is a prolific borrower of lexical items. Overall, the book is a great description of Vlax Romani, useful to both the classroom and the self learner. If you're interested in the language, get it while it's still in print - it's all you've got.