An Introduction to the Gothic Language (Introductions to the older languages of Europe) [Hardcover]

William Holmes Bennett (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English

Product Details

• Hardcover: 190 pages
• Publisher: Modern Language Assn of Amer; Subsequent edition (May 1981)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0873522907
• ISBN-13: 978-0873522908
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,309,146 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #29 in Books > Education & Reference > Foreign Languages > Instruction > Germanic Languages

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Bennett, on the Gothic Language, April 2, 2000

By 

Mr. Gary Dykes (Visalia, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Introduction to the Gothic Language (Introductions to the older languages of Europe) (Hardcover)

This 190 page hardcover edition is a fine supplement to the classical works by Wright and Streitberg. Professor Bennett (born in 1907, and long associated with Notre Dame)is eminently qualified for such a work.

The work nicely intergrates Gothic within its Indo-European framework, displaying and commenting upon the relationships.

As an expert within the disapline of general Indo-European linguistics, the reader will note a healty dosage of modern linguistic terms and concepts.

The book is laid out into 28 chapters, each covering some aspect of the language (grammar, phonetics, historical aspects etc.)and each has some concluding exercises. [No answers are provided in a supplementary work (apparently), the user seeks out the answer in the work]. It is thus a book useful for classroom purposes. It has a fine 42 page Gothic-English dictionary, and a good bibliography. It also has a proper (though brief) index.

The various languages used in the text are clearly transliterated, and the type and layout is clutter-free. One objection I have is that he does not show his precise transliteration scheme for the IE (or PIE) words or for the Greek words, it appears that he is assuming that the instructor and student are familiar with his (or a standard?) scheme. As an expert with the Germanic languages he displays his adeptness here, perhaps too much so, as he seems to focus a bit heavily upon the Germanic/Latin angle as opposed to the German/IE/Greek aspects. But this may be just my bias.

The hardcover edition has 3 facsimiles of Gothic MSS, one of which is very unreadable (none on glossy paper). Bennett gives some room for discussion about the surviving texts. The hardbound edition is well made, it is smyth-sewn, no statements are made regarding the quality of the paper, but it feels acid-free.

All-in-all, a fine work, highly recommended for all students of this fine ancient language, and important for Biblical scholars as well who desire (or need) to access an early text of the NT. This grammar can get you up and running. A good book well worth $32.00.

37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The easiest introduction I have seen., July 16, 2001

By 

Juan Pablo Pira (Guatemala, Guatemala Guatemala) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Intro to the Gothic Lang (Introductions to Older Languages) (Paperback)

While most Gothic language introductions and grammars assume a very thorough knowledge of Germanic comparative linguistics, this one actually defines most of the technical terms it uses. Has a good explanation of the rules and even some exercises (no answers, though). Seems adequate for classroom or self- study. Texts in Gothic are used from the very beginning (some original, some from ancient sources). Above all, the way the rules are presented and the choice of readings make this book a FUN learning experience.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Bennett, on the Gothic Language, April 2, 2000

By 

Mr. Gary Dykes (Visalia, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Introduction to the Gothic Language (Introductions to the older languages of Europe) (Hardcover)

This 190 page hardcover edition is a fine supplement to the classical works by Wright and Streitberg. Professor Bennett (born in 1907, and long associated with Notre Dame) is eminently qualified for such a work.

The work nicely intergrates Gothic within its Indo-European framework, displaying and commenting upon the relationships.

As an expert (i.e. Bennett) within the disapline of general Indo-European linguistics, the reader will note a healty dosage of modern linguistic terms and concepts.

The book is laid out into 28 chapters, each covering some aspect of the language (grammar, phonetics, historical aspects etc.) and each has some concluding exercises. [No answers are provided in a supplementary work (apparently), the user seeks out the answer in the work]. It is thus a book useful for classroom purposes. It has a fine 42 page Gothic-English dictionary, and a good bibliography. It also has a proper (though brief) index.

The various languages used in the text are clearly transliterated, and the type and layout is clutter-free. One objection I have is that he does not show his precise transliteration scheme for the IE (or PIE) words or for the Greek words, it appears that he is assuming that the instructor and student are familiar with his (or a standard?) scheme. As an expert with the Germanic languages he displays his adeptness here, perhaps too much so, as he seems to focus a bit heavily upon the Germanic/Latin angle as opposed to the German/IE/Greek aspects. But this may be just my bias.

The hardcover edition has 3 facsimiles of Gothic MSS, one of which is very unreadable (none on glossy paper). Bennett gives some room for discussion about the surviving texts. The hardbound edition is well made, it is smyth-sewn, no statements are made regarding the quality of the paper, but it feels acid-free.

All-in-all, a fine work, highly recommended for all students of this fine ancient language, and important for Biblical scholars as well who desire (or need) to access an early text of the NT. This grammar can get you up and running.