Customer Reviews

Lonely Planet South-East Asia Phrasebook (Lonely Planet Phrasebook: India)

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

 

 

The reviewer who complained that they could not find the phrase "where is the toilet?" in this phrasebook was not trying very hard. For every language, it is either present in the section "Around Town" under the question heading "Where is the ...", or else it can easily be created by combining that half question with the word for "toilet", found in the immediately preceding section, "Useful Words". One small annoyance is that the tone key in the Vietnamese section shows the tonal contours, but does not key them to the accent marks. However, the Quick Reference Vietnamese chart on the last page does give this information. Overall, the book is a handy compendium of phrases for eight different languages, and includes a modicum of cultural hints. No space is available for brief grammars or dictionaries, but if these are desired, the reader can purchase separate Lonely Planet phrasebooks for any of the individual languages.

I ordered this book prior to going to the Peace Corps (knowing I would also get formal language training). I also knew it might come in handy for traveling in the region. The size is great. The content was very functional and for the language I was using, the translations and phonetic spellings were really spot on to what I was learning in my formal language classes. Thumbs up!

You are better off buying multiple phrasebooks for all the countries you plan to visit. Does not contain enough useful phrases for any of the included countries.

This book reviews a number of South-East Asian langauges. Overall the layout is understandable. The overview of tones in each language (there are a few tonal languages in the region) is handled well, and the pronounciation is good enough that you can be understood when you try to speak the sentences.
The book falls short in what it decides to translate. We found out, to our dismay, that the phrase, "where is the toilet?" was not to be found. This is the primary reason for the low rating. The first words presented in the chapter are basic introductions, which are good. However there are some emergency phrases that should be placed better. "Where is the pharmacy?" is a phrase that was cleverly hidden in the text.
Hopefully these issues will be cleared up by the second edition. I would recommend against using this book as it stands now as your only reference when travelling.