Macedonian: A Course for Beginning and Intermediate Students = [Makedonski Jazik] [Paperback]

Christina Elizabeth Kramer (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0299161749 | ISBN-13: 978-0299161743 | Publication Date: May 1999

This is the first comprehensive teaching grammar of standard Macedonian for English speakers, designed by an experienced teacher to be completed in one year of intensive study. The student who completes the sixteen chapters will have a basic knowledge of Macedonian language as well as an introduction to Macedonian life, culture, history, and literature.

* emphasizes learning language and culture together * all the basics of Macedonian grammar & common vocabulary * lively continuing dialogues of a Macedonian family in Toronto, Canada, and in Skopje, Macedonia * readings from Macedonian literature, folklore, poetry, and history

A CD-ROM will be available next fall with listening comprehension exercises, interactive exercises for self-study, a searchable dictionary, links to the World Wide Web, and photos, music, and video clips that bring alive Macedonia today. It will include: * listening comprehension exercises * interactive exercises for self-study * a searchable dictionary (Macedonian-English/English-Macedonian??) * links to the World Wide Web * photos, music, and video clips that bring alive Macedonia today Macedonian is a South Slavic language spoken in the Republic of Macedonia and in regions of the neighboring Balkan countries. There are approximately three million speakers of Macedonian in the Balkans and another million speakers living outside the Balkans in Canada, the United States, Australia and in northern Europe. This textbook has sixteen chapters and complete glossaries in both English and Macedonian. It is aimed at beginning and intermediate students and will take the average student 1-1/2 to 2 years to complete. There is also a CD, sold separately, that complements the text and allows a student to learn on his/her own.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Combines sophisticated linguistic understanding with texts, grammar explanations, and cultural information. . . . The most creative and resourceful South Slavic textbook currently available.”—Margaret H. Beissinger, Princeton University

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Language Notes

Text: English, Macedonian

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 476 pages
• Publisher: University of Wisconsin Press (May 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0299161749
• ISBN-13: 978-0299161743
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,278,170 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book ....but, a giant deficit....., October 12, 2000

By 

Galina Schneider (U.S.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Macedonian: A Course for Beginning and Intermediate Students = [Makedonski Jazik] (Paperback)

Christina's Kramer, well respected both as a linguist as well as by the Macedonian community, has written a great book, complete in terms of Macedonian grammar, everyday speech and as a cultural learning tool.

The cultural selections included in the chapters are a delight, ranging from folk tales to decriptions of both modern and traditional weddings. Professor Kramer has spent a lot of time in the Macedonian community both in Macedonia and in the diaspora and its shows in her treatment of topics. The author also has an evident sense of humour which breaks the tedium of the exercizes.

Another great asset of the book is the rechnik/dictionary included at the back of the book along with other very useful appendices.

However, the giant deficit is the long term lack of the "CD-ROM" which is over a year overdue. Without the CD ROM , casette tapes, and suggested answers to the numerous exercises, the student runs the risk of reinforcing misperceived and wrong grammar and constructions, has nothing to learn pronunciation and practice speaking, and the process of learning is slowed. The lack of supporting materials render the book very difficult to use for self study.

These deficits will be overcome when the CD ROM and searchable dictionary become available, one presumes. Until then, it would be best to use this book with a tutor or native speaker. It is great that the book exists and represents a large improvement over the "Zboruvajte li Makedonski" text, workbook and tape series.

A minor point or two: It would be nice, for the sake fo students carrying this text, if it had been in two parts and in a smaller sized format. The large format still does not allow for doing the exercises in the text, and adds a bit of weight to the old backpack. However, the binding seems sturdy enough and the paper of good quality, so the student need not worry about the text disintegrating halfway through the course.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars At last a book on how to learn Macedonian, January 22, 2000

By 

F. MICHAEL ZULIM (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Macedonian: A Course for Beginning and Intermediate Students = [Makedonski Jazik] (Paperback)

To all my fellow readers and language lovers. This book is an excellent starting point on learning the language of Macedonia. Being a new democracy, this country has struggled for its identity. I have been to Macedonia on 3 occassions and now I can learn the language that my beloved father spoke. He is gone now and I am trying to learn it. This book has helped me tremendously in learing the grammer and colloquial expressions of the language. I also speak Greek and there are many words of greek and turkish origin in the language. The teacher, Mrs. Kramer is an excellent instuctor and she details the lessons excellently. I am about half way done in the course and I am learning so much. My Macedonian friends are impressed with my progress and compliment the book that is helping me. I am waiting for the CD rom course to compliment the book. Good luck on learning macedonian and you will have made an excellent choice in selecting this very excellent book.

15 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not only is the book great..., November 21, 2000

By 

"liat_uy" (Toronto) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Macedonian: A Course for Beginning and Intermediate Students = [Makedonski Jazik] (Paperback)

Not only is the text great for learning Macedonian, but Prof. Kramer is also my professor! And having her teach from this book is a great experience! I have NO KNOWLEDGE of Macedonian whatsoever (I am Chinese), and only took the course to fill a graduation requirement for my programme. However, after having her share her zest, love and knowledge for the language and its culture, I do have to say that Macedonian is now one of my favourtie courses!

The text has exercises that focus on many linguistic aspects of the language. It is certainly written with the English speaker in mind. It helps the English speaker learn Macedonian by drawing parallels and examples from the English language and how those concepts in English translate into Macedonian.

As a linguist, she is able to provide knowledge into Macedonian grammer rather than saying "this and this happens in Macedonian because it does!" Because she is able to provide linguistic analysis that is accessible to a person with little or no linguistic background, you feel that the knowledge you gain from this text is very well grounded.

The CD is a must, especially if you do not have exposure to the language, in order to understand the tone, stress and intonation of the language.

My favourite thing about learning Macedonian? Being able to overhear Macedonian conversations on the bus and actually understand it and to be able to say /dobar den/ and see the looks on Macedonian people's faces!