Customer Reviews

Maya-English/English-Maya Dictionary and Phrasebook (Dictionary & Phrasebook)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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This is a good but very simple phrasebook of the modern Yucatec Maya language. It has 2500 common words and phrases with an emphasis on things a tourist might want to say. There is also a basic overview of Maya grammar. It's a good phrasebook at a great price, but if you are looking for something less superficial, I recommend Maya for Travelers and Students(ISBN#0292708122) which contains more cultural information and a better grammatical explanation (you can even buy accompanying audiotapes at ISBN#029276040X). There is also a truly comprehensive linguistic dictionary of Yucatec Maya at ISBN#0874805694, but it can be tough for non-linguists to use. Finally, readers interested in the ancient Mayan writing system (hieroglyphs) should try ISBN# 0781808626.

Enjoy!

If you want to learn Yucatec Mayan in a painless manner, this phrase book is the way to do it. When you bother to learn some of the real local language in the Yucatan area and among the Lacandon people, it can open doors for you.

Ka xi'ik tech utzil! (Que le vaya bien!)

About time we got an English-Mayan/Mayan-English dictionary, especially with an explanation of some of the syntax thrown in. These dictionaries are terribly hard to find, and I only have half of one that's Mayan-Spanish only.

May the vocabulary expand.

Good book to combine with "Maya for Travelers and Students". (I own both) This 200 page book is travel sized which will great and easy to take down to the Yucatan. More then happy with this purchase.

I vacationed at the Mayan Riviera in March 2008. During that time I discovered that the Maya language is alive and well in that area. Being fastinated by languages, I started learning Maya from the people at the resort.

During other vacations in the Caribbean, I have made extensive use of my Spanish - English Phrasebook and Dictionary.

Upon my return home, I ordered the Maya-English Phrasebook and Dictionary and found it to be put together in the same format as the Spanish -English book which is very user friendly.

We plan to retrun to the same resort in 2009 and I cannot wait to try out my new book.

John Montgomery has produced a useful and convenient conversion book that is excellent to take on vacation to the Yucatan. I found it very usable and helpful. It can easily can be carried in your backpack or pocket. Note that it is Maya/English/Spanish which I did not expect (not just Maya/English). This spring I intend to use it in a Learning to Read Maya Hieroglyphs Class, along with Montgomery's "Dictionary of Maya Hieroglyphs" and "How to Read Maya Hieroglyphs." At the moment I am not aware of any shortcomings.