Customer Reviews

New Lakota Dictionary, 2nd Edition

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

Buy, beg, borrow or steal it! If you're serious about studying Lakota, you can't afford to be without the NLD. As a learner, this is the book I've been waiting for. It's the best Lakota/English and English/Lakota dictionary available. Unique to the NLD is the inclusion of the Dakota dialects variants. Far more than just a word-list, the entries are packed with example sentences, paradigms are included in the verbs, there is information on usage and culture, the most frequently used words are marked. The grammar section explains the basics of Lakota grammar simply and clearly and is extremely informative. Because of the economical use of diacritics and the marking of stress in the LLC orthography, it is very easy to pronounce each word correctly. If you read the History of Lakota Lexicography in the introduction to the dictionary, you will understand why this is really the first reliable Lakota dictionary ever. With every entry and example sentence double-checked by native speakers, it is totally trustworthy, reflecting modern usage of the language whilst making one aware of the richness and beauty of the Lakota language.New Lakota Dictionary
There's also an active on-line discussion forum based on and supported by the New Lakota Dictionary. Serious language students at all levels of proficiency are already enjoying their membership and expanding their knowledge.

If I could give more than 5 stars, I would!!

I have been studying the Lakhota language for years, as a child and as an adult. Unfortunately it has been self study, with the help of resources such as the Buechel dictionary. At one time I was very grateful for the Buechel dictionary, and I do not mean to disrespect the value of Buechel's work. However, the New Lakota Dictionary renders all others obsolete!! The orthography allows learners to "read" the correct pronunciation, and it is checked by actual speakers of the language! (You might assume that all dictionaries are, but you would be wrong!) It also includes information on all four Dakota dialects (Yankton-Yanktonai (Western Dakota), and Santee-Sisseton (Eastern Dakota)) by each applicable entry.

The many example sentences, notes on how often words are used and in what way (if they are still common or if they are archaic), and the surprisingly approachable (and long) grammar section make this dictionary an excellent resource for beginners. The Lakota Language Consortium's language forum is another invaluable resource. This forum, and the New Lakota Dictionary, have advanced my rate of learning exponentially (and significantly decreased learning frustration!!) With this dictionary I finally feel I can put sentences together with confidence.

Just when you thought it couldn't get any better, the Lakota Language Consortium is a non-profit organization, so your money actually goes to the revitalization of the Lakhota language.

I have been so positive I feel I should reassure you that I am a real person and am in no way affiliated with the Lakota Language Consortium or the New Lakota Dictionary, other than that I am a big fan. Trust me, for the sake of the language, support this dictionary! You will not regret it.

New Lakota Dictionary is the first Lakota/Yankton(ai)/Santee/Sisseton dictionary complying to the modern standards of language acquisition, IMHO. Buechel's dictionary was the most complete, but it generally was lacking important features - consistent spelling, accurate definitions, extensive examples, sufficient grammar stuff.
New Lakota Dictionary has it all in Lakota-English section, and English-Lakota part is not just a word index to L-E part, there you can indeed get the help for which Lakota word to choose. Check the 18 Lakota translations for English "woman" at my "customer images".
And the Grammar section is the best concise and most up-to-date description of Lakhota grammar, with all the essential features of the language described in human language, not academese.
There is an online Lakota Language Forum for this book, frequented by many native and fluent speakers.
I got three copies, two presents for my friends.

The study of Lakota is now somewhat arcane and so reviews of the New Lakota Dictionary are naturally few. But the serious students (you know who you are) want the best. I find eight 8 five-star reviews, including mine. The author of the solitary single-star review presumably wouldn't object if a talented Native American scholar wrote an outstanding text on the German language. The point is that quality is where you find it. The preponderance of five-star ratings is telling you something.

Even little things mean a lot with this book. Using the cover flaps, you can mark your place with either a symbolic guide to the extensive, nearly 200-page grammar section, or with the NLD's innovative orthography which makes both reading and spelling perfectly unambiguous. American English students won't find a grammar in Noah Webster.

Most wonderful are the practically unlimited number of Lakota sentences (about 43,000) that have been vetted with the help of fluent speakers. The sentences, which reflect points of speech and grammar, aren't Dick-and Jane constructions. They reflect every sentiment from the elevated, to the sarcastic, to the downright suggestive.

If you love Lakota treat yourself to this book. When you become a fluent speaker (I'm a beginner, truth to tell) you won't hesitate to donate your copy to a reservation school and then buy yourself another copy.

Stephen

I purchased this book as a companion to the Lakota learning website. I would not be able to learn the Lakota language without it. The translation on the Lakota words is very in depth. Includes sentences so you can get a feel for proper structure. The whole middle section that covers grammer is invaluable. I use my book alot! I love it.

This is the dictionary that I have been waiting for. I wish it were available when I started to learn my father's language twenty years ago. Finally a dictionary with reliable spelling that makes learning the pronunciation easy. It gives lots of great example sentences for nearly every word, it shows verb conjugation and other changes that happen on the words. I know many of the native speakers who helped prepare this dictionary and they are all very fluent and happy with this book. It is a treasure that will stay here for the next generations. My children are now using this dictionary at school and I am very happy about it. The example sentences are full of reference to our culture and history, so it is more than a dictionary. I am very grateful to all the native speakers and other people who helped put this dictionary together.

I am a sophomore at Indiana University Bloomington, enrolled in Lakota as my foreign language and component of my anthropology minor. We are one of the few major universities that offers a comprehensive and full curriculum of Lakota Sioux, and this was one of the books highly recommended that we purchase. Worth every single penny. This dictionary is modern and accurate, and easy to navigate, with lots of helpful cultural and linguistic information included. We use this book for dozens of translation assignments. This is the best dictionary out there for serious Lakota students, or for anyone with a love of the language. I highly recommend this book!

As a non-native American committed to learning the Lakota language because I truly believe this language must be preserved, I find the New Lakota Dictionary to be indispensable. This dictionary is comprehensive and very easy to use. For example, the inside front cover provides all the information to properly use this dictionary. Between the Lakota to English and the English to Lakota sections there is a very comprehensive section on the grammar, syntax, verb conjugations, word order, and all the peculiarities any language has. Every Lakota verb entry shows the way that verb conjugates. All words are used in complete sentences to enable the student or user to understand the proper Lakota syntax. I highly recommend the New Lakota Dictionary to any student of the Lakota language.

This is a dictionary done by an expert with the help of
native speakers.
I don't think anybody could have done a better job.

I ordered this dictionary based on the excellent reviews it received - and I have to agree 100%.

It is an excellent resource with the cross-referencing between the English section and the Lakota section. There is a large section in the center on usage, but this section should not be construed as language lessons, it is for information and reference only. Some of the information seems way too steep for anyone that has less than a degree in English.

The front and back flaps contain the necessary flash-card type information on how to use the dictionary, and also a pronunciation guide for the different letters of the alphabet.

The words are denoted with a symbol so as a newcomer to the language you can see which words or form of the word are most common.

The massive amount of information contained in this volume is staggering - yet still very easy and straightforward to use. The time and effort put forth by the authors of this text, along with all the Lakota-speakers who contributed to this dictionary must have been incredible and they should be commended.

I have used this dictionary alot and it has been of tremendous assistance to me in my work. I would highly recommend it to anyone needing this type of reference material.