Customer Reviews

Teach Yourself Swahili Dictionary (Teach Yourself Series)

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

 

 

This is a reprint of Perrott's dictionary that was first published in 1965 but based on much much earlier lexicographical work. It is a simple glossary with mostly single equivalencies given. The Swahili-English section is adequate for simple, basic sorts of vocabulary, but it contains none of the new terminology and vocabulary that has entered the language since the original lexicographical research was done. So, for instance, it would be inadequate for reading a modern Swahili newspaper, let alone a novel or modern play. Many of my students over the years have used this book and it was a useful tool given a lack of a pocket-sized Swahili dictionary that a student could easily carry around. But students had a lot of problems using the English-Swahili section of the book. Many times the gloss given for a particular English word, is not the correct one, or does not reflect modern meanings or usage.

Next to my mefloquine tablets, this was the next-most-used resource the PC gave me. "Short" and "comprehensive" are generally mutually exclusive, but this dictionary managed to strike a good balance. If you're looking for a desk reference, there are more comprehensive dictionaries around. But if you're looking for something that doubles as a portable language reference and something to throw at black mambas, this is it.

I am a novice Swahili speaker (knowing only that "uhuru" means freedeom and credit for even that goes to Star Trek). This book allowed me to pick up the rudiments of the language well enough that I could converse with a teacher who had spent some time in Uganda before coming to Hong Kong. I would recommend this book highly to those in education circles who have a hard time when confronted by colleagues with superior Swahili skills.

I was perfectly content with this Swahili dictionary as a desktop reference ... until I noticed that it doesn't include some very obvious nouns, such as cheetah (duma), ruby (yakuti), or tarantula (bui). It also neglects to mention that many of these words will only be understood by 'formal' Swahili speakers on the coast and in Nairobi. Inland speakers use a related, but less complex, form of the language.

Still, this works for a basic at-home reference, especially if combined with an online Swahili translation reference such as the Living Swahili Dictionary (...)

This book is useful in that it is simple and caters for the beginner however in a predominantly spoken language like Kiswahili there are usually multiple translations for each word. As this book only gives one or two translations for each word then it can be misleading at times.

As a concise reference book on this language, this publication is effective and I able to see how to quickly use it to translate business documents and other correspondence

A dictonary is just that, a Dictionary. As a Kiswahili student, although Swahili has been my second langage since birth, this is a valuable reference item and goes well with Joan Russell's Swahili "Teach Yourself" which I bought at the same time.

I received the book in the condition that it was described. They also had great service in shipping me the book.

I got this Dictionary with Teach Yourself Swahili. The both of the books are showing age, but especially the dictionary. At least the Textbook had a word for Computer(Kompyuta) in it! The dictionary has the needed words though, don't get me wrong. The word "to look" is very important.

Oddly, I did find a use for the dictionary in a very modern reference though. I translate some Swahili from the Simpsons myself and it added up to the translation they had on TV, so hey! I guess that is a bad example, but their are few good Swahili dictionaries and this one is pocket sized.

I ordered this dictionary when I was writing my novel Death by Bad Magic, I needed to have my Priest to speak in one of Africa's oldest languages and if I had not had this wonderful dictionary to guide me I really don't think I could have written my novel.