Elementary Persian Grammar (Paperback)

~ L. P. Elwell-Sutton (Author)
Key Phrases: buffer letter, preceding following letter, indefinite suffix, Name Separate, Past Stem, Pronunciation Transcription Joined (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Mr Elwell-Sutton's book provides a simple grammatical framework for contemporary written Persian. It is based on the characteristic idiom and phraseology of the language as it is used in newspapers, magazines and novels. The student is introduced to Persian script from the first lesson. Words are fully vocalized in the early lessons, but vowels are progressively discarded; they are, however, shown in the vocabulary. The letter-forms of printed Persian are used cursive scripts. Although the structure of the language is Mr Elwell-Sutton's immediate concern, he has given close attention to the need for acquiring a workable vocabulary. The examples and exercises thus require only a limited vocabulary of words in fairly common use - about 1500 in all. The student is also given help with pronunciation; at the ends of lessons sample sentences from the exercises are printed with diacritics showing the intonation and stress of each syllable. At the end of the book there is a key to the lessons.

Book Description

Mr Elwell-Sutton's book provides a simple grammatical framework for contemporary written Persian. It is based on the characteristic idiom and phraseology of the language as it is used in newspapers, magazines and novels.

Product Details

• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (January 1, 1963)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 052109206X
• ISBN-13: 978-0521092067
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #522,369 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but Thackston is better., August 14, 2000

By	Lee V. Douglas (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Elwell-Sutton's work was a standard for many years, but it suffers the ills of most Persian grammars in English: too little of everything. Too little explanation, especially of syntax, too little reading, too few exercises and no sound recordings. The paucity of syntactical explanation, e.g. the use of verb tenses, leaves holes in the student's understanding of how Persian grammar works.

Wheeler Thackston's "An Introduction to Persian" has remedied all of these deficiencies and provides specific explanations and exercises for syntactical problems. The nine accompanying tape cassettes (available from a book dealer or from the publisher) reproduce all Persian that appears in the book and gives pauses for repetition--except for the twenty-five pages of Persian readings, which are read aloud at normal speed.

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delivers more than what one usually finds out there, February 28, 1999

By A Customer

I've generally been disappointed with many of the Persian language tutorials. Most have been little more than phrase books which teach little about grammar or about writing the language. Thankfully, this book provides a very good foundation in Farsi. I would recommend it as a must-have supplemental text. For the next stage, look up the texts by A.K.S. Lambton (Persian Vocabulary, and Persian Grammar).

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not the best choice, September 12, 2000

By	John Kennedy "Yahya" (London) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

While more accessable than the frustratingly over-detailed Lambton, this book still focuses too much on archaic rules of grammar, often presented in an unintelligable manner. The reading excercises are outdated ie "His August Imperial Majesty opened..." and contain vocabulary which is questionably useful for the beginner. Because it is attempting to equip the reader to deal with classical as well as modern texts, much of the grammatical information and vocabulary is not necessary for active use, although this is not made clear and many modern usesages are overlooked or mentioned only in passing. Thackston is the book to use for the beginner who whishes to make quick and satisfying progress in the language and perhaps Lambton for those who want an obscure reference grammar. This book, unfortunately serves neither purpose adequately.