Beginner's Yoruba (Hippocrene Beginner's Series) (Paperback)

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Product Description

"Beginner's Yoruba" is now available with two accompanying audio CDs. It provides an introduction to the Yoruba language, which is spoken by over 30 million people in south-western Nigeria, parts of the Benin Republic, and Togo, as well as in the diaspora populations of Brazil, Cuba, and Haiti. The 15 lessons are designed for both classroom use and self-study. Practice dialogues, combined with grammatical explanations, aid the student in understanding the basics of the language. Each lesson also contains a vocabulary section that highlights the important aspects of its featured topic. The audio CDs, which complement the lessons, help the student easily master the language's unique tones and vowel sounds, often considered the most difficult aspect of the language to learn. Quizzes and practice exercises are integrated into the lessons to help reinforce the material. The book also includes information on various aspects of Yoruba culture, including religion, songs, and folklore.

About the Author

Kayode J Fakinlede

Product Details

• Paperback: 281 pages
• Publisher: Hippocrene Books, Inc.; Book & 2 CDs edition (November 30, 2005)
• ISBN-10: 0781810698
• ISBN-13: 978-0781810692
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #785,326 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:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very authentic, August 23, 2006

By	Olena Y. Rabinowitz "Book lover" (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is my first encounter with Yoruba and I have to say that CDs are really helping. However, the book is very short and not particular about certain aspects and details of grammar and other nuances - for someone who NEVER spoke Yoruba and doesn't have anybody to ask for a clue, it leaves a lot of questions unanswered - for this, however, there are hopefully other Yoruba textbooks.
On the brighter note, I would like to add that the book does a very good job in giving a little insight on Yoruba people and Yoruba culture in general. I would recommend it as a good start book for anyone who wants to learn Yoruba - you can't go wrong with it.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good learning tool..., August 18, 2006

By	Selisa Simmons-Frazier "SistahSpeak!" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

While I am still in the process of learning the Yoruba language, I think that this book is a nice beginners tool. Please keep in mind that the new book comes with to audio CD's that are MUCH NEEDED! So if you're considering buying the book used, fine, but be sure to ask if the CD's come with.

Without the audio assistance, I'm not sure how great of a tool this will be in your journey to learn the beautiful language of Yoruba!

Best,
S

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not the best, May 11, 2007

By	M. Herranz (Valencia, Spain) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I agree, the CDs are a much needed help, since it would be impossible to pronnounce the Yoruba tones without the help of a native speaker. However, the design of the book is really poor and confusing. I have found several spealling mistakes in English and Yoruba. And the grammar explanations are very hard to understand.

Unfortunately there are not many Teach Yourself Yoruba books that are worth it. This one at least provides basic vocabulary and pronounciation skills.