Teach Yourself Swahili Dictionary (Paperback)

by D. V. Perrott (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This dictionary is an ideal companion to any Swahili language course and provides quick reference of unfamiliar terms and structures.

About the Author
McGraw-Hill authors represent the leading experts in their fields and are dedicated to improving the lives, careers, and interests of readers worldwide --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill/Contemporary (January 11, 1965)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0844238384
• ISBN-13: 978-0844238388
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #855,972 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars An Out-of-Date Resource for Swahili Vocabulary, January 18, 2002

By	Thomas J. Hinnebusch (Los Angeles, California) - See all my reviews

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.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars If it's good enough for the Peace Corps..., November 1, 2003

By	Bill Wuhrman (Cochranville, PA USA) - See all my reviews

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.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Useful for ESF Education Officers, July 3, 1998

By A Customer

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.