Full of mistakes, July 20, 2004

The book is full of mistakes and quite odd phrases. As a native speaker of Turkish (I teach Turkish, thus I have the book) I find the dialogues and passages artificial. Some idioms and phrases are used out of place and depending on the context the learner may choose to use them, they may result in embarrasment on the part of the speaker and/or hearer.
In terms of the organization of a language teaching/learning book, like many other non-English teaching books, it does not follow the criteria for a good book; such as presenting the subject matter clearly and in an organized way so that it is not confusing for the learner. The exercises are usually controlled, which is not a very good thing.
All in all, it fails in three important aspects: The correct use of the language and grammar, the authentic use of them, and the organization of the material.
I hope there are better alternatives around. This certainly doesn't qualify as a good one.

A godawful mess, but completely necessary (for now)..., September 9, 2002

This book's a disaster - the material is presented in a disorganized manner; there are several errors (in grammar, in spelling, in usage, and even in class - Arabic or peasanty words that you won't often come across) in the dialogues and some in the answers; it's much harder to follow than the earlier edition written by different authors; it assumes a little background info on Turkish, which it shouldn't; and, above all, its back cover, claiming "jargon-free grammar notes," is an out-and-out lie: you'll have to pore through ablative cases, converbs, and relative clauses to get to the good stuff.

BUT - the good stuff is fantastic. The book fills a much-needed space in your studies. Other books are too didactic (such as the In Three Months series); others are too basic (the Teach Yourself book), and then you're left on your own. This book is hefty enough, intermediate enough, and colloquial enough to be of help when you're at the position of knowing the basics but not ready yet to read a Turkish newspaper and be on your own. The example sentences are superb and give you much practice in dealing with the topics so poorly presented. Probably the best way to approach it is to get another book first, then to get this book, skip the grammatical expositions, and to go over the sample sentences and exercises with a spouse or friend, who can help give other contexts in which they're used, and even correct some of the errors.

One of the best..., May 16, 2002

Over the past few months, as I've struggled to learn a bit of Turkish, books on that topic have filled my shelves and backpack. Every time I find another one, I add it to my collection. My addiction to all language books Turkish isn't just based on the delusion that owning a lot of books will automatically give me knowledge.

What I've discovered is that one book just won't do it -- (see my other reviews on this topic).

Rudimentary books are necessary at first to give you basic phrases you'd need. Once you find you can count to ten, say hello, good-bye, yes, no, please, thank you, how are you, fine, etc. you'll find a need for deeper understanding, a larger vocabulary and a better understanding of how to put sentences together.

In my opinion, this book (the 8th I've bought) is so far the best of those that teach you the language, not just phrases. It comes with two tapes (you MUST have something to listen to -- pronunciation is essential to get your message across correctly). Although you could get along without the tapes which do not cover all the chapters, dialogues or tests, if you are serious, make sure you get the tapes -- they are extremely helpful.

Using this book (in my opinion) works best if you have started with a couple of smaller, basic phrase books, and have a self-forgiving attitude. Turkish is different from English. Some parts are easy to learn once you understand the format -- others are difficult exceptions, difficult to comprehend. This book has helped me understand the tenses that are needed (so I don't have to only use the present tense for everything in my life!)

The tests are sometimes offered using words you haven't learned yet -- this is an intentional stretch for your learning curve -- and is a good thing. I'm pretty sure I've found an error or two in the answers (which is why it is good to have several books and sources on hand).

The more I did the lessons and then went back to my basic survivor books, the more I understood, and the more I could say.

So far this is the best book I've found -- I suspect the next level requires lessons with real people, which is where I'm headed!

Excellent for the mid to advanced learner!

Iyi talih!

I recommend it!, April 20, 2002

I decided to learn a little of the Turkish language 2 months ago. I borrowed this book from my university's library, and held on to it for 1 and 1/2 months before returning it. I was actually late returning it! This is because it is such a good book! I was so disappointed to have to let go of it, that I decided I would buy myself this book as soon as I could - and I have just placed an order for it! I can't wait to have it on my bookshelf! :)
It has an excellent pronounciation guide, though it does make simple conversation seem more complex than necessary. But overall, I would say it is worth the purchase. It also provides a decent explanation of Turkish verb endings. The writing style of the authors is clear to the beginner. And isn't that just a great picture on the cover? It makes me want to visit Turkey one day...