8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
The
Definitive Slovene Grammar Reference, November 21, 2002
This is the most comprehensive Slovene grammar reference, ideally
suited for the student of Slovene.It has the distinction of being the
first major Slovene grammar for the English speaker. Professor Herrity
has stated in a recent interview (with Jana Valencic in Slovenija
magazine, Summer No.2/2002) how this work is different to other
grammars; "I wanted to write a grammar that was descriptive of the
spoken language by educated Slovenes, that is, to provide a precise
account of actual usage."
The author has achieved this brilliantly. The book is structured in
thirteen chapters, with: phonology, nouns, adjectives, pronouns,
numerals, verbs, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, particles,
interjections, word order, and word formation". In each chapter the
points of grammar are illustrated with examples of usage; subtleties of
Slovene are indicated, with descriptions of literary, and colloquial
language, and archaic words. Furthermore, stress is indicated on all
Slovene words in the grammar.
I am an instructor of Slovene, and course writer, and have found it
provides a base for teaching Slovene grammar and as a reference for both
the teacher and the learner. Before this work was published, I had to
search laboriously through all available Slovene grammars, written in
Slovenian, which consisted of mainly rules, and had to glean, interpret,
translate and research the usage for everyday and formal language, and
constantly seek advice from native speakers. The most suitable Slovene
grammar which I could refer to till now is the standard grammar book
written by Dr. Anton Bajec 'Slovenska slovnica' (Ljubljana, 1968) - it
has been reprinted several times. In Australia, Peter Herrity's book is
the grammar reference in the secondary school curriculum.
This book is an indispensable tool for the study of Slovene, and I wish
to express my appreciation for Peter Herrity's invaluable scholarly
contribution to Slovene studies. |