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Lonely Planet Italian Phrasebook & Dictionary (Lonely Planet Phrasebooks) Paperback – March 1, 2012
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83 of 86 people found the following review helpful
By
James Ellsworth
VINE VOICE on March 28, 2012
Format: Paperback
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I am among the many Americans who love to visit Italy. Many years ago, I did a short, small-group study of tourist's Italian with our local Monsignor. Since then, I have reviewed my Italian (a necessary step for me) every time we have returned. Last summer we spent four weeks in Italy and Sicily on a Rick Steves tour and we received a copy of his Italian language phrase book. Out of interest, I recently ordered the Lonely Planet 'Italian' for comparison purposes. I also have an older (2002) 3d Edition Fodor's/Living Language Italy phrasebook. Each of these books is useful; each of these books is well-organized by typical activities/scenarios faced by a traveller and each book is about the same (compact) size: Lonely Planet's guide is the smallest at 4x5 inches, and will easily fit in a pocket or day pack or purse. Rick Steves' book is just a bit larger in size but still will fit most pockets. My edition of Fodor's is the largest of the three books at 4 1/4 inches x 7 inches. My favorite 'quick reference' guide is the Rick Steves book: it has more useful phrases inside the front and back covers and the most frequent phrases needed by a traveller are well-covered.
This new Lonely Planet Italian is equal to or very nearly equal to my Rick Steves phrase book. Either of these books is marginally better than the Fodor's phrase book that I have. The Lonely Planet book probably has a better introductory section introducing usable pronunciation and basic grammar that do the other phrase books. Their phonetic transcriptions are easily understandable and seem to me to closely replicate 'standard' Italian sounds. There is nothing 'wrong' in this regard with Rick's book but the Lonely Planet book is more 'eye-catching' in its page lay-out.Read more ›
This new Lonely Planet Italian is equal to or very nearly equal to my Rick Steves phrase book. Either of these books is marginally better than the Fodor's phrase book that I have. The Lonely Planet book probably has a better introductory section introducing usable pronunciation and basic grammar that do the other phrase books. Their phonetic transcriptions are easily understandable and seem to me to closely replicate 'standard' Italian sounds. There is nothing 'wrong' in this regard with Rick's book but the Lonely Planet book is more 'eye-catching' in its page lay-out.Read more ›
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
By
Linda Pagliuco
VINE VOICE on May 17, 2012
Format: Paperback
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We visit Italy every chance we get, and I've become reasonably conversant in the language. But there are always plenty of instances in which I'm at a loss for words, especially when trying to use conditional verbs (could, should, would) and idioms. The way something is said in English can be very different from the way the Italians express the same idea. That's when this phrasebook is worth its weight in gold. It covers a wide range of situations (banking, medical, sports, manners, etc) and it's worth carrying with you at all times. Highly recommended.
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17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
By
Maura Ann Rubies
VINE VOICE on April 11, 2012
Format: Paperback
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This book is amazingly full of useful information, especially for how small it is (yet it doesn't hurt my eyes, likely due to some techniques used that are explained below).
By far, my favorite aspect is the amazingly effective use of color. Without it, this would not be as interesting or as user-friendly.
The colors separate the content into sections for quick reference. The liberal usage of different colors make this an especially helpful book. This paired with drawings and various font sizes keeps me engaged while reading.
Also, the phonetic break down of words are in color throughout-a must for those unfamiliar with Italian pronunciation. I like the Eng. to Italian/ Italian to Eng. Dictionaries in back, the quick reference guides for each section.
*Unlike in the Spanish version that I also have, I see no descriptions of various areas of Italy with detailed differences in the language between them. Although I am not as familiar with Italian as I am Spanish, I would expect that there would be some differences in their Italian usage (like in Sicily as opposed to the mainland).
This guide is particularly useful for advanced beginners or intermediate Italian students who have some background knowledge, but still need to build their vocabulary. This should help give them the confidence to go out an use what they already know and build upon that.
I would take the time to look through the book to see what pages I'll need when. It is wise to study some beforehand (in the airport, on the plane...) Better to be prepared instead of scrambling to find the info. for the first time.
Adequate preparation is a must that no travel book can replace.
By far, my favorite aspect is the amazingly effective use of color. Without it, this would not be as interesting or as user-friendly.
The colors separate the content into sections for quick reference. The liberal usage of different colors make this an especially helpful book. This paired with drawings and various font sizes keeps me engaged while reading.
Also, the phonetic break down of words are in color throughout-a must for those unfamiliar with Italian pronunciation. I like the Eng. to Italian/ Italian to Eng. Dictionaries in back, the quick reference guides for each section.
*Unlike in the Spanish version that I also have, I see no descriptions of various areas of Italy with detailed differences in the language between them. Although I am not as familiar with Italian as I am Spanish, I would expect that there would be some differences in their Italian usage (like in Sicily as opposed to the mainland).
This guide is particularly useful for advanced beginners or intermediate Italian students who have some background knowledge, but still need to build their vocabulary. This should help give them the confidence to go out an use what they already know and build upon that.
I would take the time to look through the book to see what pages I'll need when. It is wise to study some beforehand (in the airport, on the plane...) Better to be prepared instead of scrambling to find the info. for the first time.
Adequate preparation is a must that no travel book can replace.
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By
L. Allen
VINE VOICE on May 17, 2012
Format: Paperback
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I speak Italian fluently, but my wife does not, so I got this for her. The little book has a lot of quite practical everyday phrases that can assist a non-Italian speaker to get through a shopping trip, train station, doctor's office, and similar situations one might finds oneself in while in Italy. Lonely Planet make some great products, and I used their Ukrainian phrasebook when traveling there a few years back. All very practical, and far superior than just having an Anglo-Italian dictionary.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By
Cynthia Sue Larson
TOP 1000 REVIEWER on April 5, 2012
Format: Paperback
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This Italian phrasebook is quite probably the only travel guide you'll need, with most every bit of vital information one could possibly need packed into its palm-sized 272 pages. Whether you've studied some Italian or don't know any Italian words other than spaghetti, you're in good hands with this brilliantly organized language guide.
This genuinely pocket or purse-sized book is organized with color-coded sections designed for quick and easy access at a moment's notice. It includes the basics of pronunciation and grammar right up front, and larger sections of practical, social, safe travel and food tips comprising the rest of the book, with a surprisingly large English-to-Italian and Italian-to-English dictionary at the back.
Sketches and illustrations help make concepts and phrases memorable as well as easy to find on short notice, so if your car breaks down by the side of the road and you need assistance, you'll know exactly how to describe what's wrong.
My favorite thing about the Lonely Planet Italian Phrasebook is how much fun it makes learning Italian! Thanks to fascinating travel tips and insights, and well-designed sections of key phrases featuring phonetic pronunciation guides, anyone can quickly gain confidence in being able to speak Italian, saying something fun and useful.
After just a few days with this lovely little book, it feels like a good friend encouraging me to give my newfound Italian language skills a try in Italy. Highly recommended!
This genuinely pocket or purse-sized book is organized with color-coded sections designed for quick and easy access at a moment's notice. It includes the basics of pronunciation and grammar right up front, and larger sections of practical, social, safe travel and food tips comprising the rest of the book, with a surprisingly large English-to-Italian and Italian-to-English dictionary at the back.
Sketches and illustrations help make concepts and phrases memorable as well as easy to find on short notice, so if your car breaks down by the side of the road and you need assistance, you'll know exactly how to describe what's wrong.
My favorite thing about the Lonely Planet Italian Phrasebook is how much fun it makes learning Italian! Thanks to fascinating travel tips and insights, and well-designed sections of key phrases featuring phonetic pronunciation guides, anyone can quickly gain confidence in being able to speak Italian, saying something fun and useful.
After just a few days with this lovely little book, it feels like a good friend encouraging me to give my newfound Italian language skills a try in Italy. Highly recommended!
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