Speaking Sitimaxa (3 Vol.)

A Learner's Grammar and Reader

Vol. 3: Dictionary

Julian Granberry
Native American Language Services

The Sitimaxa (Chitimacha) language of southern Louisiana has not been spoken since the death of its last native speakers, Chief Benjamin Paul and Delphine Decloux, in 1934 and 1940 respectively. We are fortunate, however, to have both excellent written grammar and vocabulary materials on the language gathered by the professional linguists Morris Swadesh and Mary Haas in the 1930’s as well as recordings of many stories and tribal folk-tales made for them by Chief Paul and Mrs. Decloux.

These resources provide the materials for the present volume, which is designed to be used for beginning learners of this unusually beautiful and expressive language.

Vol. 3: Dictionary: ISBN 9783929075885. LINCOM Language Coursebooks 12/3. 622pp. EUR 88.00. 2009.

Introduction to Fulfulde Syntax

Aishatu Iya Ahmed
University of Bayreuth

This book discusses some important features of Fulfulde syntax like vowel length, consonant germination, agreement and consonant alternation. Vowel length and consonant germination are phonemic in the language while consonant alternation is always triggered by number. In addition to these important features, the book discusses the three sets of pronouns that Fulfulde has; these include, the anaphoric pronouns (reflexives and reciprocals), the nominal class pronouns and the disjunctive pronouns.

Apart from the disjunctive pronouns, the other two sets of pronouns are affixes that are attached either to the verbal roots or nominal stems. In addition to its primary function of word formation, Fulfulde noun classes can function also as subject/object pronouns, demonstrative pronouns and complimentizers. Agreement in Fulfulde goes beyond word level it affects both words and sentences. The initial consonants of the subject noun and that of the verb agree when number is added to the subject noun. This agreement affects adjectives also. Although Fulfulde is classified as an SVO word order language, there are other word orders derived through various transformations; there are structures derived as a result of NP movements (passivization, topicalization and foculization) and WH-movement (WH-questions). In Fulfulde passive constructions, both objects can passivize. The logical subject of the sentence drops to pave way for the moving object to occupy the subject position. Topicalization and foculization are two types of emphasis in Fulfulde. The line of demarcation between the two structures is so thin that one can substitute one for the other. Furthermore, the book discusses Fulfulde phrase structure rules and sentence analysis using the tree diagram method.

ISBN 9783862880720. LINCOM Language Coursebooks 13. 134pp. 2011. Students' discounts available! Please ask!

A Guide to Teaching and Learning Hausa as a Foreign Language

Aishatu Iya Ahmed
University of Bayreuth

A guide to teaching and learning Hausa as a foreign language is designed in such a way that language is blended with culture. The book is divided into thirteen units and each unit has topics on linguistic aspects of the language as well as culture related matters. The language aspect discusses the basic things Hausa learners need to learn to help them acquire a comprehensive knowledge of the language as well as to enable them to communicate effectively in it. The linguistic topics discussed include Hausa consonants, vowels and diphthongs; word formation, tones, orthography, parts of speech and sentence structure.

The culture section of the book puts emphasis on some cultural aspects of the language that learners need to know. These include various forms of greetings, kinship terms, condolences, traditional names, counting, Hausa wedding, naming ceremony, bargaining, Sallah festivals in Hausaland and Hausa crafts such as dying, barbering and butchering. Photographs of some cultural events also back the culture section of the book. Furthermore, adequate Hausa sentences have been provided in the book with their English equivalents for learners to practice.

ISBN 9783862882779. LINCOM Language Coursebooks 14. 212 pp. 2012.

WO NSO KA BI

Akan Basic Grammar and Practice

David Adu-Amankwah
Indiana University

The author has taught Akan (Asante-Twi) to both native and non-native speakers for over three decades now, and he has been able to prepare a bunch of learning materials for the various levels of study. Most of his non-Akan students have already made or are currently making effective use of their Asante-Twi in Ghana. Nevertheless, he realizes that learners still lack adequate material for quick review and effective practice of what they learn. This has often made it hard for them to adequately measure how much they have been able to absorb.

Wo Nso Ka Bi: Akan Basic Grammar and Practice (BG&P) has been written not only to help solve this major problem, but also to arm the learner with the required interest and self-confidence. The communicative language teaching (CLT) approach, which is centered around learning to communicate, has been emphasized in recent times, but, as experience has clearly demonstrated, this approach (vibrantly useful, though) is unable to capture the full picture single-handedly. BG&P (in its twelve separate units) offers an alternative to the CLT model, combining different approaches, with reading, role play, translation, construction, and experiential reporting as the major tasks available to learners.

ISBN 97833862884315. LINCOM Language Coursebooks 15. 162pp. 2013.

A course in modern Hindi through TV for advanced students.

Hinduism

टी.वी. के माध्यम से आज की हिंदी सीखने का कोर्स. हिंदू धर्म

Genady Shlomper
Tel Aviv University

A lot of Hindi-teaching books for beginners have been published, either serious text-books, or simple self-teaching guide-books. Unfortunately very little is done for the advanced students. This book is designated for the advanced students who completed their initial steps in mastering Hindi and are familiar with Hindi grammar. It is a unique course, because it is based exclusively on video news in Hindi.

Not a single teaching book can reflect all the dimensions of the language. Meanwhile we chose only one, but a very important field of the social life. The subject of this book is Hinduism, the prevailing religion in India. Indian society is very religious. Religious ceremonies, traditions, beliefs, festivals are an integral part of the spiritual life of the most Indians.

This is not a course in Hinduism, but a book that acquaints students with the vocabulary of Hinduism. Without it the knowledge of Hindi is incomplete. The book consists of five chapters (Temples, Pilgrimage, Festivals, Saints, Hinduism and the modern society) and 37 lessons. Each lesson contains three video clips. This teaching book will not only provide you with the necessary vocabulary, but will teach you to understand speech, because it abounds with video exercises. It can be useful for every student of Hindi and helpful for Hindi teachers.

ISBN 9783862884858. LINCOM Language Coursebooks 16. 212pp. + 37 video lessons (DVD). 2014.

El arte de redactar en español

Con mano izquierda, cincel y lija

Guía para estudiantes de nivel avanzado

Maria Pilar Larrañaga

Este libro está pensado para estudiantes extranjeros que están aprendiendo español en los últimos cursos de carrera y desean mejorar sus destrezas de redacción. Se distingue por tener tres componentes, a saber, a) textos sobre temas de máxima actualidad en España b) en los que se basan cuestiones teóricas como el rastreo de informaciones, selección de las mismas, citas a fuentes usadas, concepción de la línea argumentativa, anclaje de argumentos y enlace de párrafos c) además de cuestiones de vocabulario que ofrecen al estudiante una amplia gama de posibilidades para hacer referencia a cuestiones recurrentes en las redacciones como pueden ser referirse a tiempos pasados, cómo redactar en tercera persona o cómo referirse a las cifras.

Se ha hecho especial hincapié en el hecho de que el buen estilo se caracteriza por la precisión a la hora de referirse a los hechos que se evalúan como a la variedad de recursos lingüísticos que se utilizan para su redacción. Para ello, cada capítulo ha seleccionado vocabulario típico del temario (39 tablas) además de una batería de matices (125 tablas) para expresar una misma idea de diferentes formas. Al objeto de facilitar la búsqueda de informaciones a la hora de elaborar una redacción, se han incluido innumerables enlaces a páginas web institucionales y alternativas.

TEMARIO: 1. LA MEMORIA HISTÓRICA: Símbolos del franquismo. Teoría. Investigar e informar. Las dos íes. 2. LOS MEDIOS DE COMUNICACIÓN: TELEVISIÓN, PERIÓDICOS Y REDES SOCIALES. 3. EL MODELO DE ESTADO en el ojo del huracán. 4. EL RÉGIMEN AUTONÓMICO: ¿Logro sostenible? 5. LA VIVIENDA: Una meta inalcanzable. 6. PRECARIEDAD LABORAL: Soy mileurista. 7. RECORTES DE DERECHOS: De un tijerazo. 8. MEDIO AMBIENTE: El fuego arrasa las tierras de secano. 9. VIOLENCIA DE GÉNERO: morir a manos del compañero. 10. VIOLENCIA DEL TERRORISMO: ETA ha terminado. 11. LOS TOROS: Amor y odio. 12. LOS POLÍTICOS: La institución manchada de escándalos. 13. INMIGRACIÓN ILEGAL, EMIGRACIÓN FORZOSA: los jóvenes.

ISBN 9783862884964. LINCOM Language Coursebooks 17. 220pp. 2015.

Une approche intersystémique

Mamadou Cissé

Université Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar

C’est un manuel d’apprentissage bilingue composé d’un ensemble de fiches dont le contenu adapté à cet effet. Il est destiné à l’enseignant auquel elle fournit un contenu bilingue et une démarche inter-systémique. Il s’inspire d’un travail d’équipe avec la collaboration de l’Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) dans le cadre du programme d’apprentissage auquel nous avons activement participé.

Il sert de référentiel à l’enseignant ou l’apprenant en lui fournissant un contenu bilingue et une démarche d’imprégnation et d’appropriation. L’étude approfondie de la grammaire a pour but  de développer un bilinguisme fonctionnel chez les apprenants.

Chaque leçon se fixe deux objectifs principaux à savoir : un objectif général  qui se décline en  une opération de définition et d’identification et un  objectif spécifique  consistant à comparer le wolof avec le français, à dégager les ressemblances et les dissemblances entre les deux langues et enfin  à employer correctement et retenir le contenu enseigné.        

L’objectif du manuel est d’améliorer la qualité et le taux de rendement de l’enseignement fondamental, promouvoir l’enseignement bilingue et enfin valoriser les langues maternelles et favoriser ainsi un meilleur accès à l’éducation, et réaliser une grande intégration de l’école et du milieu.

ISBN 9783862886333. LINCOM Language Coursebooks 18. 124pp. 2015.