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Breaking Out of Beginner's Spanish | 
 enlarge | Author: Joseph J. Keenan
Publisher: University of Texas Press
Category: Book
List Price: $18.95
Buy Used: $10.35
You Save: $8.60 (45%)
Rating:  103 reviews
Sales Rank: 6538
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1
Pages: 229
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 8.8 x 6 x 0.6
ISBN: 029274322X
Dewey Decimal Number: 468.2421
EAN: 9780292743229
ASIN: 029274322X
Publication Date: 1994
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Thanks for choosing the Atlanta Book Company!
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Product Description
Many language books are boring—this one is not. Written by a native English speaker who learned Spanish the hard way—by trying to talk to Spanish-speaking people—it offers English speakers with a basic knowledge of Spanish hundreds of tips for using the language more fluently and colloquially, with fewer obvious "gringo" errors. Writing with humor, common sense, and a minimum of jargon, Joseph Keenan covers everything from pronunciation, verb usage, and common grammatical mistakes to the subtleties of addressing other people, "trickster" words that look alike in both languages, inadvertent obscenities, and intentional swearing. He guides readers through the set phrases and idiomatic expressions that pepper the native speaker's conversation and provides a valuable introduction to the most widely used Spanish slang. With this book, both students in school and adult learners who never want to see another classroom can rapidly improve their speaking ability. Breaking Out of Beginner's Spanish will be an essential aid in passing the supreme language test-communicating fluently with native speakers.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 98 more reviews...
wonderful read of spanish grammar/usage August 22, 2008
Lola Vendelu (SC USA)
Perhaps the only book dealing with spanish grammar I enjoyed reading. The author does a wonderful job of not bogging down in technical jargon while instilling the difference between knowing the technicalities of a language and being FLUENT in a language. It was profoundly helpful!!
The Best Spanish Reference Book for Middle to Advanced Speakers August 1, 2008
Michael A. Newman (New Hyde Park, NY)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is a book that I have been searching for. Most of the books I have come across only give very "stiff-sounding" vocabulary and idioms. The author of this book seems to be someone similar to me in how I learned Spanish; 10 years of school and college and then going to Spanish speaking countries and dating Spanish women. He is very good at explaining a lot of things that are culture related. For example, the difference between "nice" and "not so nice" people in Spanish are differentiated as buen educado and mal educado.
What I hate about most Spanish/English dictionaries is that words are not necessarily translated properly and I noticed that reverse lookup from the Spanish and the English sections sometimes don't correlate (saca puntos, which is pencil sharpener is incorrectly translated in the English section of many dictionaries to corta lapices). What I really find more valuable at my level is a Spanish dictionary with Spanish translations. This book is a valuable as that type of dictionary.
So far this is the best book I have found for my level of Spanish.
Spanish book March 26, 2008
Carol Greenwood (Pleasant View, Utah)
2 out of 6 found this review helpful
My son is serving a Spanish speaking mission for our church. He is wanting to improve his Spanish and has asked for my help. He told me this book was recommended to him. He has thanked me for all the help I have sent him, so I assume this is a good help.
Helpful Book March 6, 2008
Shane Lindsley (Allentown, PA)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I purchased this book when I was diving into learning the Spanish language. Although not fluent, this book is a tremendous reference source indicated which word to use when. I still use the book to this day. The author makes it interesting and fun. I'd recommend it to anyone wishing to explore and break out of their gringo culture. I've written my own book and I've included some Spanish dialog that is not "proper spanish" in it.
 A Good Read January 30, 2008
John Weissman
1 out of 4 found this review helpful
Notwithstanding my recent romantic desires for a certain woman of Latin origins, and that I am a student of Spanish, I am not compelled to "speak Spanish like a native". The "gotta get it right" tone of this book (and many courses oriented to the beer-swigging tourist) isn't a selling point for me. But this is a good read, very informative and entertaining. Worth every penny. The discussion about the subjunctive is maybe a bit off-putting, not because the author fails to grasp the Spanish application of that somewhat unecessary tense (all you need is "maybe")--but because he seems confused about the English non-use of it in similar "situations" for which, he says, Spanish requires it.
It is not a good idea to ever over-concern yourself with idiomatic expressions, in any language. They come, they go. Like, read some dialog from an aging novel:
"Dig this," says one character, holding up a glittery item.
"Far out!" says another character ...
I am left, by Breaking Out of Beginner's Spanish, with the feeling that Spanish, deep down in the nitty gritty grammar, especially compared with English--whose main "problem" is its spelling--see, for example, The Future of Fonics: Spelling and Literacy--might be a bit too fraught with ancient cultural freight for a foreigner to worry much (not anymore, say, than using the big fork for salad) about ephemeral idioms and uttering shamefully quaint constructions. One asks himself how much of his personality, at home and away, is the result of his use (choices) of idiomatic speech, and, for that matter, perfect grammar? In other words, wherever your travels take you, just put your heart in the right place and hablabla!
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