Books about Dialect from Amazon.com

A riveting account of the astonishing experiences and discoveries made by linguist Daniel Everett while he lived with the Pirahã, a small tribe of Amazonian Indians in central Brazil.

Everett, then a Christian missionary, arrived among the Pirahã in 1977–with his wife and three young children–intending to convert them. What he found was a language that defies all existing linguistic theories and reflects a way of life that evades contemporary understanding: The Pirahã have no counting system and no fixed terms for color. They have no concept of war or of personal property. They live entirely in the present. Everett became obsessed with their language and its cultural and linguistic implications, and with the remarkable contentment with which they live–so much so that he eventually lost his faith in the God he’d hoped to introduce to them.

Over three decades, Everett spent a total of seven years among the Pirahã, and his account of this lasting sojourn is an engrossing exploration of language that questions modern linguistic theory. It is also an anthropological investigation, an adventure story, and a riveting memoir of a life profoundly affected by exposure to a different culture. Written with extraordinary acuity, sensitivity, and openness, it is fascinating from first to last, rich with unparalleled insight into the nature of language, thought, and life itself..
Price: $16.05 [Notify me when price goes down.]

A complete guide to Spanish for Travelers Practical Pronunciation Exercises to Help you Sound Like a Native Spanish Speaker Useful expressions for Real Life Situations That You Will Encounter. Costa Rican Slang. Practical Vocabulary, Including Business and Legal Terms. Includes an English/Spanish-Spanish/English Dictionary..
Price: $8.96 [Notify me when price goes down.]

This practical reference manual, with its precise, authentic instructions on how to speak in more than 100 dialects, has established itself as the most useful and comprehensive guide to accents available, now increased by a third in this revised printing. As before, the accents range from regional U.S. and British dialects to European accents that include, among others, the Germanic, Slavic and Romance Languages. Completing his around-the-world journey, the author then covers the Middle East, Africa and Asia..
Price: $18.47 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Creole Made Easy. A simple introduction to Haitian Creole for English speaking people. Sixteen easy lessons cover the basic elements of Creole grammar and how to pronounce Creole words. The lessons include simple exercises and translation keys. A thorough up to date dictionary of over 4600 words Creole to English and English to Creole word translations is included. A 2 CD set pronunciation guide is available separately..
Price: $10.95 [Notify me when price goes down.]

This book provides a very readable, up-to-date description of language variation in American English, covering regional, ethnic, and gender-based differences

• contains new chapters on social and ethnic dialects, including a separate chapter on African American English and more comprehensive discussions of Latino, Native American, Cajun English, and other varieties,


• includes samples from a wider array of US regions


• features updated chapters as well as pedagogy such as new exercises, a phonetic symbols key, and a section on the notion of speech community


• accessibly written for the wide variety of students that enrol in a course on dialects, ranging from students with no background in linguistics to those who may wish to specialize in sociolinguistics

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Price: $32.83 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Haitian Creole is the native language of virtually all Haitians. It is spoken by the roughly 9 million people in Haiti, plus 4 million in other parts of the world. With key vocabulary and phrases at your fingertips, this books is the ideal companion for anyone who needs to communicate in Haitian Creole.

Divided into three parts, this book includes.

• an easy guide to Haitian Creole grammar and pronunciation
• a 4,000-entry bilingual dictionary of essential words, with phonetics for each entry
• a phrasebook covering useful topics such as greetings, food & drink, shopping, and more

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Price: $7.47 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Based in part on material written for "A Prairie Home Companion," How to Talk Minnesotan will help visitors to Minnesota keep from sticking out like sore thumbs when they don't know the difference between "not too bad a deal" and "a heckuva deal." Illustrated with line drawings..
Price: $3.99 [Notify me when price goes down.]

This unique resource features a concise Sicilian grammar, a bilingual dictionary, and a pronunciation guide. The comprehensive phrasebook offers guidance for situations including dining out, accommodations, and obtaining medical care. An introduction to Sicily's history, guide to major cities and attractions, and sampling of the island's cuisine complete this valuable reference.

• Over 3,400 total dictionary entries
• Helpful phrases for the traveler, student, or businessperson
• Basic Sicilian grammar
• Phrasebook includes phonetic spellings
• Introduction to Sicily's cities, food, and culture
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Price: $3.32 [Notify me when price goes down.]