Editorial Reviews
Product Description
[SERIES COPY:] This informative, colorful, and fun-to-use series of guides
is perfect for anyone who wants to learn a second language quickly and
easily. Each volume employs the amusing and always true-to-life cartoon
strips of Claire Bretecher--an artist renowned in Europe for her witty and
controversial cartoons--to not simply explain but illustrate the words and
wording of a given foreign language in its common, everyday use.
While there are other cartoon dictionaries on the market, most of them
provide only single cartoons. This attractive series, on the other hand,
provides whole strips which tell a story and effectively bring context and
other memorable features to one's learning. And only this series offers
cartoons done in full color, and written by a popular cartoonist. These
vocabulary-builders are the perfect starting place for people who want to
begin, or else strengthen, their acquisition of French, German, or Spanish.
Language Notes
Text: English, Spanish
Product Details
- Paperback: 80 pages
- Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (July 13, 2000)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 019860288X
- ISBN-13: 978-0198602880
- Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 8.1 x 0.3 inches
- Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
- Average Customer Review:
(5
customer reviews)
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Rating:
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I love comic strips and I couldn't think of a better way to build my vocabulary
than with cartoon strips. I spend a little time each day practicing and
translating. ¡Es muy fabuloso!
Rating:
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Teaching with cartoons, what a fine idea! Why are so many books so poorly
executed.
My complaints here are small. I need my reading glasses for the small typeface,
the cartoons are not from real comic strips (they are drawn just for this book),
I find it a bit basic. Still, these are nit-picks, in general I like it. It
builds thematic lexical sets.
The best cartoon book for Spanish students remains "Laugh 'n' Learn Spanish :
Featuring the #1 Comic Strip "For Better or For Worse"
Rating:
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Nothing beats a good context for picking up foreign language vocabulary. Many
books simply push lists of words into the reader's head and hope that something
catches to make the words stick. Unfortunately, rote memorization unaccompanied
by usage typically results in horrificly low retention rates. This book has none
zip nada of those problems. True, it includes lists of vocabulary words and lots
of them. But the comics set it apart from other books that claim to expand one's
vocabulary. Instead of sitting on a neuron impatiently waiting for an
opportunity for use, the comics give the words a context. The word lists then
becomes more of a map to help navigate the comics, and retention skyrockets.
The comics focus more on European Spanish (or Español Iberico) than American
Spanish. Nonetheless, the word and phrase lists also include references and
idioms unique to Latin American Spanish. Words and phrases not used in Latin
American Spanish get an asterisk next to them, so it's easy to tell them apart.
Regardless, this book will probably better suit those wanting to speak Spanish
in Spain. But anyone learning Spanish can benefit greatly from it.
Probably the best way to get the most out of this book is to read all of the
vocabulary for a particular comic first, then read that same comic a few times
through to cement the words in memory. Repetition and context will fuel
retention, and returning to previously read comics will yield surprising
results. Some words will stick like paste on a first reading; others may take a
few times through. Nonetheless, many rewards await those who read through the
entire book more than a few times.
Lastly, this is not a beginner's Spanish book. It assumes much foreknowledge
from the reader. Basic grammar and very basic vocabulary are not covered in any
depth. Probably the best time to go through this book would be after completing
a basic Spanish class or book (i.e., know more than just present indicative verb
conjugation, sentence structure, same basic vocabulary, pronouns, etc.). The
level of learning can best be described as beginner intermediate. Those in the
advanced level will likely breeze through it. So get going, read some comics,
and learn a load of Spanish words.
Rating:
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I learned everyday English by reading a lot of comics and I always wanted a
comic strip in Spanish. This book is exactly that and has a vocab reference for
each strip. Great way to learn!
Rating:
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From the perspective of a Spanish teacher, this is a wonderful book to help
build your Spanish vocabulary and comprehension.
The way the it's set up is: On one page there is a FULL page cartoon strip in
color. There is a lot of dialogue, idioms, and basic vocabulary. One the
opposite page is a list of vocabulary found in the comic strip in Spanish and
English, divided into categories. The book is organized by cartoon title and
topic. Some topics include: food & drink, money, travelling, etc. There are 30
cartoons in total, a well-organized table of contents, a glossary and a verb
conjugation help section.
I definitely think this would be a great way to expand your knowledge (or your
students' knowledge) of Spanish in a very interesting and humorous context.
The content is appropriate for high school and college level students, and for
any level of study, although first and second year students would need help
understanding the more complex structures.
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