Review by arc1g15 -- Idiom Attack Vol. 1 Everyday Living...
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Review by arc1g15 -- Idiom Attack Vol. 1 Everyday Living...
[Following is a volunteer review of "Idiom Attack Vol. 1 Everyday Living (Japanese Edition)" by Peter Liptak.]
4 out of 4 stars
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The problem with learning a new language is that many textbooks focus heavily on formal usage. They help us to learn how to speak correctly, without giving us the tools to tackle everyday conversation, which can be a minefield of slang and idiomatic terms that, given a literal translation, sound worryingly illogical and absurd (consider the following phrases: ‘hit the sack’, ‘spick and span’, or ‘sight for sore eyes’). Even the so-called informal phrases and words we get from other textbooks can often seem somewhat stilted, out of touch with a language that is in a constant state of change.
Enter: Idiom Attack Vol. 1: Everyday Living (Japanese Edition) .
This book takes the everyday usage of the English language and makes it accessible, clear and even amusing. Idioms, those sticky phrases mentioned above, can really trip up the most avid language learner. Here, Peter Liptak groups a wide selection of idioms into chapters that focus on different elements of daily living. From weather conditions to going to school, telephone talk to traffic and travel, the author delves into each phrase with a concise definition and an example of its usage. Each chapter is followed by a longer story which utilises all of the idioms together, and some questions for discussion. In addition, and at the end of each block of five chapters, there is a crossword puzzle with ‘fill-in the missing word’ clues, just to drive the knowledge home while having a bit of fun, too.
The multiplicity of methods makes for an interactive learning experience, accessible to all ages, from children to adults, and the organisation of the impeccably edited text makes it very easy to avoid getting lost or bogged down with information, a major pitfall for any kind of textbook.
As well as greater depth of clarity for the Japanese student, the Japanese translations by Caroline Yuko Omura Eddis lend decoration to the pages, breaking up the phrases and their definitions into clear strips of text that are easy to differentiate if one is scanning through for a particular phrase.
I have given the book 4 out of 4 stars because there really is nothing I could alter in order to improve it. It can be used in the classroom, in conjunction with more formal learning, or it can be used as a kind of urban dictionary, for dipping into at will when you find yourself in this new cultural environment, and you’ve come across an unfamiliar or slightly odd-sounding phrase.
As if all of this isn’t enough, the content is offset with amusing illustrations at the beginning and end of each chapter, which offer a little light relief in the midst of one’s studies. It all makes for a very methodical and challenging experience, and a striking way of learning, and enjoying, a new language.
I would expect Idiom Attack to need updating every few years to keep its engagement with a moving language fresh and accurate. That said, this book does everything it can to provide a universal and wide-ranging overview of some very important idioms for the contemporary Japanese-English student.
******
Idiom Attack Vol. 1 Everyday Living (Japanese Edition)
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
4 out of 4 stars
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The problem with learning a new language is that many textbooks focus heavily on formal usage. They help us to learn how to speak correctly, without giving us the tools to tackle everyday conversation, which can be a minefield of slang and idiomatic terms that, given a literal translation, sound worryingly illogical and absurd (consider the following phrases: ‘hit the sack’, ‘spick and span’, or ‘sight for sore eyes’). Even the so-called informal phrases and words we get from other textbooks can often seem somewhat stilted, out of touch with a language that is in a constant state of change.
Enter: Idiom Attack Vol. 1: Everyday Living (Japanese Edition) .
This book takes the everyday usage of the English language and makes it accessible, clear and even amusing. Idioms, those sticky phrases mentioned above, can really trip up the most avid language learner. Here, Peter Liptak groups a wide selection of idioms into chapters that focus on different elements of daily living. From weather conditions to going to school, telephone talk to traffic and travel, the author delves into each phrase with a concise definition and an example of its usage. Each chapter is followed by a longer story which utilises all of the idioms together, and some questions for discussion. In addition, and at the end of each block of five chapters, there is a crossword puzzle with ‘fill-in the missing word’ clues, just to drive the knowledge home while having a bit of fun, too.
The multiplicity of methods makes for an interactive learning experience, accessible to all ages, from children to adults, and the organisation of the impeccably edited text makes it very easy to avoid getting lost or bogged down with information, a major pitfall for any kind of textbook.
As well as greater depth of clarity for the Japanese student, the Japanese translations by Caroline Yuko Omura Eddis lend decoration to the pages, breaking up the phrases and their definitions into clear strips of text that are easy to differentiate if one is scanning through for a particular phrase.
I have given the book 4 out of 4 stars because there really is nothing I could alter in order to improve it. It can be used in the classroom, in conjunction with more formal learning, or it can be used as a kind of urban dictionary, for dipping into at will when you find yourself in this new cultural environment, and you’ve come across an unfamiliar or slightly odd-sounding phrase.
As if all of this isn’t enough, the content is offset with amusing illustrations at the beginning and end of each chapter, which offer a little light relief in the midst of one’s studies. It all makes for a very methodical and challenging experience, and a striking way of learning, and enjoying, a new language.
I would expect Idiom Attack to need updating every few years to keep its engagement with a moving language fresh and accurate. That said, this book does everything it can to provide a universal and wide-ranging overview of some very important idioms for the contemporary Japanese-English student.
******
Idiom Attack Vol. 1 Everyday Living (Japanese Edition)
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: The Biblical Clock by Daniel Friedmann and Dania Sheldon
