No comments about Pocket Indonesian Dictionary: Indonesian-English English-Indonesian (Periplus Pocket Dictionaries).

5 comments about Indonesian-English Dictionary.

1. This dictionary is de facto standard for those Japanese who study Indonesian language. It contains many modern words, colloquial words and abbreviations. It also covers idioms. I've been using this dictionary for almost 20 years.



2. This dictionary and its companion volume "An English-Indonesian Dictionary" I have found to be comprehensive and up-to-date. A very useful feature is the many examples of word usage in complete sentences. Where words are used only in a particular region (mostly in Java) this is indicated. When trying to understand newpaper articles (e.g. from the Internet) I have come across almost no words that haven't been in the dictionary. Altogether the dictionary pair were a very good buy.



3. This dictionary is a big disappointment. There is no information on indonesian grammer. It does have a pronounciation guide but it lacks many things that you expect a dictionary to have. I'm sending my copy back.



4. Along with its companion Kamus Inggris-Bahasa Indonesia, the best and most comprehensive I've seen. This is not a grammar. Try Malcom Mintz' A Student's Grammar of Malay and Indonesian for that.



5. We spent two years in Indonesia and lived by this volume (and its companion Indonesian-English volume). There is simply no comparison with any other dictionary in publication.

No comments about Fetish, Recognition, Revolution.

3 comments about English Indonesian Dictionary.

1. This is a dissapointing book, the manufacturing and paper is of the lowest quality. I sent mine back. The print is small and not very legible.



2. This is a high quality paperback with thorough content. It looks and works just like Merriam Webster. Recommended!



3. I admired this dictionary.Almost every necessary word is given with their usages in illustrative sentences.I would like to find such a dictionary containig the words which appeared after 1980.

1 comments about Illuminations: The Writing Traditions of Indonesia.

1. Indonesian manuscripts offer us a wealth of insight and knowledge into the diverse writing traditions of the Indonesian archipelago. 'Illuminations' attempts to rectify the possibility that many of these Indonesian manuscripts could soon be lost as a result of human oversight and neglect, or the ravages of a humid, tropical environment. The preservation of such manuscripts, requiring a modified, air-conditioned environment udner the care of experts, is an expensive task, and one that is perhaps justifiably low on the list of priorities for many Indonesians. However, the beauty of these manuscripts alone - in addition to the wealth of information they yield - would be a major cultural loss for Indonesia, and 'Illuminations' is the first book of its kind to acknowledge the importance of researching and preserving Indonesia's writing traditions.
   'Illuminations' explores the development of the art of writing - and it truly is an art - in Indonesia, looking at the introduction and incorporation of Indic, Arabic, and Chinese scripts to the Malay world. The book is academic in its approach: both informative and analytical, characteristics not one typically associated with merely decorative coffee-table books. This book also explores manuscript techniques such as the production of lontar leaf as writing material (therefore preserving the technique in the face of encroaching technology), the use of materials other than 'paper' for recording words (gourds, belts, betel containers) and the many other factors - religious, environemntal, cultural - that cause us to see the written word not in isolation but as art of a broader and continually evolving context. The use of manuscripts within the archipelago is clearly a form of recording significant religious/cultural stories (ones to be read aloud to an audience), yet also a tradition involving great beauty, decoration and art as well.
   This book is not cheap - I finally bought it for myself as a graduation present - and it has been worth every cent. It is visually stunning, and offers a wealth of information and stimulation in addition to its many glossy pictures. Highly recommended to anyone interested in Indonesia, the history of writing, art, etc.

5 comments about Colloquial Indonesian: The Complete Course for Beginners (Colloquial Series (Book Only)).

1. While I did find that this book was comprehensive in its introduction of useful, relevent vocabulary, and had a good audio companion, I found that some of the exercizes in the book lacked answer keys, making it occasionally frustrating. I would generally recommend it, but I would also recommend purchasing a companion volume that covers Indonesian grammar, and/or a good dictionary with a section devoted to it.



2. I have to be fair and admit that I haven't spent the time with this book/tape set to do it justice. However, I found this book incredibly frustrating. That's because it seems no effort was made to present vocabulary in an orderly, controlled manner. They might use a word in Lesson 2 but not bother to list it as new vocabulary until Lesson 4. A dictionary is an absolute must to do any of the exercises. Also, not all the taped exercises are transcribed in the book, or at least it's not 100% clear how they correspond, so I keep finding words in those that I don't quite understand and can't look up. It's a so-so book/tape combo, but only so-so. I love to dabble in languages, and I've definitely seen better.



3. Lets start with whats good about this package;
   You get two tapes,so there is enough listening material.
   The grammar is clearly explained without difficulty.
   The material covers good areas suited for a beginner.
   The are many excercises to give you a thorough understanding of the grammar and sentense building.

   Ok so why not 5 stars?
   First of all; to my great irritation, when you come to certain dialogues at the middle/end of the chapter there are words and expressions which are not covered in the current chapter - it is explained in usually the following chapter.
   Some words may occur in a dialogue, when searching through the chapter and previous ones and not finding it - you try to use the glossary at the end of the book, but there is nothing there. The so-called glossary is of very little use.
   Another problem has to do with the pronounciation of 'e', which sometimes is pronounced like oe, sometimes 'e' as in pet.
   In many other books on indonesian, words where 'e' is pronounced have markings such as a '`' above it (in most respectable dictionarys this is also used).
   But in this one its not, with listening excercises its no problem but there are at least two extra dialogues in each chapter without listening tools so you don't know how to pronouce those words correctly.

   But I consider these problems to be minor ones.
   As long as you get an indonesian-english dictionary to find words and get the correct pronounciation of 'e', this course is very useful, mainly because of its very extensive excerices and tapes.
   Just remember to get a dictionary where the different pronounciations of 'e' is clearly market out.




4. I borrowed the 2002 reprint from my local library, and it seems that they haven't bothered to correct any of the errors listed in the other reviews below since the first edition in 1994, so I'll not mention them again.
   
   Despite this, it's still the best course I've come across so far. I have an Indonesian friend who was very impressed with my progress. Alreday after one month I was able to communicate fairly well with her in her native language. So I went through a new chapter every 2-3 days and reiterated the previous chapters before I started with a new chapter, so you might say that my learning curve was quite intense, but still, I'm impressed with how comprehensive the book is and and how many of life's everyday and no so everyday situations this book covers.
   
   All dialogues and reading passages in this book are set in Indonesia, but funny enough, the section that deals with politics, demonstrations and government, takes place in London. Duh? Political correctness? Censorship?
   
   Anyway, it's a very good course. I do recommend it despite it's flaws. After the first few chapters you'll be able to see through them and even know that what you think is correct, not what the typo says.



5. i am more interested in gaining feedback than writing an actual review, at the same time i will try to provide what little info i can on this book ( since i haven't read covered all of it) the last indonesian book i had was teach yourself indonesian, which was outdated to say the least, at least this book seems to have more realistic dialog, although the vocabulary in the back isnt that large. my real concern is bahasa prokem or bahasa gaul 'indonesian slang' if there is any native speaker or fluent speaker who can tell me how much this figures into learning the language, it would be appreciated, i have heard indonesian slang has really infiltrated the language and that learning standard indo isnt really useful?? there are some really big differences, i know a little of the slang, but i dont think that getting a good base in the language can hurt anything, is bahasa gaul really that pervasive in indonesia, how relevant is it to learning the language, any feedback would be appreciated, thank you!

4 comments about Indonesian: A Comprehensive Grammar (Routledge Grammars).

1. This is an excellent grammar description of Bahasa Indonesia, the language spoken by almost 200 million people. It is suitable both for students of the language and linguists interested in studying the intricasies of its morphology and syntax. It is easy to follow, and surpasses other available grammars for this language.



2. I know of no other Indonesian grammar books and I don't think you need another one if you have this! In its pages you will find a full description Indonesian that is complete and as easy to understand as possible while still retaining an academic perspective. Every feature of Indonesian is covered including an excellent description of the affixes that often pose a challenge to learners. All parts of speech are well addressed. Also included is a glossary of many grammatical terms that you may come accross in studying Indonesian. In fact I think some of them are unique to concepts of Indonesian (and Malay). I am still fairly new at Indonesian so another feature of this book I like is that the examples chosen use everyday words that you are likely to encounter in newspapers and just generally living in an Indonesian speaking environment. Well done on that score Mr Sneddon! If you are a serious student of Bahasa Indonesia then you would do well to have this book at your side. There seem to be so few resources for learning Indonesian but this is definitly a quality resource. One of the only drawbacks, but an understandable one considering the approach taken, is that the informal language that you are likely to hear in Indonesia is not covered. But what the heck! This is a grammar of university Indonesian after all. (Bythe way, if you want informal Indonesian I recommend "Making Out In Indonesian" by Pater Constantine.



3. Although this book is only of use in combination with other learning resources, it covers just about every thing you could ever want to know on Indonesian grammer.

   Do not get it thinking you will master Indonesian with it alone, buy it as it will help you to understand just about everything that the other courses, books, tapes etc leave out.

   A must have for the serious student and although it is expensive you can not put a price on the information it contains.




4. You should always carry this book along with a good dictionary when reading bahasa Indonesia. Sneddon provides clear, self-contained descriptions about the constructs of this language. I highly recommend this publication for those who aspire to be fluent in Indonesian.

No comments about Indonesian Dictionary & Phrasebook: Indonesian-english English-indonesian.

1 comments about Tuttle Pocket Indonesian Dictionary: Indonesian-English English-Indonesian (Dictionary).

1. This is an excellent book; both in its content,size and durability...a good item for anyone seriously interested in studying the language.
   
   Kali

5 comments about Bahasa Indonesia Book 1: Introduction to Indonesian Language and Culture (Bahasa Indonesia).

1. This book is ideal for the absolute beginner who wants a systematic introduction to the Indonesian language without overload. The 18 chapters are carefully structured so that each text can be understood with the words and grammar that have been covered up to that point. There are lots of exercises involving word substition that help the student to gain fluency. (I found this very useful, as I was learning on my own without a teacher.) After you have completed the book you are able to ask questions, tell the time, and say a lot else besides, and you get a good grounding in grammar including, for example, the object focus (kind of passive, very often used in Indonesian) which will stand you in good stead later. By the very nature of the book, the quantity of vocabulary covered is not overwhelming, but there is a 24 page Indonesian to English mini-dictionary at the back, and the second book (Bahasa Indonesia : Book 2 : Introduction to Indonesian Language and Culture) makes up for this deficit.



2. this book has a good amount of vocabulary and gives good explainations for every exercise. sometimes, infact you feel like you're reading the same thing over and over. the only problems i have are, there are no answers for the homework problems which consist of ten questions per chapter in addition to the regular exercises, the other is that i have not yet been able to find the tapes which would be a good accompaniment to the text. so far, though, i like what i've seen.



3. This is a great, inexpensive book for Indonesian. I was hoping for a it more about Indonesian because of the title, but it is still very good. I DO miss any audio supplements for the text.

   The text is easy to read, I do find my self flipping through the text to earlier parts because sometimes the words you learn are not carried through all the lessons. Maybe my problem, not the books.

   The text seems to be natural. There are not a lot of "stutter sentences" I have seen in many language books.

   I like it alot.




4. Most language learning books are quite similar. No one writing a book is going to make a breakthrough in teaching a foreign language. The trick is to write a book in a way that the reader will be interested and will not give up. The format of this wook is exactly that. It tells short stories in every chapter. Readers are naturally intrigued about what will happen next, so if the book is written well, readers will keep on going. An interesting story will also make it easier to remember the vocabulary, as it creates easier associations in the learner's mind. An interesting thread stays longer in someone's mind, so that it makes it easier to retrieve a particular sentence. The book does not overburden the reader with grammar explanations. Grammar explanations are necessary indeed, but they should never surpass the story or conversational section. The natural way of learning does not involve understanding why things are said one way or another, although the adult's mind tends to always want to understand "why." The natural way or acquiring a language, however, takes about 7 years of constant exposure. In order to accelerate this, memorization techniques and grammatical explanations are commonly used as tools to teach a language. As these tools are artificial, it is best to reduce them to the minimum level. This book follows quite well the above precepts and allows the learner to immerse himself in a story and start acquiring the language.



5. I'm really satisfied with this book! After three months of self-study, I was already able to communicate about everyday life issues in Bahasa Indonesia!
   It's well articulated and well done, really! You shouldn't miss this book!
   A+!