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Italian books? | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Language Programs, Books & Tapes |  | |
| cymro Triglot Groupie Wales Joined 6460 days ago 76 posts - 98 votes  Speaks: English*, Welsh, French Studies: Italian, Spanish, Latin, Ancient Greek | Message 1 of 11 26 January 2011 at 11:22am | IP Logged | ||
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I may be having an opportunity to visit Italy next autumn. I am looking to put a sustained but steady effort into learning Italian by that time.
Does anyone have any books resources they can recommend. I have located an excellent electronic vocabulary resource but I am looking for some good course books / grammar books. I probably want a variety. Stuff under consideration Assimil Pimsleur Michel Thomas and also my favourite technique reading Harry Potter bilingually. BUT I think I need a good source of Grammar. Some of the books like Teach Yourself don't seem to cover the subjunctive well. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| arturs Triglot Senior Member Latvia Joined 5277 days ago 278 posts - 408 votes Speaks: Latvian*, Russian, English | Message 2 of 11 26 January 2011 at 2:39pm | IP Logged | ||
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Try out Hugo's Italian in 3 months - it is very similar to Teach Yourself, but covers more grammar and at the same time it's not a dry grammar book, but a very nice coursebook. Plus if you have the audio, then it's even better.
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| Cammela Tetraglot Newbie Senegal Joined 5059 days ago 28 posts - 31 votes Speaks: French*, ItalianC2, Spanish, GermanB2 | Message 3 of 11 26 January 2011 at 7:15pm | IP Logged | ||
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Don't lose your time with grammar, Italians don't use subjunctive, they use only the present;D
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| translator2 Senior Member United States Joined 6925 days ago 848 posts - 1862 votes Speaks: English* | Message 4 of 11 26 January 2011 at 7:17pm | IP Logged | ||
Non credo che sia vero.
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| cymro Triglot Groupie Wales Joined 6460 days ago 76 posts - 98 votes Speaks: English*, Welsh, French Studies: Italian, Spanish, Latin, Ancient Greek | Message 5 of 11 26 January 2011 at 7:33pm | IP Logged | ||
Ok assuming that you mean you don;'t think it is true.(I do know Latin and French) Can people please explain what the reason is for the difference in opinion 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| translator2 Senior Member United States Joined 6925 days ago 848 posts - 1862 votes Speaks: English* | Message 6 of 11 26 January 2011 at 8:40pm | IP Logged | ||
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I was trying to be funny. It may be true, depending on who you ask.
I think the use of subjunctive may be disappearing in spoken Italian (as compared to Spanish), but that does not mean you do not need to learn it if you want to sound educated. Subjunctivitis: Subjunctive disappearing in Italian Edited by translator2 on 26 January 2011 at 8:40pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Ester Groupie Joined 5673 days ago 64 posts - 114 votes Speaks: Modern Hebrew | Message 7 of 11 26 January 2011 at 8:51pm | IP Logged | ||
Even though the subjunctive is falling into disuse in the spoken informal language and thus really disappearing from it (it's a slow, but steady process that has been going on for a while now), it's still used when standard Italian is spoken and written. In fact, I've met more than one Italian who told me that, in their eyes, the ability to use subjunctive properly is something like a litmus test for proficiency and literacy. I'd certainly recommend learning it if one hopes to go above low intermediate with Italian. 2 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| kmart Senior Member Australia Joined 6130 days ago 194 posts - 400 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Italian | Message 8 of 11 29 January 2011 at 8:24am | IP Logged | ||
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Alma Edizioni is a highly respected publisher of Italian language learning materials and appears to have quite a collection of textbooks and practice workbooks. They look a little different from the usual, if you like to get away from the traditional, formal study methods. I have just ordered one "Magari", but haven't received it yet, so can't tell you what it's like. I did get some audiobooks from them a while ago, and I really like them, they are short, graded, and come with transcripts.
I like to study grammar from a variety of sources, it keeps the boredom away, gives more practice, and sometimes, the explanation in one book just seems to "gel", even though I read it in 2 others and didn't quite get it. As to learning the subjunctive, I think it depends on the level you want to reach before your trip. You will certainly get by in conversation without it, and with just a little study so you can recognise it (it's certainly easier to recognise when you hear it, than to remember where to use it!). If your studying time is limited it would be better spent on getting as much vocabulary as you can, and a good grasp of the basic tenses. ;-) 1 person has voted this message useful |
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