Burmese (Myanmar): An Introduction to the Spoken Language, Book 1

by John Okell, Daw Khin Mya Swe, U Saw Tun (Creator)

The first volume in a four-part language course, this textbook enables students to start speaking and understanding the spoken language. In the early sections the focus is on familiarizing the learner with the unfamiliar sounds of the language and the structures of Burmese sentences. After this foundation the emphasis changes to acquiring the words and phrases needed for early encounters with Burmese speakers in Burma and elsewhere in the world. Numerous speaking exercises and practice dialogs feature travel topics such as asking for directions, taking taxis, and ordering food and drink, and common conversational topics such as introductions, family, and work. Because Burmese script can be challenging, Okell offers roman transcription alongside the Burmese script for Burmese material throughout the text.  Like the other titles in this series, Book 1 is accompanied by audio files and can be used either under the instruction of a teacher or for self-study. The series was developed over a period of several years and was tested, modified, and expanded after use in the classroom. Language professors and their students or those learning Burmese on their own will appreciate the accessible approach and the manageable size of the lessons of the very practical textbooks in this series.

300 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1994

Reviews

[Will Buckingham · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Okell's book gives an amazingly thorough grounding in Burmese. The pace is slow — even glacial at times — but it is undeniably well thought-out and well put together, and I'm glad of the thoroughness. The downloadable audio resources are really good as well. And I really like the humour and the occasional surprises (the Burmese frog chorus on the audio was lovely). If you want a quick fix for a short trip, this probably isn't the book. But if you want a more solid grounding in the language, this is the best thing I have found.