Maltese Through English

Description

Maltese Through English

This series of five books takes the learner all the way from real beginner to fluent speaker. It is also used by native speakers as an aid for sitting for their Maltese ‘O’ level or ‘A’ level as well as a University aid especially for Maltese / Translation / Interpreting courses. The main book, proof-read by Karl Coleiro, the principal proof-reader of the authoritative Aquilina Maltese Dictionary, explains the Maltese language step by step, up to the most complex structures, without assuming at any point, that the learner is Maltese. It also takes into consideration the latest developments of the language, including expressions as well as integrating the 2008 spelling reform.
Book 1 (main book – 570 pages) is a 32-Chapter Maltese Language grammar book published in December 2016. Every chapter contains :
• dialogues / short texts with a vocabulary box showing feminine and plural where necessary
• each dialogue / text is accompanied by a vocabulary box classifying words into nouns, adjectives, verbs etc. with the feminine and plural of nouns and adjectives given in all cases
• comprehensive grammatical and spelling explanations in English (mostly in tables, diagram or bullet format)
• A useful usually irregular verb conjugated past, present, imperative at the end of every chapter
Moreover
• All page numbers are written in both numbers and words
• Additional basic vocabulary lists by topic are at the end of the book
The book covers all Form 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Malta government schools and ‘O’ level syllabi. Especially recommendable to secondary level Maltese students and ambitious foreigners.
Book 2 (127 pages) and Book 3 (95 pages) of the series published in 2013 were the first Maltese Grammar Exercise book with answers built step by step on the chapters of the first book (1st Edition published December 2012). These allow you to correct yourself / your children’s work as much as you want without the need of any teacher’s or native speaker’s help. Book 2 includes all the exercises (including some of the most complex questions of Maltese grammar) and Book 3 contains all the answers and/or explanations to Book 2.

Book 4 (352 pages) A comprehensible classification of all groups of Maltese Verbs according to origin, root consonants and stem, tenses, and especially all modifications upon the addition of the direct and indirect object pronoun or both. The verbs chosen as examples were especially chosen to be different from those already used in Book 1 so that there is the least overlap possible. The main part treats the ten Forms of the verb of Semitic origin and the spelling changes required with the attached pronoun. Another first is an explanation of how Italian verbs are passed down to the Maltese language and how their conjugation is different between them and their original counterparts. All conjugations depend heavily on whether the verb starts with a vowel or silent letter, and whether in case of consonants it is an im/pure consonant. A number of verbs are conjugated in both negative and positive. Definitely the most detailed insight into conjugation of Maltese verbs to date.

Booklet 1 – Fill-In Exercises (96 pages) offers at least five types of exercises for the learner. The student can (i) guess the missing words unaided, or (ii) use the English footnotes on the same page as an aid. Alternatively, s/he can (iii) use the scrambled answers or (iv) the multiple choice method provided at the end of the book. (v) S/he can also follow the recordings on the CD or have them read by someone else. It reproduces partly or wholly the reading texts found in some of the Chapters in Book 1 with some key words missing. It also reproduces the Dictations in Part 4 of Book 2 with missing words to fill in. The exercises make it easier for the student to test his/her abilities at writing the Maltese language, at the same time highlighting problematic words and allowing the learner to focus on the latter. The booklet is also ideal for native speakers who want to test their spelling knowledge. The texts can be used both as preparation as well as revision material related to Book 1 lessons especially in a class situation.

Audio CD (app. 3 hrs 15 mins) This Audio CD is available in PVC Wallet (upon the purchase of all of Book 2, 3 & 4 at once of the series only) as well as in Digipak format. It includes the reading out of all of the 32 reading passages accompanying all chapters of Book 1, the alphabet and other sounds such as consonant couplets, syllables, time expressions as well as the Dictation texts in Book 2 amongst others.

By: Lorna Vassallo

Format: Set of 5 books & CD.

No of pages: Book 1 Revised – 570 pages, Book 2 – 127 pages, Book 3 – 95 pages, Book 4 – 352 pages, Booklet 1 – 96 pages, CD – 3hrs 15 mins.

N.B The Audio CD pack + Book 4 + Booklet 1 being the additional material to the original works by Lorna are also available separate