Chris Matthews (Wed, 29 Jul 1998)

I am using the same book and have been very pleased with it. I am strictly a beginner but with this book I have been making real progress which encourages me to work harder at it. Specifically the book's emphasis on words in Egyptian rather than transliteration has made it much easier for me.

Geoff Ponton (Thu, 30 Jul 1998)

As a relative beginner I have been working with Collier and Manley's book. I think it is excellent for beginners because it uses actual texts so that the reader is able to recognise and read some formulaic Egyptian from the start. This is very encouraging. In addition, there is an on-going introduction to the basics of grammar to prepare the student for further progress. Overall, it is clearly written and easy to follow. The exercises are numerous and varied. [keys are provided]

 

A follow-up volume would be welcome! If I have a criticism it is that it is a pity they didn't stick to the Gardiner listing and numbering of hieroglyphs (which is also used by Winglyph).

 

---

Massimo Bombana (Tue, 04 Aug 1998)

I have read Gardiner's and Hoch's grammars, but I think this book is something different and more enjoyable for a beginner and a self-learner.

 

What I appreciated most:

1. the teaching is based on the gradual introduction of texts that are presented to the reader. From the psychological point of view this is great, because it gives a great satisfaction to measure the progress from one chapter to the next in understanding real texts;

 

2. the language is easy and plain. Things are explained quite simply but effectively. Information is given on different topics so keeping the attention of the reader quite alert all the time. Grammatical notions are always justified by their use in the texts;

 

3. the size and layout of the book is perfect. It is handy enough to take it on the underground, or in a bus while going to the office. At the same time it is elegant and well printed, so that it is a candidate for a selected personal library. Quality of paper is quite good.

 

4. ALL the exercises have keys. This is essential for a self learner, who cannot count on a teacher's assistance for difficult passages.

 

Finally some drawbacks. Well, just one.

1. The main draw back is that this book is single and does not belong to a collection. I mean, the same approach should be applied also to teach how to read literary texts, starting from the simple ones. Again the grammar should be introduced as a way to understand the texts, and to progress stepwise to more complicated sections. Finally a third volume should be devoted to hieratic, using the same philosophy. So my advice to the authors is mainly a proposal for more work:

Volume two, 'How to read Egyptian stories'

Volume three, 'How to read Hieratic papyri'

possibly without leaving the enthusiastic readers grow old!

 

 

---

Stephen Michael Schimpf (Thu, 27 Aug 1998)

 

I got the book by Collier and Manley a couple of weeks ago and am working my way through it. I agree with your comments, especially about the book being very inspirational. I like the fact that the authors use illustrations of real tomb paintings and inscriptions just like the ones you see in books. It's fun to be able to read the caption on a fowling scene or the goose roasting at the beginning of the book and it gives the beginner a needed sense of accomplishment.

 

I do have a few short comments for you.

 

First, I believe your wife was mistaken about the lack of descriptions of what the signs represent. Right under the table of monoliteral signs near the beginning of the book it tells you to see the table at the end for a full list of signs and what they represent. The i-sign is there, with the description "reed". [MDS reply: they do refer to the table on p129, but how do you know it is sign C20, in the section 'sky, earth, water and plants', to look it up?].

 

Second, at both the beginning and end of the book there is a table of monoliteral signs and some comments about the pronunciation of the consonants. I don't care for the authors using kh for two signs and k for two others. I don't see why ch and q were not used. In the first chapter a place name is written with the dotted-k sign, which the authors say to transliterate as k, but the name of the place is then given as Qis, I believe.

 

Finally, when pronunciation is discussed, for / t / and underlined- / t / the authors give "t like in tub" and "t like in tune". When I saw this I thought it was a misprint or something. It didn't make sense at all. Then, I remembered the authors are in the United Kingdom! I believe if you say "tune" with a British or Australian accent it sounds sort of like "choon", in which case it makes sense. But, to an American this is confusing since we pronounce the t in tub and tune exactly the same...no "ch" sound at all. I think it would have been better to use another example that would make sense to people who don't speak with a British or Australian accent.

 

---

 

Stephen Fryer (Thu, 05 Nov 1998)

 

This book [Collier and Manley] would also be excellent in parallel with a "more serious" grammar, since it gives you chance to see some of the grammatical constructions and sentences in context, which will probably make it easier to understand the grammar book. I have noticed in recent discussions based around Gardiner's exercises, that the lack of a context for the sentences can make it really difficult to tell what the sentences mean.

 

One warning though: Collier and Manley, for some reason, use the term "future tense" for what is better described as the subjunctive mood (wishes, etc.). Middle Egyptian uses a different construction to make statements of fact about the future.

 

 

---

 

Branimir Cucek, Zagreb, Croatia (Sun, 22 Nov 1998)

 

[Branimir found several errors in the text and these have been added to the main commentary table]

 

In Ch.8 the authors used the term "Future sdm=f" which is not accustomed in egyptian grammar. Prospective would be much more useful for a novice reader trying to use other sources of grammar.

 

---

 

 

[top] [main page] [back to AEL]