Ilocano: Ilocano-English/English-Ilocano Dictionary and Phrasebook

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Summary: Ilocano Dictionary and Phrasebook Review
Review: Currently I am living and working in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. As an American, I have found learning Ilocano both interesting and challenging. I searched both far and wide looking for a good dictionary that would be of use to me. To my disappointment, the selections here in country are rather slim. My boyfriend found me this book and it has been of great help to me ever since. The grammar sections are wonderful and explain things fairly well. I have found it, however, a little difficult at times to understand some of the grammar terms, although I am well versed in grammar as a teacher of both English and Spanish. Yet even with some difficulty, there are plenty of examples given to back things up. A word of caution on the vocabulary that is presented in the book. It is very general. It applies to anywhere that Ilocano is spoken in the Philippines. If you want to use it in conjunction with a certain area, I would check with the locals about which words are most appropriate for something, if more than one is given. I also was really looking forward to using the book to help me understand more of what I hear in Ilocano already. I was a little down to realize that there is no Ilocano-English dictionary, only English-Ilocano. Overall though, I have found the grammar sections and the English-Ilocano dictionary very helpful. This book is both insightful and well put together.

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Summary: A lifesaver!
Review: There aren't too many Tagalog books out there... and Ilocano ones are so rare I didn't think they existed until I spotted this book at my local Borders. This book really helped me out when I visited the province of Pangasinan. Sure, I am not fluent but I was able to make myself understood. I just wish there were morelanguage study materials for this fascinating language.

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Summary: Over-Rated
Review: This book is over-rated, and I'll explain why. The book is marketed on its title as an Ilocano-English/English-Ilocano Dictionary and Phrasebook. This is complete false advertising. This book is written for English speakers who want to learn Ilocano, and Ilocano words, not the other way around. I bought this book for my Ilocano-speaking girlfriend so she could better look up Ilocano words and find their English equivalents, and learn, in Ilocano, more about English, but, as this book is written one-sidedly in English for English speakers, it is of little use to her. It's a major flaw, this false advertising of Ilocano-English/English Ilocano, because when you say a dictionary or phrasebook is formatted in such a way, that is supposed to mean that the first half of the text gives an Ilocano word or term, then its English equivalent, then the second half of the book would give an English word or term, then its Ilocano equivalent. That is THEEE purpose of ANY foreign language dictionary, such as English/French - French/English. It would be written for BOTH French speakers and English speakers, not one or the other.

This book is almost useless for my Ilocano-speaking girlfriend to learn English with. I feel like I have been ripped off, and am rather embarassed for giving to her. She's almost offended, for she can't read a thing of it! How the heck is she supposed to look up a word in Ilocano to find its English equivalent when you firstly and only reference words in English????!!!! Mr. Rubino- you need to change the title of this book to simply: "Learn Ilocano".