( 2 reviews )
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Posted: Oct 15 2008
I will just add that I think that this book can be very useful for beginners/intermediate students since it clarifies how to say quite simple things that you won't find explained in a normal textbook or dictionary. So for example, when I was still at a lower intermediate level I wanted to know how to say "I agree." It's very easy in English, but if you look up the word in most dictionaries there will be a bewildering number of possible choices in German. Donaldson explains very clearly the simplest way to say this in German, and the exact meaning of all those other variants. This is a very useful thing even for beginning and intermediate students!
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Posted: Jun 14 2008
This book is not for beginners. It is excellent for anyone who has a high-intermediate or better command of German. This is because it deals with the subtleties of German vocabulary, explaining the nuances among seemingly synonymous words. For example, in English, try to think of how you would explain to someone the differences between "to use," "to make use of," "to employ," "to utilize," and "to apply," when all of them could be grouped under the verb "use." I recommend the book whole-heartedly for those who want to perfect their idiomatic command of the language.
