<p>If you've always longed to strike out through the open country of northern Mexico armed with frying pan and bedroll, then this guide to the people, culture, folkways, landscape, and language of rural Mexico is for you. Out of twenty years of travel in backcountry Mexico, authors Bob Burleson and David Riskind have produced perhaps the most practical and accurate guide available for the unconventional tourist&mdash;the man or woman who prefers to get off the beaten path by foot, burro, mule, canoe, raft, or vehicle.</p>
<p>Going well beyond the usual tourist guidebook entries, <cite>Backcountry Mexico</cite> will help you hire a guide and burro, navigate rural roads and trails, and communicate with the friendly and, sometimes, unfriendly folks you are likely to meet in a rural setting.</p>
<p>In addition to English-Spanish and Spanish-English vocabulary lists containing both standard words and numerous terms relating to people, conditions, land, and situations not ordinarily encountered in tourists' lists, the authors have provided literally hundreds of helpful phrases and short conversations in easy-to-use sections arranged according to topics. Experienced unconventional travelers themselves, Burleson and Riskind have become experts in such subjects as "Eating and Staying Well on the Road, " "Camping in Mexico, " "Rural Mexican Village Life," and many more. Their experience, and the resultant wealth of language and cultural information contained in this guide, will help you to enjoy your trip ancd to better understand and appreciate the people and the land you visit.</p>
<p>Throughout the book, the language examples are interwoven with beautifully illustrated anecdotes about culture and lifeways, so that the traveler is equipped with practical knowledge as well as appropriate behavior and speech. Fascinating in its treatment of a culture that is little known and unique in its coverage of rural-style Mexican Spanish, <cite>Backcountry Mexico</cite> will prove invaluable to anyone who ventures forth into northern Mexico.</p>

Many language books are boring—this one is not. Written by a native English speaker who learned Spanish the hard way—by trying to talk to Spanish-speaking people—it offers English speakers who have a basic knowledge of Spanish hundreds of tips for using the language more fluently and colloquially, with fewer obvious “gringo” errors.

Writing with humor, common sense, and a minimum of jargon, Joseph J. Keenan covers everything from pronunciation, verb usage, and common grammatical mistakes to the subtleties of addressing other people, “trickster” words that look alike in both languages, inadvertent obscenities, and intentional swearing. He guides readers through the set phrases and idiomatic expressions that pepper the native speaker’s conversation and provides a valuable introduction to the most widely used Spanish slang.

With this book, both students in school and adult learners who never want to see another classroom can rapidly improve their speaking ability. Breaking Out of Beginner’s Spanish will be an essential aid in passing the supreme language test—communicating fluently with native speakers.

Many language books are boring—this one is not. Written by a native English speaker who learned Spanish the hard way—by trying to talk to Spanish-speaking people—it offers English speakers with a basic knowledge of Spanish hundreds of tips for using the language more fluently and colloquially, with fewer obvious "gringo" errors.

Writing with humor, common sense, and a minimum of jargon, Joseph Keenan covers everything from pronunciation, verb usage, and common grammatical mistakes to the subtleties of addressing other people, "trickster" words that look alike in both languages, inadvertent obscenities, and intentional swearing. He guides readers through the set phrases and idiomatic expressions that pepper the native speaker's conversation and provides a valuable introduction to the most widely used Spanish slang.

With this book, both students in school and adult learners who never want to see another classroom can rapidly improve their speaking ability. Breaking Out of Beginner's Spanish will be an essential aid in passing the supreme language test-communicating fluently with native speakers.

Jusuur 1 presents a well-rounded curriculum that encourages active communication in Arabic from day one and is suitable for engaging students at a variety of levels including high school, community college, and four-year colleges.

Students learn the letters and sounds of Arabic with the accompanying Jusuur 1 Arabic Alphabet Workbook, while they simultaneously use Jusuur 1 to work through thematically organized lessons on such topics as greetings, hospitality, free time, and family. Jusuur 1 invites students to make the linguistic, social, and cultural connections key to language acquisition through carefully scaffolded vocabulary and grammar activities, cultural explanations, and frequent opportunities for reflection. A series of companion videos, filmed in Jordan, offers a unique introduction to common everyday interactions in the Arab world.

Jusuur 1 is the first of two books in the Jusuur Arabic Language Program; students who successfully finish the program will be able to communicate at novice-high or intermediate-low levels of proficiency.

The Jusuur curriculum, which draws from the pedagogical strengths of the best-selling Al-Kitaab Arabic Language Program, provides students with a wealth of written and audio-visual materials to develop skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Instructors will benefit from extensive complementary instructor’s resources, including teacher’s guides, worksheets, and audio recordings, making it easy to design an enriching and engaging experience for students.

eTextbooks are now available through VitalSource.com!

Mastering English through Global Debate brings together rhetorical traditions and the best practices of ESL instruction to facilitate superior-level proficiency in the English language. Each chapter addresses a rich topic of debate, providing students with a set of prereading activities, texts covering both sides of a debate topic, and postreading comprehension and lexical development exercises—all of which foster the language and critical thinking skills needed for successful debates. A rhetorical methods section in each chapter integrates language and practice and prepares students for end-of-chapter debates. Using debate to develop advanced competency in a second language is a method that is finding increased interest among instructors and students alike, in both synchronous online teaching and the individual classroom. Students are prepared to participate fully in debates with their classmates—at home, abroad, or both.

The Yucatan Peninsula draws many North American and European travelers each year to view the ruins of the pre-Columbian Classical Maya civilization and the abundant native flora and fauna. For these travelers, as well as armchair travelers and students, Gary Bevington has prepared the first general English-language introduction to Yucatec Maya, the native language of the people indigenous to the region.

Written in nontechnical terms for learners who have a basic knowledge of simple Mexican Spanish, the book presents easily understood, practical information for anyone who would like to communicate with the Maya in their native language. In addition to covering the pronunciation and grammar of Maya, Bevington includes invaluable tips on learning indigenous languages "in the field." Most helpful are his discussions of the cultural and material worlds of the Maya, accompanied by essential words and expressions for common objects and experiences. A Maya-English-Spanish glossary with extensive usage examples and an English-Maya glossary conclude the book.

Note: The supplemental audiocasette, Spoken Maya for Travelers and Students, is now available as a free download through the book's page on the University of Texas Press's website.