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 Admirable book, but putting what you can learn into practice is difficult July 28, 2008
As I live with a Sicilian, I decided to learn more about the Sicilian language in addition to Italian. The book is very well structured, starting with a very comprehensive pronunciation guide that also highlights the major differences to Italian - quite important if like me your also learning that language. It then covers all the major grammatical constructs in a clean and consistent way, before closing with a compact vocabulary.
However, putting what you learn from the book into practice may not be so straightforward. Sicilian has ten major dialects, which the book acknowledges, but they differ vastly in vocabulary and pronunciation. For instance the word "emu" (to go) is described as having a very soft "y" sound at the beginning followed by the fairly hard front vowel "a". Pronouncing it this way, rather than with just a very hard front vowel "a" is not how my partner pronounces it. Having run into this kind of problem a number of times, I asked my partner to read the book to see if it was my pronunciation that is at fault.
Her conclusion is that the book inadequately covers the differences between each dialect, something that is probably inevitable considering how poorly codified the language is. So while I recommend this book, I strongly suggest you also try to converse with a native speaker as early as possible. This is becoming more difficult though, as younger Sicilians (those born from the 1970's onwards) tend to know very little of the old language. As the book points out, this is a shame as it's very "earthy" and expressive.
 The most comprehensive book on the Sicilian language out there January 6, 2008
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
Introduction to Sicilian Grammar is, without a shadow of a doubt, THE most comprehensive work of literature written in English about the Sicilian language. Dr. Bonner takes us on a wonderful journey from the multicultural roots of the language to our day and age's version, an amalgam of all the cultures who have passed through the island and have left linguistic traces in their wake. Of note, he explains peculiarities both in spelling and pronunciation all throughout the text. Another nice touch that this book has to offer is the standardized Sicilian. Though it may not please every speaker of Sicilian as there are many different dialects, this standardized form of the language serves as a stepping stone in the process of gaining status as an official language of the island. Anyone who is familiar with Sicilian knows how frustrating the fact that there exists no standard orthography is. Dr. Bonner sets out to, and does, rectify that issue. From the first page to the last, Introduction to Sicilian Grammar is a vital tool in learning (or brushing up on) the language (and it may help you in learning other romance languages as well).
 Introduction to sicilian grammar March 23, 2006
0 out of 11 found this review helpful
excelant book for someone that wants to learn the Sicilian grammar.
A cultural treasure that appeals to all November 23, 2004
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
This book is a must-have for anyone interested in languages, cultures, and above all, the beautiful island of Sicily. This book is the most resourceful and complete work ever done in English on the Sicilian dialects. After reading the introduction, one will quickly discover that there are several different dialects in Sicily, the majority of which form a singular Sicilian language, and the others which attest to the rich history of this Mediterranean melting pot. In addition, this grammar is a tremendous tool for anyone interested in a brief history of the complex linguistic situation found in Sicily today. Dr. Bonner does an excellent job of presenting the dialects as unified, and offering a lingua scritta cumuni that all Sicilians can be proud of whether they are the descendants of Sicilian immigrants or live on the island herself. Above all, this book is a treasure that will appeal to all readers, Sicilian or not. Dr. Bonner has authored an easy-to-read, detailed, and standardized Sicilian grammar that is fuctionally modern, yet preserves the true essence of Sicily through the written word forever. Viva la lingua siciliana!
Sicilia! November 21, 2004
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
its a good book for anyone whos interested in learning sicilian. i like how it was somewhat standardized (anyone whos familar with sicilian knows that it is not generally written down, and therefore there is no real standard othography). its better for people that have some knowledge of italian or another romance language.
its not intended as a book for non-serious learners....there are no fun pictures of animals and whatnot to keep you entertained, as in other beginning language books.
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