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Reviews by Tom Gally

Japanese Street Slang

Covers slang for all the subjects your Japanese teacher will be too embarrassed to mention: sex, crime, drugs, etc. Many taboo words. Each headword followed by an essay on the word and similar vocabulary. Many sentence examples with idiomatic English translations. Romaji only. Both Japanese and English indexes. Recommended if you plan to become a heroin-addicted pimp who hangs out with a motorcycle gang.

Beyond Polite Japanese

All entries in romaji with kana/kanji and English equivalents. Japanese index. Less racy than "Japanese Street Slang" but more practical for most students of Japanese.

Strange but True : A True-Life Japanese Reader

I wrote "Strange but True" because it is the kind of book I wanted when I was learning Japanese. I chose eight true stories of modern Japanese life from the "Dekigotology" feature in the magazine Shukan Asahi. The stories are sometimes strange, often funny, and always revealing about today's Japan. I include detailed notes on the vocabulary, grammar, and cultural background. I hope you enjoy the book and find it useful. If you have any questions or comments, I would be delighted to hear from you by e-mail.

The Kenkyusha Japanese-English Learner's Dictionary

All entries in romaji with kana/kanji and English equivalents. Headwords marked for accent. Complete grammatical information, useful pictures (kappu vs. koppu, for example), lots of usage examples. Good for beginning and intermediate students, but too few entries for reading or translation. No kanji index.

Kodansha's Romanized Japanese-English Dictionary

Published in 1992. Based on a Japanese-English dictionary for Japanese students, but completely rewritten for foreign users. 666 pages, no illustrations, usage notes, 3,800 yen, tax included. All entries in romaji with kana/kanji and English equivalents. Headwords marked for accent. Complete grammatical information. Very similar in size and quality to The Kenkyusha Japanese-English Learner's Dictionary.


For questions, comments, or if you would like to add your review to the above list, please email Ben Bullock <benkasminbullock@gmail.com> or use the discussion group for this web site.