Lonely Planet British Phrasebook (Lonely Planet Phrasebooks)

Very amusing, particularly to Brits. Purchased as a gag gift for a British ex-pat returning home to the UK for a trip.

I love this book! I'm a big Britcom fan and can now get a lot more laughs out of my favorite shows.

This little book, which crams an enormous amount of information, both practical and interesting, should be in every Amnerican's pocket before they leave for the UK. I learned more from it than from several larger books put together. It even explains cricket, that baffling sport! I thoroughly enjoyed reading every page, and while I wasn't going to travel to Wales or Scotland to practice those versions of Gaelic, it is contained within should you wish to. A most superior book, and entertainingly written besides. Enjoy!

Lonely Planet's "British Phrasebook" is a great introduction to the British way of life and speaking for foreigners. Whether you are an American going to visit the British Isles, or a person studying English as a foreign language this can be a good guide and reading supplement. Traditionally to Lonely Planet phrasebooks, this one gives you a short and easy-read introduction to the origin and modern state of English. Then follow the sections dealing with British English and regional languages.

The section on British English is, again traditionally, an introduction to the language through British culture, institutions, traditions and way of life. Some chapters open with humorous sketches by S. Hughes that will make you laugh out loud. You will learn how to greet people, how to talk over the phone, how to find your way in the world of slang and cockney (not being a thorough textbook or dictionary of these), how to brace yourself with the features of British pronunciation (not being a course on phonetics), how to tell a British word or expression from an American (not being a British-American dictionary), how to address the Queen or peers (without making you bored with the detailed description of the aristocratic history). But most of the contents are not even the lists of typically British words and expressions. It is an interesting, sometimes funny, sometimes witty, often highly informative yet brief description of British culture (music, sports, food, drink, housing, etc.) and institutions (political, educational, etc.), as well as of ways of travelling, spending your free time and free money. If you need to know the names of high-street shops or intend to watch a report from some cricket match, think of driving a car or going on a train journey, want to read a paper and know what's meant and what's not - "British Phrasebook" is one way of helping you survive in Britain.

The regional section tells you about regional accents and dialects of English with some examples. It also deals with Scottish Gaelic and Welsh. Here (in the last two chapters) there is a true phrasebook letting you say a lot of useful things in the native tongues of Scotland and Wales. Practical transcription enables you to pronounce sometimes quirky letter-combinations of these Celtic languages.

Written in a simple language and entertaining manner, while being very informative "British Phrasebook" is nearly a must-have on your next trip to the Isles and will certainly be your good companion, which will easily fit in a pocket.

This book is great. It's tiny, easily hidden, extremely funny, and you can make British people laugh with it. Really! Even Brits find it fun to read... "Oh, so THAT'S what they mean on those American programs on the telly. I was wondering."

I read this little book before setting out to Scotland for a year. What a great thing to do! I was more prepared than many of the people I was traveling with to deal with the idiosyncracies of Brit-speak. I especially love the foreign language section in the back... you don't really need it, since everyone speaks English, but it's fun to whip out something in Gaelic and see how many people understand (answer: not many).

I highly recommend this book, if only for its entertainment value. You won't regret it! I'm even able to watch the BBC now!