Advice Needed: "A Reference Grammar of Japanese by Samuel E. Martin

[Miaow]

Hello,

I'm interested in this book for a supplement to my regular text book. Is anyone here familiar with it? What is your opinion?

I'm hoping it might be helpful to look up whatever grammar point I'm working on in my main textbook for more in-depth information.

I also like how the book is hardcover - all my most-used Japanese learning materials are really LOOKING used! I wish they all came in hardcover! :?

 

[Glenn]

If you have a strong background in Linguistics it probably would be worth it, but if not you'll be wasting your time. It's actually written more like a grammar for linguists than a book for learners of Japanese, despite what impression the name may give you.

 

[Miaow]

Hi - and thank you for the tip! I have an interest in linguistics, but by no means do I have a strong background in it.

Can you recommend any other books with in-depth descriptions of grammar points, but is more geared to the learner of Japanese?

 

[Glenn]

A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar
A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar

Those books did a lot to advance my knowledge of Japanese grammar. For the textbook approach there's Genki, which seems to get recommended around here a lot. I haven't used it, though.