Crafted with the noblest of intentions, the author’s work sets the tone for preserving one’s culture and heritage through perhaps its most sacred form: language. Countless stories are shared from generation to generation, yet in an increasingly multicultural and diverse demographic, there remains a tangible risk that the younger generations will not retain enough familiarity with their native tongue to effectively pass on these stories. In essence, Le’s work serves as a thread that keeps the tapestry of Vietnamese culture unified.

The author takes the reader through various technical elements like proper accentuation and understanding that, while styles may be different, the idea being expressed is very much the same. The clarity and simplicity of this effort are commendable. For example. what may seem incredibly complex at first glance is broken down into digestible pieces that anyone truly interested in learning can benefit from. For instance, in the lesson on principles of translation, the author takes a phrase like “Khi nao la luc thuan tien de mo quan” and examines how it can be interpreted literally, in context, and what it’s truly meant to convey. Perhaps the most intriguing inference that is made in creating this text for optimal learning outcomes is the author’s insistence that one should not translate a foreign language word into one’s mother tongue. In effect, sources like Google Translate act as a hindrance and crutch to true learning. Instead, one must learn to relate the foreign language vocabulary word or grammar concept to anything but a direct translation in one’s native language.

While this work is undoubtedly not a stand-alone in learning Vietnamese grammar, it more than holds its own as a guidebook to creating that spark for interested parties in acclimating and immersing themselves into the language. In particular, the emphasis on proper pronunciation is a key part of the grammatical analysis that ensures that learning is happening comprehensively. As a means of reassurance for her students, the author references how the Vietnamese language has established a reputation for being the simplest due to the parts of speech being constant: there are only eleven simple tenses, and no word is more than a syllable.

Whenever one learns a new language, context is critical, and that is certainly one area where Le’s narrative thrives. From opening the work with a depiction of Portuguese missionary Alexandre de Rhodes assisting the Vietnamese in transcribing “oral words into written words,” to indicating that there is a before and after 1954 approach when it comes to the political understanding of Vietnamese grammar, the work rarely ever feels like a teacher teaching. Instead, it feels more like a historian letting us see the stories of culture and heritage through their eyes and the eyes of grammar. Digging deeper, audiences will gain a stronger understanding of the parts of speech at the molecular level. For example, for nouns, the author discusses feminine and masculine nouns, compound nouns, neuter nouns, and two-gendered nouns. Overall, the learning process is made so much more fluid with the author’s presence. This is felt in every section, helping her words come across as less of a lesson and more of a conversation. Undoubtedly, Le’s exemplary work is a great resource to take on the gargantuan challenge of learning an entirely foreign language or gaining a better foundation of one’s ancestral language.

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