Although there are many books that cover German grammar and syntax, remarkably little modern attention has been given to the practical problem of acquiring a German vocabulary. Yet building up or enlarging a basic vocabulary can be one of the most time-consuming and most difficult tasks for the student, if he approaches it by the conventional method of word lists or reading notes. As the present book, by Karl A. Schmidt, Assistant Professor of German at the University of San Francisco, shows, there are modern techniques for building vocabulary efficiently.
Professor Schmidt's work builds upon the close relationship of German to English, as well as upon the easy and rational processes that are used in German for word formation. Cognates and words of common foreign origin between English and German are covered, as well as the creation of new words by compounding, by affixes, and other modifications. Concentrating on useful, modern vocabulary, this book is remarkably clear in its presentation and will (in addition to its specific considerations) leave the reader with a sense of the patterns of word formation, so that he can go farther on his own.
This book can be used as a supplement to any language course, for self-study by a student who has already had grammatical basics, or as a refresher. The extensive practice examples that are included (with a key at the rear) will enable the reader both to increase his knowledge and to check his progress.