Thinking you'd like to try your hand at something a little more exotic than French? Colonising a continent sometime soon and need a few handy phrases to supress the natives in their own language? Perhaps a large, dangerous animal is eating your hut and you wish to alert someone or you're trying to gain the meaning of a word no longer in use? Perhaps you're just interested in The International Copyright Union or the passing of the Companies' Act.

	Up-Country Swahili For the Soldier, Settler, Miner, Merchant, and their Wives and for all who deal with up-country natives without interpreters by F. H le Breton R.W. Simpson & Co. Richmond. Surrey. 1958 First printed in 1936 and amassing up 71 000 copies by this printing. Who would have thought it was such a necessary little book? Some rather alarming phrases concerning drunkenness, teachers and hippotumuses.
	A Practical Course in Esperanto with Reading Exercises and Illustrations by Dr Ferenc Szilaoyi © 1937 Adapted for use in English-speaking Countries by Fred Wadham The Esperanto Publishing Co. Ltd. Rickmansworth, Herts., Anglujo. 1964 11th edition for those wishing to master Esperanto without the use of a master and with a little book. From the heady days when it looked like it was going to be the international language instead of English.
	Brush Up Your Italian- Conversations of real use (Perfezionate il vostro Italiano) by Giovanna Tassinari with 30 drawings by P. R. Ward J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd. London. 1952 Hardcover. According to the preface- A series of conversations in Italian followed by useful information concerning letter-writing, eating and drinking, shopping and a vocbulary compiled for the needs of the present day. A hilarious look at an old lifestyle & attitudes.
	North African Handbook- Egyptian, Syrian, and North African Handbook by Rev. Anton Tien, Ph.D., M.R.A.S. Frederick Ungar Publishing Co. New York. 1954 Hardback describing itself as "A simple phrase book in English and Arabic for the use of the armed forces and civillians." Lists of words and helpful phrases - including "England is the land of freedom" and "John, bring the sausages."
	German Free Composition and Vocabulary by N.G. Osborne M.A. & M. Morgenthal George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd. London. 1961 Hardcover by the Chief German Master Bristol Grammar School and the Formerly Professor of German In German State Secondry School. Individual words are explained but the paragraphs for translation are not, leaving one scouring the glossary at the back for words. Which are listed in German first.
	Intermediate Latin Course. Part II by H. O. Craddock, M.A. (inspector of Classics in the Dept of Education, NSW) Blake & Hargreaves Ltd. Sydney. NSW. 1931 Hardcover inscribed with "with the author's compliments" on the fly sheet. Most of the text seems to be history oriented, namely that of Julius Caesar, so that presumably while you're learning Latin, you are doing so in a meaningful, educational way.
	Collin's Italian Phrase Book Clear & Concise for Travel Abroad edited by Isobel May, B.A., Ph.D. Collins, London & Glasgow. 1960 Hardback with dustjacket. Helpfully in categories as "At the dentist," "Paying the Bill," "Accident & Illness." Includes places of interest. Most chapters also with a phonetic pronunciation. Tiny colour maps. My book came with an Italian ticket to something stamped with a big, red "GRATUITO" across it.
	The Modern Standard English Dictionary and World Atlas Odhams Press Limited Long Acre, London. WC2. n.d. Embossed hardcover. Described as "A comprehensive modern Dictionary of the English Language, containing over 50, 000 references, many suppliments and a complete World Atlas in full colours, together with over 500 illustrations, including 16 pages of photogravure." Photo of Queen Elizabeth 1 at her Mother's coronation. Interestingly, biblical people are listed amongst the regular dictionary part.
	Collins Large Type Pronouncing Dictionary 350 illustrations Collin's Clear Type Press London and Glasgow. n.d. Hardcover. Frontispiece says "The New Illustrated Large Type Dictionary of the English Language with an appendix of abbreviations, foreign words and phrases, list of geographical names, scripture proper names, forms of address, etc. Three hundred and fifty engravings."
	ABC of English Usage H. A. Treble and G. H. Vallins. Oxford University Press. London. 1961 Hardcover with gold-embossed spine. First printed 1936. "An attempt has been made to present in dictionary form the main elements in the accidence and syntax of the English language, both spoken and written." Includes chart of Prepositional Idioms. Also included "words derived from names of persons and places."
	Indexing and Precis Writing by A. J. Lawford Jones (Triple medalist & First Prizeman Society Arts etc) Sir Isaac Pitmas & Sons, Ltd. New York. n.d. Hardcover. Pitman's Commercial Series. probably dated 1905-1910 on the typeface, style and authors accomplishments. Includes instructions, common errors, Modern Methods. Ruling your own paper is deemed beneficial for the novice. Includes samples of Precis Writing from around the 1900's from the British East India Co., the Affairs of Crete Society, Formation of the International Copyright Union.
	Guide for the Chairman and the Secretary on How to Conduct Meetings by John P. Monroe, B. A. Wyatt & Wyatt. Melbourne. 1928 Soft cover. 4th edition- revised and enlarged. Preface talks about the change in working hours and woman now being emancipated. Capters include- How to Address the Chair (and How to, if a Woman), The Lady in the Chair, the Worker in the Chair, Committees and their duties, the Removal of a Chairman, Parlimentary Debating and all theusual things to do with meetings- voting, motions, agenda, business arising etc.
	The Complete Letter Writer author unknown W. Foulsham & Co., Ltd. London. n.d. How To Write a Letter For all Occasions, With Various Specimen Letters. Hardcover. Suppose you have a letter to write and do not feel equal to the task? Specimens include business letters and those of a more personal nature- refusing a child's birthday party, replies and refusals to weddings, parties, dances, letter postponing the answer to an engagement, from a man offering his fiancee her freedom and much much more in the "Love, Courtship & Marriage" section.
	The Ladies' Letter Writer A Guide to Correspondence On All Subjects Together With Commerical Forms Etc. Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd. London. n.d. Hardcover. No dust jacket. Includes an article on the Art of Letter Writing.This is the updated version from thirty years after the last book which does not include "stilted or verbose" language. It does include proper sample letters on every subject and even Suggesting Marriage To A Gentleman Too Diffident To Propose.
	Model Speeches and Toasts by John P. Monroe, B.A. John Pollard. Melbourne. n.d. Paperback, n.d. but probably 1950's. Speeches and toasts and their replies (and the replies to the replies, and the replies to the replies of the replies) for every occasion including weddings, birthdays, christenings, agricultural shows, cycling awards, at a surprise party, reply to surprise party toast and much, much more.
	The Chairman's Guide & Secretary's Companion With Useful Hints for the Conduct of Business & Social Gatherings of All Kinds Ward, Lock & Co., London. n.d. The Companies' Act 1929 made all previous handbooks obsolete. This new edition is therefore dated probable around 1929-1930. A very thorough text covering every aspect on electing a chairman to closing a meeting and everything in between. Dust jacket includes other Useful Books which include "Ettiquette for Ladies," "The Poultry Book," "Keeping an Aquarium," "Practical Palmistry" and "Games For Parties."
	Speeches and Toasts How To Make And Propose Them Ward, Lock & Co., Ltd. London. 1912. Hardcover with embossing on front. Including Hints to Speakers and Model Examples for All Occasions. B&W frontispiece sketch. Includes Hints to Speakers, Common Errors, The Chairman and his Duties, Royal Personages & Patriotic Toasts, The Empire Domains, Ecclesiastical, Legal, Social (wedding, christening etc), Sporting, Smoking Concert, Temperence addresses and many miscellaneous more.
	The Australian Book Of Ready-Made Speeches and Toasts For All Occasions by L. Maxwell The Specialty Press Pty. Ltd. Melbourne. n.d. Softcover. Toasts for every occasion including a choice of 5 Loyal Toasts to the King, The Queen and the Royal Family, And Response on Behalf of the Navy. Also included Ecclesiastic Toasts, Legal Toasts, Political Toasts and Miscellaneous Toasts which include Send-Off of a Soldier and Opening A New Rainway Line.
	The Art of Speech by Dora Krummel, M.A. W. R. Smith & Paterson Pty Ltd. Brisbane. 1951. Hardcover. 3rd edition. Includes the correct pronounciation of passages, titles, emphasis of words in a sentance and whether the inflection is rising or descending and how it affects the meaning of the sentence. Also covered: speaking at presentations, phonetics and dipthongs and correct consonants. Different forms of address.

 

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