For some time now I have been interested in recording language books for Librivox. In the previous year or so I have been quite busy with my last year of undergraduate studies and in the year before that I was travelling. Before going on my year abroad I recorded “Dr. Esperanto’s International Language” by Ludwik Zamenhof, the creator of Esperanto. I also started “The Esperanto Teacher – A Complete Course for Non-Grammarians” by Helen Fryer. This project has now been completed. Last summer, I started a project in Esperanto, Alicio en Mirlando, but this is not directly a language project. I have also recorded Persian Self-Taught in Roman Characters with English phonetic pronunciation by Shayk Hasan. This is currently being proof-listened, but should be available soon enough. I am currently about to finish Arabic Primer by Sir Arthur Cotton, a very basic book on Arabic.
I believe that Librivoxers should develop a language learning resource on Librivox that would enable anyone and everyone to have the opportunity to learn languages for free! There are many old textbooks available online. Of course, one could download these textbooks and work through them oneself without listening to a recording, but there is an important point about language learning that needs to be emphasised. Language, properly learnt, does not begin with the written word. It begins with the spoken word! Language learning begins with listening. Speaking follows listening and then reading and writing come last of all. Quite often people learn languages in a very backwards manner. Providing free, public domain audiobooks of all the best language textbooks and readers will enable anyone to learn languages for free. This is a service that we could offer the world. If anyone has any knowledge of French, they can set up a French project. If anyone knows Spanish, a Spanish one, etc. Books on classical as well as modern languages could be recorded.
I would like to encourage Librivoxers with some knowledge of languages to initiate projects for these or similar books, grammars, primers, etc. Even if one only knows English, there are numerous primers, grammars and other works for those who are learning this language. I can’t set up projects for many different languages, but I urge other Librivoxers to consider doing this. Let us strive to develop such a language learning resource so that Librivox can become the first and best place to learn languages online! I imagine the ebay sellers who use our recordings will benefit considerably from this as well – financially… Language learning is a big business. Pimsleur, Linguaphone, Rosetta Stone and Teach Yourself Books could attest to that. But why should people have to pay hundreds of dollars just to collect enough resources to learn a language at home? If Librivox provided such a service, we could liberate the field of language learning from its current financial constraints. We would be making language learning easy and affordable, accessible to anyone and everyone.
The Self-Taught series is a good place to start. “Persian Self-Taught” is mostly a phrasebook. I haven’t examined the others but I think they’re mostly similar. Here are the ones I could find on the Internet Archive (and ManyBooks.net):
Self-Taught Language Books:
1. Greek Self-Taught by Nicolaos Anastassiou,
http://www.archive.org/details/GreekSelfTaught
2. Swedish Self-Taught by E. G. Geiger,
http://www.archive.org/details/swedishselftaug00geiggoog
[ADOPTED]3. French Self-Taught by Thimm, Franz J. L.,
http://www.archive.org/details/frenchselftaught00thimrich
French Translation Self-Taught by Guillaume H. Talbot
http://www.archive.org/details/frenchtranslati01talbgoog
4. Sinhalese Self-Taught by Wickremasinghe, Don M. de Z.,
http://www.archive.org/details/sin00wickhaleseselftaurich
5. Egyptian (Arabic) Self-Taught by Thimm, Carl Albert,
http://www.archive.org/details/egyptianselftaug00thimuoft
6. Syrian (Arabic) Self-Taught by N. Odeh
http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924026888945
7. Gaelic Self-Taught by James Maclaren,
http://www.archive.org/details/maclarensgaelics00macl
8. Dutch, 9. German, 10. Norwegian, 11. Hindustani and 12. Russian Self-Taught also all by Thimm, Carl A. (Carl Albert),
http://www.archive.org/details/dutchselftaughtw00thimrich
http://www.archive.org/details/germanselftaught00thimiala
http://www.archive.org/details/norwegianselftau00thimrich
http://www.archive.org/details/hindustaniselfta00thimiala
http://www.archive.org/details/russianselftaugh00thimiala
13. Portuguese Self-Taught by Cunha, Euclides da,
http://www.archive.org/details/portugueseselfta00cunhiala
14. Latvian Self-Taught by Kratins, Ojars,
http://www.archive.org/details/latvianselftaugh00kratuoft
15. Tamil Grammar Self-Taught by Wickremasinghe, Martino de Zilva,
http://www.archive.org/details/tamilgrammarself00wickrich
16. Burmese Self-Taught by St. John, R. F. St. A
http://www.archive.org/details/burmeseselftaugh00stjoiala
17. Japanese Self-Taught by Shand, W. J. S
http://www.archive.org/details/japaneseselftaug00shanuoft
18. Turkish Self-Taught by Abu Said
http://www.archive.org/details/turkishselftaugh00abusrich
19. Italian at a glance. A new system on the most simple principles for universal self-tuition ([1884] by Thimm, Franz J. L.
http://www.archive.org/details/italianatglancen00thimrich
[ADOPTED]20. Esperanto Self-Taught with Phonetic Pronunciation by William W. Mann (1908)
http://manybooks.net/titles/mannw2398423984.html
21. Malay Self-Taught by Abdul-Majid
http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924011084948
22. Hungarian Self-Taught by Count de Soissons
http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924087840678
I can't yet find an online copy of Latin Self-Taught by John Topham. The Spanish Self-Taught book doesn't seem to be available on Internet Archive yet. Here are some other self-instruction books for Spanish:
Spanish with or without a master a thorough and easy course for self-instruction or schools (1898)
http://www.archive.org/details/spanishwithorwit01berl
[ADOPTED] New first Spanish book, after the natural or direct method for schools and self-instruction (1916)
http://www.archive.org/details/newfirstspanishb027296mbp
The Cortina Method Intended for Self-study and for Use in Schools: Spanish in Twenty Lessons ... (1889)
http://www.archive.org/details/cortinamethodin00cortgoog
Here are some books which could be recorded for other languages:
Latin:
THE MASTERY SERIES LATIN (1876) by Thomas Prendergast
http://www.archive.org/details/masteryseriesla00prengoog
Easy Steps in Latin by Hamer and Buchanan
http://www.archive.org/details/easystepsinlati00buchgoog
Beginning Latin by Barrs
http://www.archive.org/details/beginninglatin00bars
A Latin Primer by Nutting
http://www.archive.org/details/latinprimer00nuttrich
A New Practical and Easy Method of Learning the Latin Language by J. H. P . Seidenstücker, Franz Ahn
http://www.archive.org/details/anewpracticalan19ahngoog
Latin for Beginners by Benjamin Leonard D'Ooge (1909)
http://manybooks.net/titles/doogeb1825118251-8.html
Beginning Latin: an introduction, by way of English, to the Latin language (1919) by Perley, Curtis, etc.
http://www.archive.org/details/beginninglatina00otisgoog
Helps to Latin Translation at Sight by Edmund Luce (1908)
http://manybooks.net/titles/lucee2889028890-8.html
The Comic Latin Grammar – A New and Facetious Introduction to the Latin Tongue by Percival Leigh (1840) http://manybooks.net/titles/leighp2945629456-8.html
Easy Latin stories for beginners : with vocabulary and notes (1892) by Bennett
http://www.archive.org/details/easylatinstories00benn
Via latina; an easy Latin reader (1897)
http://www.archive.org/details/vialatinaeasylat00collrich
Ora maritima, a Latin story for beginners, with grammar and exercises (1909) by Sonnenschein http://www.archive.org/details/oramaritimalatin00sonnuoft
Pro patria: a Latin story for beginners, being a sequal to 'Ora Maritima', with grammar and exercises (1910)
http://www.archive.org/details/propatrialatinst00sonnrich
Ritchie’s Fabulae Faciles – A First Latin Reader by John Kirtland (1903)
http://manybooks.net/titles/kirtlandetext058flrd10.html
A Handbook for Latin Clubs by Various Authors (1916)
http://manybooks.net/titles/various1692316923-8.html
Classical and New Testament Greek:
Greek lessons; shewing how useful and how easy it is for every one to learn Greek (1874) by William Henry Morris
http://www.archive.org/details/greeklessonsshe02morrgoog
First Greek book; comprising an outline of the forms and inflections of the language, a complete analytical syntax, and an introductory Greek reader. With notes and vocabularies ([etc., etc.] 1873) by Albert Harkness
http://www.archive.org/details/firstgreekbookco00harkrich
Beginner’s Greek Book by Weir & Benner
http://www.archive.org/details/beginnersgreekb00smytgoog
An Introduction to the Greek of the New Testament
http://www.archive.org/details/introductiontogr00caryrich
A Practical Guide to the Greek New Testament
http://www.archive.org/details/practicalguideto00lond
Welsh:
How to learn Welsh, being an English-Welsh vocabulary & phrase-book, for the use of travellers and students = Llyfr ymddiddanion a geir-lechres gyflawn Saesneg a Chymraeg, a wasanaeth teithwyr ac elfrydwyr (1900)
http://www.archive.org/details/howtolearnwelshb00wrex
The tourists' English-Welsh vocabulary : containing the exact mode of pronouncing the Welsh alphabet, with a collection of useful phrases and familiar dialogues (1853) by Humphreys http://www.archive.org/details/touristsenglishw00hump
Arabic:
Al adjrumiieh : the Arabic text / with the vowels and an English translation (1852) by J. J. S. Perowne.
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=8UQ-AAAAcAAJ&dq=Al+adjrumiieh+perowne&source=gbs_navlinks_s
The Mi,ut Amil, and Shurhoo Mi,ut Amil; two elementary treatises on Arabic syntax translated by Abraham Lockett
http://www.archive.org/details/miutamilshurhoom00abdauoft
A grammar of the Arabic language: in which the rules are illustrated by authorities from the best writers; principally adapted for the service of the Honouable East India company (1811) by John Richardson
Arabic grammar of the written language by G.W. Thatcher
http://www.archive.org/details/arabicgrammarofw00harduoft
An Arabic Manual by John Gulian Lansing
http://www.archive.org/details/anarabicmanual00lansgoog
Handbook of modern Arabic : consisting of a practical grammar, with numerous examples, dialogues, and newspaper extracts ; in a European type by Francis William Newman
http://www.archive.org/details/handbookofmodern00newmiala
Arabic Reading Lessons by Duncan Forbes
http://www.archive.org/details/arabicreadingle00salegoog
Arabic reading lessons: consisting of extracts from the Koran, and other sources, grammatically analysed and translated; with the elements of Arabic grammar by N. Davis
http://www.archive.org/details/arabicreadingles00daviuoft
Arabic simplified : a practical grammar of written Arabic in 200 lessons : with exercises, test-papers and reading-book (1921) by Upson & Wilcox
http://www.archive.org/details/arabicsimplified00upsouoft
A practical grammar of the Arabic language (1866) by Shidiac
http://www.archive.org/details/apracticalgramm00willgoog
Arabicae Linguae Tyrocinium id est Thomae Erpenii Grammatica Arabica; Cum varia Praxios materia, cujus elenchum versa dabit pagella (1656)
http://books.google.com/books?id=VAcPAAAAQAAJ&printsec=titlepage&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=&f=false
مفصل في النحو by Maḥmūd ibn ‘Umar Zamakhsharī. Editor: Jens Peter Broch
Google Book URL (shortened by admin)
Ibn 'Aḳîl's Commentar zur Alfijja des Ibn Mâlik, übers. von F. Dieterici by ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Abd al-Raḥmân Ibn ‘Aḳîl, Jamâl al-Dîn Muḥammad b. ‘Abd Allah Ibn Mâlik http://books.google.com/books?id=g9QOAAAAQAAJ&dq=inauthor:%22Jam%C3%A2l+al-D%C3%AEn+Mu%E1%B8%A5ammad+b.+%CA%BBAbd+Allah+Ibn+M%C3%A2lik%22&lr=&source=gbs_navlinks_s
Ibn Mâlik's Lâmîyat al Af'âl, mit Badraddîn's Commentar, übers. und mit Anmerkungen versehen von Dr. Kellgren, herausg. von W. Volck http://books.google.com/books?id=8DlbAAAAQAAJ&dq=lamiyat+af%27al&lr=&source=gbs_navlinks_s
Persian:
Volume 1 of A Grammar of the Persian Language: Comprising a Portion of the Elements of Arabic Inflexion, Matthew Lumsden (1810)
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=g5ZHAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q=&f=false
A grammar of the Persian language. To which are subjoined several dialogues; with an alphabetical list of the English and Persian terms of grammar, and an appendix on the use of Arabic words by Muhammad Ibrahim
http://www.archive.org/details/grammarofpersian00ibrauoft
A Grammar of the Persian Language by Sir William Jones
http://www.archive.org/details/agrammarpersian01jonegoog
Simplified Grammar of Hindūstāni, Persian and Arabic by Edward Henry Palmer
http://www.archive.org/details/simplifiedgramm00palmgoog
Manual of Persian Phrases (1887) by Henry Eardley-Wilmot
http://www.archive.org/details/manualpersianph00eardgoog
Modern Persian Phrases (1871) by Aka Meerza Zeinul Abideen Sheerazee
http://www.archive.org/details/modernpersianph00unkngoog
The Persian Moonshee: Containing a Copious Grammar, and a Series of Entertaining Stories : Also the Pund-namu of Sadee, Being a Compendium of Ethics, in Verse ... to which is Added Forms of Addresses, Petitions, Citations, and Bonds, Etc., the Whole in the Arabic and Roman Characters Together with an English Translation, (1840) Francis Gladwin
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=6KAWAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q=&f=false
Swahili:
Swahili grammar and vocabulary, drawn up by Mrs. F. Burt
http://www.archive.org/details/swahiligrammarvo00burtiala
A handbook of the Swahili language as spoken at Zanzibar by Edward Steere
http://www.archive.org/details/handbookofswahil00stee
Swahili tales : as told by natives of Zanzibar (1870) by Edward Steere
http://www.archive.org/details/swahilitalesasto00stee
English - Kiswahili: Useful and Idiomatic Phrases (in Handbook to British East Africa and Uganda (1900) by John Bremner Purvis pp. 78-85)
http://www.archive.org/details/handbooktobritis00purviala
Yoruba:
Grammar and dictionary of the Yoruba language : with an introductory description of the country and people of Yoruba. ([1858]) by Bowen
http://www.archive.org/details/grammardictionar00bowerich
A vocabulary of the Yoruba language (1852) by Crowther
http://www.archive.org/details/vocabularyofyoru00crow
A Grammar of the Yoruba Language (1852) by Crowther
http://www.archive.org/details/agrammaryorubal00crowgoog
Language studies in Yoruba (1914)
http://www.archive.org/details/languagestudiesi00lagoiala
My Yoruba alphabet (1916) by Dennett
http://www.archive.org/details/myyorubaalphabet00denn
Classical Hebrew:
The Elements of Hebrew (1922) by Enoch Price
http://www.archive.org/details/elementshebrew00pricgoog
(A) Primer of Hebrew (1903) by Fagnani
http://www.archive.org/details/aprimerhebrew00fagngoog
The first Hebrew book (1851) by Arnold
http://www.archive.org/details/firsthebrewbook00arno
Introductory Hebrew grammar : Hebrew syntax (1896)
http://www.archive.org/details/introductoryhebr00daviuoft
The mastery series: Hebrew (1871) by Thomas Prendergast
http://www.archive.org/details/masteryseriesheb00prenrich
Outlines of Hebrew grammar (1877) by Bickell
http://www.archive.org/details/outlinesofhebrew00bickuoft
An easy introduction to the knowledge of the Hebrew language without the points
By James Patriot Wilson
http://books.google.com/books?id=Id4UAAAAYAAJ&dq=arabick+language&lr=&as_brr=1&source=gbs_navlinks_s
Modern Hebrew:
Spoken Hebrew = ha-Medaber Ivrit : a manual of Hebrew conversations (1921)
http://www.archive.org/details/spokenhebrewhame00pers
Syriac / Aramaic:
Introductory Syriac method and manual (1891) by Wilson
http://www.archive.org/details/introductorysyri00wilsrich
The elements of Syriac grammar (1837) by Phillips
http://www.archive.org/details/elementsofsyriac00philiala
A manual of the Aramaic language of the Babylonian Talmud; grammar, chrestomathy and glossaries (1910) by Margolis
http://www.archive.org/details/manualofaramaicl00marguoft
Assyrian grammar with chrestomathy and glossary (1921) by Mercer
http://www.archive.org/details/assyriangrammar00mercgoog
Sanskrit:
A sanskrit grammar for beginners : in Devanagari and Roman letters throughout (1870) by Müller, F. Max (Friedrich Max), 1823-1900
http://www.archive.org/details/sanskritgrammarf00mluoft
Esperanto:
A Complete Grammar of Esperanto by Kellerman
http://www.archive.org/details/acompletegrammar07787gut
Esperanto in Fifty Lessons by Privat
http://www.archive.org/details/esperantoinfift00privgoog
Esperanto at a glance, the international language; history, grammar, and vocabulary ([c1908]) by Edmond Privat http://www.archive.org/details/esperantoatglanc00privrich
Karlo – Facila Legolibro por la lernado de Esperanto by Edmond Privat (1910)
http://manybooks.net/titles/private2452524525.html
Vivo de Zamenhof by Edmond Privat (1920)
http://manybooks.net/titles/private2635926359.html
Esperanto in Twenty Lessons by Griffin
http://www.archive.org/details/esperantointwen00grifgoog
The Standard Course of Esperanto by Bullen
http://www.archive.org/details/standardcoursee00zamegoog
A first reader : intended for those who are beginning the study of Esperanto (c[1907?]) by Lawrence
http://www.archive.org/details/firstreaderinten00lawriala
Practical and theoretical Esperanto; a handy textbook for beginners and advanced students (1906) by Talmay
http://www.archive.org/details/practicalandthe00talmgoog
Esperanta sintakso by Paul Fruictier
http://www.archive.org/details/esperantasintak00fruigoog
Fundamento de Esperanto, gramatiko, ekzercaro, universala vortaro ... (1905) by L. L. Zamenhof
http://www.archive.org/details/fundamentodeesp00zamegoog
Dua Libro de l’ Lingvo Internacia by L. L. Zamenhof
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/20006
Fundamenta Krestomatio by L. L. Zamenhof
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/8224
Chinese:
First lessons in Chinese (1871) by Yates
http://www.archive.org/details/firstlessonsinch00yaterich
Chinese without a teacher (1872) by Giles
http://www.archive.org/details/chinesewithoutte00gilerich
Chinese made easy by Brouner
http://www.archive.org/details/chinesemadeeasy00brourich
Easy Lessons in Chinese, Or, Progressive Exercises to Facilitate the Study of that Language ... (1842) by Samuel Wells Williams
http://www.archive.org/details/easylessonsinch00willgoog
A Mandarin primer (1911) by Baller
http://www.archive.org/details/mandarinprimer00balluoft
Chinese without a teacher, being a collection of easy and useful sentences in the Mandarin dialect, with a vocabulary (1901) by Giles
http://www.archive.org/details/chinesewithoutte00gileuoft
Introduction to literary Chinese by Brandt
http://www.archive.org/details/introductiontoli00branuoft
A handbook of the Chinese language (1863) by James Summers
http://www.archive.org/details/handbookofchines00summiala
Chinese phonetic system and language : (English translation) (1922)
http://www.archive.org/details/chinesephonetics00lichrich
Colloquial Chinese by Whymant
http://www.archive.org/details/colloquialchines00whymiala
Two years' course of study in the Chinese language (1913) by Robert Bryan
http://www.archive.org/details/twoyearscourseof00bryarich
Brief introduction to the study of the Chinese language (1915) by Pettus
http://www.archive.org/details/briefintroductio00pettrich
Cantonese for beginners : learning Cantonese through self-taught word-for-word method, with characters, pronunciation, tones and combinations ([19--]) by Jiang
http://www.archive.org/details/cantoneseforbegi01jianuoft
A Cantonese phonetic reader by Jones
http://www.archive.org/details/cantonesephoneti00joneuoft
How to speak Cantonese: fifty conversations in Cantonese colloquial; with Chinese character, free and literal English translations, and romanised spelling with tonic and diacritical marks, &c (1902) by Ball http://www.archive.org/details/howtospeakcanton00ballrich
Egyptian (Ancient and Coptic):
A Compendious Grammar of the Egyptian Language as Contained in the Coptic, Sahidic, and ... (1863) by Henry Tattam
http://www.archive.org/details/acompendiousgra00tattgoog
Short Egyptian grammar (1920) by Roeder, Günther, 1881-1966; Mercer, Samuel A. B. (Samuel Alfred Browne), b. 1880, tr
http://www.archive.org/details/shortegyptiangr00roedgoog
An Egyptian reading book (1888) by Budge
http://www.archive.org/details/egyptianreadingb00budgiala
Egyptian grammar : with table of signs, bibliography, exercises for reading and glossary (1894) by Erman & Breasted
http://www.archive.org/details/egyptiangrammarw00ermauoft
Modern English:
A Grammar of the English Tongue (1812) by Samuel Johnson
http://manybooks.net/titles/johnsonsam15091509715097-8.html
The Grammar of English Grammars (1851) by Goold Brown
http://manybooks.net/titles/browng11611161511615-8.html
Graded Lessons in English – An Elementary English Grammar Consisting of One Hundred Practical Lessons, Carefully Graded and Adapted to the Class-Room by Alonzo Reed and Brainerd Kellogg (1896) http://manybooks.net/titles/reedalonetext04ggram10.html
Higher Lessons in English – A Course of Practical Lessons Carefully Graded, and Adapted to Every-Day Use in the School-Room by Alonzo Reed and Brainerd Kellogg (1896) http://manybooks.net/titles/reedalonetext04hiles10.html
A Handbook of the English Language by Robert Gordon Latham (1864)
http://manybooks.net/titles/lathamr2843628436-8.html
How to Teach Phonics by Linda M. Williams (1916)
http://manybooks.net/titles/williamslm1811918119.html
[ADOPTED] English Synonyms and Antonyms by James Champlin Fernald
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/28900
Connectives of English speech : the correct usage of prepositions, conjunctions, relative pronouns and adverbs explained and illustrated (1904) by Fernald
http://www.archive.org/details/connectivesofeng00fernuoft
A primer of English for foreign students (1916) by Thorley
http://www.archive.org/details/primerofenglishf00thor
Language primer : beginners' lessons in speaking and writing English (1874) by Swinton
http://www.archive.org/details/languageprimerbe00swinrich
A primer of spoken English by Sweet
http://www.archive.org/details/primerofspokenen00sweeuoft
[ADOPTED]The verbalist : a manual devoted to brief discussions of the right and wrong use of words, and to some other matters of interest to those who would speak and write with propriety (1884) by Ayres and Millar
http://www.archive.org/details/verbalistmanwest00ayreuoft
The Art of Writing & Speaking the English Language – Word-Study and Composition & Rhetoric by Sherwin Cody (1903)
http://manybooks.net/titles/codysh1971919719-8.html
How to Write Clearly – Rules and Exercises on English Composition by Edwin A. Abbott (1883) http://manybooks.net/titles/abbotted2260022600-8.html
[DONE]Fifteen Thousand Useful Phrases – A Practical Handbook of Pertinent Expressions, Striking Similes, Literary, Commercial, Conversational, and Oratorical Terms, for the Embellishment of Speech and Literature, and the Improvement of the Vocabulary of those Persons who Read, Write and Speak English (1910) by Grenville Kleiser
http://manybooks.net/titles/kleiserg1836218362.html
Division of Words – Rules for the Division of Words at the Ends of Lines, with Remarks on Spelling, Syllabication and Pronunciation by Frederick W. Hamilton (1918) http://manybooks.net/titles/hamiltonf1701617016-8.html
Punctuation -- A Primer of Information about the Marks of Punctuation and their Use Both Grammatically and Typographically by Frederick W. Hamilton (1920)
http://manybooks.net/titles/hamiltonf2078720787-8.html
1001 Questions and Answers on Orthography and Reading by B.A. Hathaway (1888)
http://manybooks.net/titles/hathawayb14401440314403-8.html
Slips of Speech -- A Helpful Book for Everyone who Aspires to Correct the Everyday Errors of Speaking and Writings by John H. Bechtel (1895) http://manybooks.net/titles/bechteljetext04slpsp10.html
[DONE]Write it Right -- A Little Blacklist of Literary Faults by Ambrose Bierce (1909)
http://manybooks.net/titles/bierceam12471247412474-8.html
A Spelling-Book for Advanced Classes by William T. Adams (1873)
http://manybooks.net/titles/adamswt2651326513-8.html
New Word-Analysis – Or, School Etymology of English Derivative Words by William Swinton (1879) http://manybooks.net/titles/swintonw1934619346-8.html
The Philosophy of Style by Herbert Spencer (1852)
http://manybooks.net/titles/spencerhetext048phil10.html
Lectures on Language – As Particularly Connected with English Grammar by William S. Balch (1838) http://manybooks.net/titles/balchw1759417594-8.html
Manual of linguistics (1893) by John Clark
http://www.archive.org/details/manualoflinguist00clar
English grammar, past and present; with appendices on prosody, synonyms, and other outlying subjects (1898) by Nestfield
http://www.archive.org/details/englishgrammarpa00nesfuoft
Pronouncing handbook of words often mispronounced and of words as to which a choice of pronunciation is allowed (1873) by Soule
http://www.archive.org/details/pronouncinghandb00souluoft
The King’s English (1922) by Henry Watson Fowler
http://www.archive.org/details/kingsenglish00fowliala
Of the Orthographie and Congruitie of the Britan Tongue – A Treates, Noe Shorter than Necessaries, For the Schooles by Alexander Hume (1617)
http://manybooks.net/titles/humeal1700017000-8.html
Style by Sir Walter Raleigh (1904 Edward Arnold edition)
http://manybooks.net/titles/raleighwetext97style10.html
English Past and Present by Richard Chevenix Trench (1905)
http://manybooks.net/titles/trenchri2090020900-8.html
On the Study of Words by Richard Chevenis Trench (1859)
http://manybooks.net/titles/trenchrietext048stwr10.html
English Dialects from the Eighth Century to the Present Day by Walter William Skeat (1912) http://manybooks.net/titles/skeatw1575515755-8.html
The Dialect of the West of England; Particularly Somersetshire by James Jennings
http://manybooks.net/titles/jenningsetext058deng10.html
English as She is Wrote – Showing Curious Ways in which the English Language may be made to Convey Ideas or Obscure Them by Anonymous (1883)
http://manybooks.net/titles/anon2593325933-8.html
Three primers put forth in the reign of Henry VIII : viz. I. A goodly prymer, 1535. II. The manual of prayers or the prymer in English, 1539. III. King Henry's primer, 1545 (1834) http://www.archive.org/details/threeprimersputf00unknuoft
Other French, Italian, Spanish and other modern Romance language books:
Conversation-book in English and Italian - Novissimo manuale di conversazione, Inglese e Italiano (1895) by Scartazzini http://www.archive.org/details/conversationbook00scaruoft
The Mastery series. French (1876) by Thomas Prendergast
http://www.archive.org/details/masteryseriesfr02prengoog
The Mastery series. Spanish (1871) by Thomas Prendergast
http://www.archive.org/details/masteryseriessp03prengoog
French Conversation-grammar: A New and Practical Method of Learning the French Language (1859) by Emil Otto
http://www.archive.org/details/frenchconversat00ottogoog
Ahn’s French Primer
http://www.archive.org/details/ahnsfrenchprimer00ahnfrich
A new pronouncing French primer, or, The scholars' guide to the accurate pronunciation and orthography of the French language ... (1829) by Tronchin
http://www.archive.org/details/anewpronouncing00trongoog
New Method of Learning the French Language (1859) by Keetels
http://www.archive.org/details/newmethodlearni00keetgoog
First Lessons in Learning French by Chouquet
http://www.archive.org/details/firstlessonsinle00chourich
The English and French Interpreter by Seze
http://www.archive.org/details/englishfrenchint00sezeuoft
Easy conversations in French by Chouquet
http://www.archive.org/details/easyconversation00chourich
Lucie : familiar conversations, in French and English (1864) by Riodu
http://www.archive.org/details/luciefamiliarco01riodgoog
Select original dialogues: or, Spanish and English conversations: for the use of those who study the Spanish language (1836) by Pizarro
http://www.archive.org/details/selectoriginaldi00pizauoft
A First Book in Spanish: Or, A Practical Introduction to the Study of the Spanish Language ... (1848) by Salkerd
http://www.archive.org/details/afirstbookinspa00salkgoog
Practical Spanish, a grammar of the Spanish language with exercises, materials for conversation and vocabularies (1902) by Arteaga & Pereira
http://www.archive.org/details/p1practicalspani00arteuoft
Spanish in Spanish, or, Spanish as a living language : a practical method of making Spanish the means of its own mastery (1894, c1893)
http://www.archive.org/details/spanishinspanish00duquiala
A simplified grammar of the Roumanian language (1883) by Torceanu
http://www.archive.org/details/simplifiedgramma00torcrich
An Elementary Spanish Reader by Earl Stanley Harrison (1912)
http://manybooks.net/titles/harrisone2206522065-8.html
Dialogues in French and English by William Caxton (1483)
http://manybooks.net/titles/caxtonw2921429214-8.html
First Italian Readings (1897) by Various Authors
http://manybooks.net/titles/various2407224072-8.html
A new practical and easy method of learning the Portuguese language (1869) by Lopes de Cabano
http://www.archive.org/details/anewpracticalan00cabagoog
[ADOPTED] A brief grammar of the Portuguese language with exercises and vocabularies (1910) by John C. Branner
http://www.archive.org/details/abriefgrammarpo00unkngoog
A grammar of the Portuguese language (1876) by Alfred Elwes
http://www.archive.org/details/agrammarportugu00elwegoog
A new method for learning the Portuguese language (1906) by E.F. Grauert
http://www.archive.org/details/anewmethodforle01graugoog
Portuguese conversation-grammar (1922) by Louise Ey
http://www.archive.org/details/portugueseconver00eylurich
Practical Grammar of the Portuguese Language (1908) by Charles Heron Wall
http://www.archive.org/details/practicalgramma00wallgoog
Other German, Dutch and other modern Germanic language books:
The Mastery Series: German (1868) by Thomas Prendergast
http://www.archive.org/details/masteryseriesge00prengoog
Ahn's Method of Learning the German Language (1872)
http://www.archive.org/details/ahnsmethodlearn00ahngoog
New Method of Learning the German Language ... (1875) by Woodbury http://www.archive.org/details/newmethodlearni01woodgoog
German Conversation-grammar: A New and Practical Method of Learning the German Language (1881) by Emil Otto
http://www.archive.org/details/germanconversat04ottogoog
A new practical method of learning the German language (1884) by Freudenberg
http://www.archive.org/details/anewpracticalme00freugoog
Guide for Learning the German Language ... (1899) by Bacon
http://www.archive.org/details/guideforlearnin00bacogoog
An elementary grammar of the German language: with exercises, readings, conversations, paradigms, and a vocabulary ([Pref. 1873, c1868]) by Worman
http://www.archive.org/details/elementarygramma00wormrich
A simplified grammar of the Danish language (1884)
http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924026542138
A guide to the Danish language. Designed for English students (1863)
http://www.archive.org/details/guidetodanishlan00bojeuoft
The Danish speaker : pronunciation of the Danish language, vocabulary, dialogues, and idioms, for the use of students and travellers in Denmark and Norway
http://www.archive.org/details/danishspeakerpro00bojeuoft
Danish grammar for Englishmen. With extracts in prose and verse (1847)
http://www.archive.org/details/danishgrammarfor00raskrich
Norwegian-Danish and English conversation teacher ... Reading and speaking self-taught through a simplified course of easy lessons for learners of either language ([c1905]) by Stevens
http://www.archive.org/details/norwegiandanishe00stevuoft
Elementary Swedish grammar, combined with exercises, reading lessons and conversations (1911) by Fort
http://www.archive.org/details/grammarswedish00fortrich
A new guide to German and English conversation, consisting of modern phrase, dialogues, idioms, proverbs, and a copious vocabulary, with tables of German moneys, weights, and measures (1873) by Rowbotham
http://www.archive.org/details/newguidetogerman00rowbuoft
The traveller's manual of conversation in four languages, English, French, German, Italian : with vocabulary, short questions, etc ([1896?]) by Baedeker
http://www.archive.org/details/travellersmanual00karluoft
Other Gaelic books (Irish, Scottish, etc.):
Irish for all : everyday conversation in Irish with imitated pronounciation and English translation, including salutations, simple proverbs, rhymes and witticisms from Gaelic firesides = Gaehilg do chách : comhrádh beirte (1922) by Tóibin, Seán, 1883-
http://www.archive.org/details/irishforallevery01tiuoft
Gaelic vocabulary and phrase book by James Munro
http://www.archive.org/details/rsgaelicvocabula00munruoft
Aids to the pronunciation of Irish (1922)
http://www.archive.org/details/aidstopronunciat00chriuoft
Guide to Gaelic conversation and pronunciation, with vocabularies, dialogues, phrases, and letter forms (1905)
http://www.archive.org/details/guidetogaeliccon00macbuoft
A practical grammar of the ancient Gaelic or, language of the Isle of Man, usually called Manks. Edited, together with an introd. by William Gill (1870)
http://www.archive.org/details/practicalgrammar00kelluoft
Elements of Gaelic Grammar by Alexander Steward (1892)
http://manybooks.net/titles/stewartalex2876628766-8.html
Proto-Indo-European and Other Indo-European Language Studies:
Mémoire sur le système primitif des voyelles dans les langues indo-européennes (1887) de Ferdinand de Saussure http://www.archive.org/details/mmoiresurlesyst00sausgoog
A Manual of Comparative Philology (1838) by William Balfour Winning
A compendium of the comparative grammar of the Indo-European, Sanskrit, Greek and Latin languages (1874) by August Schleicher
http://www.archive.org/details/acompendiumcomp01schlgoog
The negatives of the Indo-European languages (1896) by Frank Hamilton Fowler
http://www.archive.org/details/negativesofindoe00fowlrich
On the Relations between Chinese and the Indo-European languages (1857) by Samuel Stehman Halderman http://www.archive.org/details/onrelationsbetwe00hald
Some Other Languages:
English, French, Turkish, & Russian vocabulary & dialogues : forpractical use by the army and navy, travellers, sportsmen, cyclists, & others in the East ([18--?]) by Carl A. Thimm http://www.archive.org/details/englishfrenchtur00thimiala
A short practical ... method of learning the Old Norsk tongue or Icelandic language, after the ... (1868) by Rasmus
http://www.archive.org/details/ashortpractical00raskgoog
An Icelandic primer with grammar, notes and glossary (1886) by Sweet
http://www.archive.org/details/anicelandicprim02sweegoog
An Anglo-Saxon primer, with grammar, notes, and glossary; (1886) by Sweet
http://www.archive.org/details/anglosaxonprimer00sweerich
An elementary Old English reader, early West Saxon (1908) by Wyatt
http://www.archive.org/details/elementaryoldeng00wyatuoft
First Middle English primer; extracts from the Ancren riwle and Ormulum, with grammar and glossary (1884)
http://www.archive.org/details/firstmiddleengli00sweeuoft
Second Middle English primer; extracts from Chaucer, with grammar and glossary (1905) by Sweet
http://www.archive.org/details/secondmiddleengl00sweeuoft
A handbook of the modern Greek spoken language with exercises (1921) by Petraris, Rouse
http://www.archive.org/details/handbookofmodern00petruoft
A practical method in the modern Greek language (1896)
http://www.archive.org/details/apracticalmetho01ranggoog
Handbook of Pali. Being an elementary grammar, a chrestomathy, and a glossary (1883) by Frankfurter
http://www.archive.org/details/handbookofpalibe00fran
Abridged grammars of the languages of the cuneiform inscriptions, containing: I.--A Sumero-Akkadian grammar. II.--An Assyro-Babylonian grammar. III.--A Vannic grammar. IV.--A Medic grammar. V.--An Old Persian grammar (1888) by Bertin
http://www.archive.org/details/abridgedgrammar00bertgoog
Historical grammar of the ancient Persian language (1917) by Johnson
http://www.archive.org/details/historicalgramma00johnrich
Initia Amharica; an introduction to spoken Amharic (1908) by Armbruster
http://www.archive.org/details/initiaamharicaa00armbgoog
A manual of Polish and English conversation (1912) by Kasprowicz
http://www.archive.org/details/manualofpolishen00kasprich
Practical handbook of the Polish language : containing the alphabet, pronunciation, fluency exercises, rules of grammar, various conversations, comprehensive vocabulary of words in daily use (1915)
http://www.archive.org/details/practicalhandboo00balurich
Sumerian Grammatical Texts by Langdon
http://www.archive.org/details/sumeriangrammat00langgoog
Handbook of Volapuk by Sprague
http://www.archive.org/details/handbookvolapk00spragoog
The Levant interpreter, a polyglot dialogue book for English travellers in the Levant (1879) by Anton Tien
http://www.archive.org/details/levantinterprete00tienuoft
Dialogues, English and Hindoostanee; for illustrating the grammatical principles of the Strangers' East Indian guide, and to promote the colloquial intercourse of Europeans on the most indispensable and familiar subjects with the natives of India (1826) by Gilchrist
http://www.archive.org/details/dialoguesenglish00gilcuoft
A handbook of the Cornish language : chiefly in its latest stages with some account of its history and literature (1904) by Henry Jenner
http://www.archive.org/details/handbookofcornis00jennuoft OR http://manybooks.net/titles/jennerh2619226192-0.html
Sketch of Cornish grammar (1859) by Norris
http://www.archive.org/details/sketchofcornishg00norriala
Elementary manual of the Yiddish language with exercises & conversations (1909) by J. Mazin http://www.archive.org/details/nybc211929
Vocabularies: English, German, Magyar, Serbian, Bulgarian, Roumanian, Greek, Turkish (1920) by the Admiralty (Great Britain)
http://www.archive.org/details/admiraltyvocabul00grearich
The Frisian language and literature : a historical study (1879) by Hewett
http://www.archive.org/details/frisianlanguagel00heweuoft
Phonology & grammar of modern West Frisian; with phonetic texts and glossary ([1913]) by Sipma
http://www.archive.org/details/phonologygrammar00sipmuoft
Prendergast's mastery system, adapted to the study of Japanese or English (1878) by Samuel Brown
http://www.archive.org/details/prendergastsmast00browrich
Avesta reader, first series: easier texts, notes and vocabulary; (1893) by Jackson http://www.archive.org/details/avestareaderfir00jackgoog
Outlines of Basque grammar (1825) by Eys
http://www.archive.org/details/outlinesbasqueg00unkngoog
The Abenaki Indians – Their Treaties of 1713 & 1717, and a Vocabulary by Frederic Kidder (1859) http://manybooks.net/titles/kidderf2541625416-8.html
Sign Language among North American Indians Compared with That Among Other Peoples and Deaf-Mutes by Garrick Mallery (1881) http://manybooks.net/titles/malleryg1745117451-8.html
Linguistics:
The science of language; linguistics, philology, etymology (1877)
http://www.archive.org/details/scienceoflanguag00hove
Principles of the history of language (1891)
http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924026442586
Manual of Linguistics: A Concise Account of General and English Phonology ... by John Clark (1893)
http://www.archive.org/details/manuallinguisti00clargoog
Other Books on Languages:
The Struggle for the Hebrew Language in Palestine (1914) by Zionist Organisation Actions Committee
http://www.archive.org/details/struggleforhebr00commgoog
The mastery of languages; or, The art of speaking foreign tongues idiomatically (1864) by Prendergast
http://www.archive.org/details/masterylanguage00prengoog
Handbook to the Mastery series: Rev. and greatly improved: New impr. (1868) by Thomas Prendergast
http://www.archive.org/details/handbooktomaste00prengoog
The Study of Living Languages by Sir Arthur Cotton
http://books.google.com/books?id=evwvAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=inauthor:%22Arthur+Cotton%22#v=onepage&q=&f=false
The Aural System Being the most direct, THE STRAIGHT-LINE METHOD for the SIMULTANEOUS FOURFOLD MASTERY of a FOREIGN LANGUAGE teaching simultaneously to SPEAK, UNDERSTAND, READ, AND WRITE, by a Linguist of nearly 40 years standing, and nearly 20 years resident abroad (1895) by Anonymous
http://manybooks.net/titles/anonymous2916329163.html
The human speech sounds, tracing the evolution of the forty-three speech sounds in the human voice through all their series, classes, kinds and forms to the limit of audible distinction; describing their organic formations; together with the positions of the mouth parts and establishing and exemplifying the physiologically correct pronunciation of all their ninety-three different forms; also giving thoroughgoing inflection and articulating exercises, rules for audible syllabication and the logical notation of the sounds ([1918]) by Luthy
http://www.archive.org/details/humanspeechsound00luthuoft
A Philosophical Essay for the Reunion of the Languages or, The Art of Knowing All by the Mastery of One by Pierre Besnier (1675)
http://manybooks.net/titles/besnierp15641564915649-8.html
Adamitics, an essay on first man's language; or, The easiest way to learn foreign languages, for the use of middle- and highschools (1914) by Anton von Velics
http://www.archive.org/details/adamiticsessayon00veliiala
On the Evolution of Language – First Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1879-80 by J. W. Powell (1881).
http://manybooks.net/titles/powelljw1881818818-8.html
PS. I had mentioned the topic of language books quite a while back (see: http://librivox.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9453&highlight= ), but now I feel that I need to really encourage this idea and promote it among Librivoxers afresh and with more direction.
Best wishes,
Nicholas
EDIT: See also:
http://librivox.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9453
http://librivox.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8845
http://librivox.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8962
I guess I could fake Latin, and still some of the other languages I have learnt, but... Arabic? Hebrew? However, I'm sure we have lots of people around here who know how to speak these languages already... Lets do this! 
I suppose that will be rather tiring for the listener. Also, he always gives the "pronounciation" beside the word - I think I will skip that. :p
I guess the best I can do is to warn people in the summary!