Paden (French and Italian, Northwestern U.) presents the only textbook in print for learning the language of the troubadours in southern France during the Middle Ages. Chapters explain such linguistic features as stressed vowels and subjunctive mood, and include an exercise based on a reading of an Occitan text that has been edited afresh for the volume. The glossary gives cognates in other Romance languages and its Latin source as well as the English definition. The compact disc discusses the pronunciation, with illustrations from the texts in the book and musical performances. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.