  GRB{980519} is characterized by its rapidly declining optical and X-ray
afterglows. Explanations of this behavior include models invoking a dense
medium environment which makes the shock wave evolve quickly into the
sub-relativistic phase, a jet-like outflow, and a wind-shaped circumburst
medium environment. Recently, Frail {et al}. (1999a) found that the latter two
cases are consistent with the radio afterglow of this burst. Here, by
considering the trans-relativistic shock hydrodynamics, we show that the dense
medium model can also account for the radio light curve quite well. The
potential virtue of the dense medium model for GRB{980519} is that it implies a
smaller angular size of the afterglow, which is essential for interpreting the
strong modulation of the radio light curve. Optical extinction due to the dense
medium is not important if the prompt optical-UV flash accompanying the
$\gamma$-ray emission can destroy dust by sublimation out to an appreciable
distance. Comparisons with some other radio afterglows are also discussed.
