Icantstayaway wrote:
TheMadGerman wrote:
Rosetta stone is a committment. And you can get bored or frustrated with it quickly because it doesn't teach you "conversational" spanish, rather it tries to teach the language as a whole.
I agree with most others, Pimsleur is better to get up to speed, then maybe Rosetta stone to advance yourself.
The new version 3 Rosetta stone is much different than version 2. Version 2 does require real commitment to the language because you do start out learning "boy, dog, plate, shirt" long before you learn to say "hello". For version 3, Rosetta claims you now only need 50-60 hours of study per level instead of the 150-200 for version 2. I have seen it demo'd and it's quite good and along the way you learn to speak, read and write your language. It's also geared to be more conversational now and divides the lessons up by categories that allow you to focus on different areas of interest or subjects in a language you might want to understand more. Version 2 gives you no way to locate grouped subjects.
I reviewed the study guides for version 2 and version 3 and it appears your proficiency in the language is far great by the end of level 2, version 2, than the end of level 3, version 3. Version 2 just has LOTS more language in it. So for the time and effort it seems like you really learn the language with greater depth.
Rosetta's new version 3 is way easier to use and provides more than enough foundation that by reading and speaking with people you should be able to advance in the language naturally.
Panther wrote:
What exactly is Pimsleur? Is it a computer program, and how does it work?
Thanks!
It is a series of CDs or MP3s(if you get them off a file sharing site) that teach your language of choice but at a basic, useful level and progress from there. But it teaches you the things we as travelers, and mongers need to know right from the start.
Most languages have three levels(I, II, and III).
http://www.pimsleurapproach.com/
If you order the levels you get text workbooks so you are in essence learning to read and speak it.