www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Has anyone had any experience with using a English/Spanish translator PDA while in CR? I've written down a few key phrases as they appeared on this board. I have also immersed myself in learning Spanish. Yet, I still fee that I'll need some translation for those not-so-common conversations that will inevitably occur. I don't want to look or act like an unintelligent gringo or, worse, a geeky fool. I was thinking of using it as a cheat sheet of sorts. Any one ever use one in CR?

JD,
my Seiko ET2240 is always on me in CR...
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product. ... 0002029270

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Thanks. I'll bring it with me.

I lived in Mexico 3 years in the early 90s. I learned Spanish not by classes, but by immersion with the culture...only socializing for months with non english speaking Mexicans...and dating women with my trusty franklin mini translator digital dictionary. Some of my best dates there were with girls who knew very little english, but we would sit over dinner trying to talk and both punching in words and phrases for the other. It was great fun, lots of laughs... and along with listening to spanish TV and reading spanish newspapers and magazines...I was selling on the phone is spanish within 8 months.

All this to encourage you that this is a great and fun method to learn the language, and kudos to you for making the effort JDinCT. It will change your life...

Thanks, Tman. You're right about watching/listening to the Spanish channels. Up until late last year, I usually would skip those channels while surfing. But after watching a few of the soaps and comedies, guess what? I found them entertaining and helpful at refining my novice Spanish skills. And the women -- most of them 10s! -- actually were quite interesting to listen to and, of course, watch
I can't wait for my first visit to CR in April.

I agree with Tman.

I always take my Franklin english/spanish translator DBE-1450 (about $50 - more words ). It comes in very handy traveling and with your tica. Most think they are cool. Way cooler than breaking out a dictionary. She may say a word you don't understand or vice versa or you may mispronounce the hell out of a word, then type it in & bingo. Also, it's very thin & easily fits in your pants pocket.

goboy

Goboy,

Going to be in the US the week after super bowl. Very interested in the Franklin English/Spanish translator DBE-1450. Can you tell me what stores carry it? Sorry for what may seem a dumb but when you have been in CR for over a year kind of lose touch. Anyone else out there with info would appreciate a heads up. Thanks

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Alex Levine

This unit sells for about $99.00 at Best Buy. It's a little bulker than other units but will pronounce spanish words and common phrases. It also has date storage with password good for phone # and e-mail addressES of your favorite chicas.

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If a little's good than a lot's better and too much is just right

Tman - Besides the travel, adventure and Ticas, another desire of mine is to refresh my Spanish language skills. I'm looking forward to immersion en la cultura. I hadn't even thought of an electronic translator until this post and your post about having a fun time with the Ticas, both of you using it, sounds better than mi naríz siempre enterrado en un diccionario.

Ding Dong

I bought mine (DBE-1450) at Best Buy. It's now the DBE-1470 and costs $49.99. It's the thin one that easily fits in your pocket.

The speaking one is BES-1850 and costs $99.99. It's very bulky and the speaker is not good. Not for me.

goboy

These units translate Spanish to English just as easily as Eng to Spanish? I would think the Ticas would appreciate it.

I recently bought a Franklin DB1470 and find it very good. Translation both ways and even if you spell the word slightly wrong it will give you choices as to which word you really want. Very small and compact and easy to fit any pocket. Highly recommended.

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Y.N.W.A.

This is the one I have, I once traded mine for a session. The colombiana was really impressed by it and wanted it instead of money.

Worked for me! I got home a bought a new one!

_________________
GG
"Last time I said no......I misunderstood the question!"

I recently ran across a website that I, as a person who speaks reasonable Spanish, find outstanding! It won't help you while you are in the heat of battle but, it's a great learning tool.

www.foreignword.com

dapanz1

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Paradise= Sitting outside the Bodega in Panama City about 1 am. Drinking cool Balboas with cool friends and blazin' hot Colombianas. I want to be there..RIGHT NOW!

Ticafan,

Yes, they translate both ways. And, yes, to say the ticas appreciate it is a big understatement. These girls are basically young K*ds. To them it is a facinating toy, a novelty. You want my take on these things? No? Well of course you know I'm going to give it anyway.

First, I got a cheap basic unit (not the speaking one). I might have a different take on fancier ones, but I don't think so. These things can be very handy, especially, if you're stuck on a particular word, but they are no substitute for being able to speak some spanish yourself. They can be very useful as ANOTHER tool to HELP you LEARN spanish, but they have serious limitations as a tool to help you actually CONVERSE.

The timeconsuming process of typing in the word or phrase on the tiny keyboard is definitely not conducive to a naturally paced conversation and should be seen as a method of last resort. I suppose on some models you can type in the phrase ahead of time and store it, but how many phrases are you going to think up ahead of time and wouldn't it be better to just then learn to speak that phrase in spanish rather than push a few buttons and have some geeky device speak it for you? Also, they have a limited vocabulary, sometimes choosing an inexact translation, nuance or meaning of the word you were seeking. They don't always conjugate verbs well. If you, or more likely the chica, are poor spellers or typists, they don't always deal well with that well either. Finally, as long as I'm playing the devil's advocate or the voice of balance, say you get the $100 model, how can one argue against carrying large sums of money or fancy jewelry or watches around and then carry around a fancy electronic gizmo like this. It seems to me they would be natural targets for theives that see you messing around with one at a bar or on the street.

In short, a PDA translator can be an interesting SUPPLEMENT to your other spanish learning efforts or as a "BAIL-OUT" device when stuck on a word in conversation (or for those who waited until the last minute before their trip to start to learn ANY spanish), but should definitely NOT be seen as some sort of "MAGIC-BULLET" or substitute for learning to speak spanish by other means. Anyway, thats my take. Others may swear by them.