Moderators: richierich, ua900, PanAm_DC10, hOMSaR
Anybody Used Rosetta Stone Language Course?
I'm thinking it would be good of me to pick up spanish, at leat the basics, by the end of the year. Has anyone used those Rosetta Stone products and if so are they as good as they claim to be? Thanks in advance.
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- UltimateDelta
- Posts: 2233
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RE: Anybody Used Rosetta Stone Language Course?
I've used the German level 1 program, and yes, it's as good as it says it is. In my case, at least, I learned the basics of German in about six weeks. I'd definitely go with that over other language learning programs.
RE: Anybody Used Rosetta Stone Language Course?
I've used it as they have the deal with the DoD and indeed it is perhaps the best online course. I've done German for the most part but bits of Italian and French as well and they really help.
If you can afford it, though, I'd also recommend going to a school like Berlitz. As convenient as online classes are the face to face interaction cannot be duplicated. Either that or get a buddy who speaks Spanish and practice for free!
If you can afford it, though, I'd also recommend going to a school like Berlitz. As convenient as online classes are the face to face interaction cannot be duplicated. Either that or get a buddy who speaks Spanish and practice for free!
RE: Anybody Used Rosetta Stone Language Course?
I've been thinking about trying Rosetta Stone...is it expensive? (And do I need to install voice recognition software on my Mac...or is that included?)
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- UltimateDelta
- Posts: 2233
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RE: Anybody Used Rosetta Stone Language Course?
| Quoting RJdxer (Thread starter): at leat the basics |
You already have the accent and broken English part down.
I've toyed around with it for learning Thai.
I haven't bought it because it is a bit pricey. The best way to learn a language is to be around and talk with native speakers.
Living in Texas, you already have a large Spanish speaking population that you can learn the language from.
RE: Anybody Used Rosetta Stone Language Course?
| Quoting Charles79 (Reply 3): Either that or get a buddy who speaks Spanish and practice for free! |
That wouldn't be a a problem but....
| Quoting Superfly (Reply 4): Living in Texas, you already have a large Spanish speaking population that you can learn the language from. |
Unfortunately I have been told that is not the way to learn it since you will inevitably end up learning a lot of slang and perhaps bad grammar. I'm told it's ok to practice but to learn the language right I'm told the best way is to get a course. I'm also told by Spanish speakers that those that grow up here speaking it on and off are readily identifiable in their use of Spanish to those that grow up in Mexico or anywhere else that speaks it as a first language.
RE: Anybody Used Rosetta Stone Language Course?
I used the Japanese version a bit before coming here and it was fairly helpful for getting the basics established. I had taken Japanese for one full semester in high school (yes, we have that in yuppie California) and didn't learn a damn thing, so solely on that basis, I felt the program was worth the money. But it will focus on only correct speaking of the language, as previously mentioned...after getting here I realized that colloquial speech is much more important, especially since I live in a region where the Tokyo dialect isn't spoken. Depends on your purposes of course, but basically it should get the job done RJ.
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- LASoctoberB6
- Posts: 1936
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RE: Anybody Used Rosetta Stone Language Course?
| Quoting Aaron747 (Reply 9): I had taken Japanese for one full semester in high school (yes, we have that in yuppie California) |
I'm taking Japanese as my "major" at my school. My teacher, who happens to be trilingual in German, English, and Japanese is a very good teacher and buying that program is only a small consideration with the way she's teaching..
RE: Anybody Used Rosetta Stone Language Course?
| Quoting RJdxer (Reply 6): I'm also told by Spanish speakers that those that grow up here speaking it on and off are readily identifiable in their use of Spanish to those that grow up in Mexico or anywhere else that speaks it as a first language. |
You're going to hear a lot of stuff like that. The Spanish they speak in Mexico isn't the same Spanish that they speak in Spain, just like the English that is spoken in the US isn't the same as the English that's spoken in the UK (heck, sometimes it seems like the English that's spoken in one part of the US isn't the same as the one that's spoken in another part). Accents and regional variations are part of the game when it comes to a widely spoken language like Spanish, English or French.
If you need to communicate in Spanish with people in Texas, learning it from them would be a good way to go about it. But from what I've heard, Rosetta Stone is a great way to learn it as well. I've got the discs for the French program hanging around, but never have managed to try them.
-Mir
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- ArmitageShanks
- Posts: 3779
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RE: Anybody Used Rosetta Stone Language Course?
There's a rosetta stone store in the Charlotte airport and I've always wondered what kind of sales they would have. Its been there for a while so its gotta be making some money, right?
Who makes a 200+ dollar investment on a whim while on a trip?
Who makes a 200+ dollar investment on a whim while on a trip?
RE: Anybody Used Rosetta Stone Language Course?
| Quoting ArmitageShanks (Reply 12): Who makes a 200 dollar investment on a whim while on a trip? |
I can tell you I wish I had made the investment before going to Yalta in the Ukraine. Fortunately my guides turned out to be very trustworthy fellows. Speaking English there is like raising a polka dot flag above your head. Many people there are on vacation from rural parts of the Ukraine and have never ever met an American before or in some case an English speaker. I did learn the very basics and it went a long way in forming their opening opinion of me since they could at least see I was trying. I wish I had put in the time and become more fluent.
| Quoting UltimateDelta (Reply 1): I'd definitely go with that over other language learning programs. |
| Quoting Charles79 (Reply 3): I've used it as they have the deal with the DoD and indeed it is perhaps the best online course. |
| Quoting Aaron747 (Reply 9): Depends on your purposes of course, but basically it should get the job done RJ. |
Thanks for the advice. I'm going to plunk down the change and see what happens since buying the product is only the start of the adventure.
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- rfields5421
- Posts: 6374
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RE: Anybody Used Rosetta Stone Language Course?
As I am going to Chile in February I signed up for the online version for 6 months. I have gotten through the first unit of the first level. I am impressed with it. Signing up for the subscription was cheaper than ordering it outright. I got the audio companion and the headphones with the subscription.
RE: Anybody Used Rosetta Stone Language Course?
Almost finished with Arabic Level 1.
Bought all three levels of Arabic at once. Saved some
.
Started going to a craigslist meeting group to communicate with native speakers. Helping out a lot.
I recommend doing the same with a group after about 25-30 lessons.
Bought all three levels of Arabic at once. Saved some
.
Started going to a craigslist meeting group to communicate with native speakers. Helping out a lot.
I recommend doing the same with a group after about 25-30 lessons.
RE: Anybody Used Rosetta Stone Language Course?
| Quoting RJdxer (Reply 13): I'm going to plunk down the change and see what happens since buying the product is only the start of the adventure. |
It'll be worth it! One thing I did in order to keep my German current was to subscribe to a couple of German car magazines (Auto Zeitung and Auto Motor und Sport). It is an amazing help to learn the language while reading about something that is of your personal interest. In fact I did the same thing when perfecting my English (I grew up in Puerto Rico so Spanish was more or less my first language, at least the one for daily use). But I recommend it further down the line, once you are more comfortable with the language. Also down the line you could watch foreign films/news in your target language (Spain's newspaper El Pais has a great website which you could use to practice as well). I still say that finding someone who speaks the language (or traveling to the country) is crucial but just like you said....
| Quoting RJdxer (Reply 6): Unfortunately I have been told that is not the way to learn it since you will inevitably end up learning a lot of slang and perhaps bad grammar. I'm told it's ok to practice but to learn the language right I'm told the best way is to get a course. I'm also told by Spanish speakers that those that grow up here speaking it on and off are readily identifiable in their use of Spanish to those that grow up in Mexico or anywhere else that speaks it as a first language. |
...I forgot that you are exposed to a slightly bastardised form of Spanish, to put it politely! I learned proper Spanish at school in Puerto Rico, but that's only because it was a Spanish colony for over 400 years and Spain's influence is still very dominant. I dealt with the Mexicans while living in Los Angeles and their Spanish was just plain awful, and even the Spanish "teachers" there were teaching the Mexican version of the language. But then again, I'm sure a non-English speaker trying to learn the language would make the same observation between the US and the UK.
RE: Anybody Used Rosetta Stone Language Course?
I use Platiquemos for Spanish. 35 bucks a unit. I have heard some not so useful things about Rosetta so I won't wast 200 bucks.
RE: Anybody Used Rosetta Stone Language Course?
| Quoting ArmitageShanks (Reply 12): Who makes a 200+ dollar investment on a whim while on a trip? |
But at least you noticed it, didn't you.
And you're talking about it right now, aren't you?
You might even be considering making a purchase, this very minute. I think Rosetta Stone does OK and part of that is catering to the high income people who travel thru airports. Matter of fact, it is their target. Whether they purchase on-site or just saunter by, casually thinking about it, hmmmmmmmm.