Rosetta Stone
I'm looking to learn a new language independently, and wondering the best way to go about it. I've seen/heard a lot about Rosetta Stone -- but does anyone here have experiences with it? Is it as good as they make it out to be? I'd be interested to know if it's worth what they charge for it.
They might have a copy of some language at a big local library... that's where I was first able to come across it.
Rosetta Stone is pretty cool. It makes you learn to recognize sound by pairing certain phrases with pictures... So it's a bit more of a natural way of learning a language.
See if you can get a free copy at a library first (of ANY language, just to see)...
I personally think that Rosetta Stone is a waste of money.
Learning phrases to pictures is a "more natural" language acquisition method ... but it's more effective for children. Your ability to acquire a language naturally suffers greatly after age 17.
Check out the cost of Rosetta Stone (if it isn't available to you for free somewhere - obviously if it is free, try it!) versus the cost of a course at your local community college. I've found they're very comparable, but tuition may be higher in your area.
Rosetta Stone offers a free trial disc, usually in Swedish or similar unpopular language (so that you can't use the free sample as a stepping stone.) You should try that out and see if the system works for you. Some people have success with it.
In addition to a concrete learning system, whether that be Rosetta Stone, college classes, etc, the best thing you can do is make friends who speak the target language (or alternatively, immerse yourself in a country where the target language is spoken, but that's much more expensive!) It gives you a concrete reason to continue learning and stretch your vocabulary. Download music tracks in the language. Look on Youtube for shows that are in the language (and maybe even get channels on cable in that language, if they're available.)
What language is it that you want to learn, by the way?
made one wish for a permanent kiss that would echo through these bones like arsenic
Women are female (adj,) but not females (n.) We aren't dogs.
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Korean ^^ I mean, I know bits already, from watching dramas all the time and listening to the music... but I'd like to learn it properly.
Unfortunately the Asian community is tiny round where I live, so the only Asian language I know of that's taught locally is Japanese (because it's pretty popular with teenagers these days). No Korean for miles =( I'd have to travel up to London to be able to attend a class.
Anyhow, I'll see if I can get ahold of a free one like you say, and I'll give it a shot. It's not going to hurt to try, right?
Last edited by owtte; 05-27-2011 at 09:19 AM.
I would opt for a class someplace. Learning a language is cool and all but pairing apple with the foreign name for it has no real value...you can just say apple. Not "I want to eat this apple". You learn no practical punctuation, or sentence structure which you would need if you want to converse with someone. In class the instructors can teach you far better. You may never become fluent in the language but you may be able to hold a bit of a conversation or read a bit of the language rather than listening to a conversation and only picking up the words "apple" "dog" "person".
There are those who believe that dictionaries should not merely reflect the times but also protect English from the mindless assaults of the trendy.
I had to google how far London is from you ... further than I'd like to drive, personally. What about online courses? They have less value because of the non-classroom setting, but having a teacher is always helpful.
I don't know how RS handles different alphabets; you may be better served by purchasing a good textbook (probably in the USD200-300 range) that handles writing, grammar, and vocab. Learning words by sound within a writing system you're not familiar with is a recipe for later frustration. (My early studies of Japanese by ear? Disaster! I didn't know how to differentiate the sounds I was hearing.)
I guarantee that you know more than you think you do: watching dramas is a great way to supplement formal learning. Good luck!
made one wish for a permanent kiss that would echo through these bones like arsenic
Women are female (adj,) but not females (n.) We aren't dogs.
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Actually, I've just been looking at the first couple of Korean lessons that RS have now. They don't seem very good with the different writing system >.< it's probably a good thing I learnt this in advance. It means now I'm pretty familiar with it, and the sounds that the characters pair with, etc.
I'll take a look at some online courses, then! RS is looking a lot like how ItsASecret described =P I am now familiar with the words for 'apple', 'dog' and 'person' =D but I can see this is probably going to be as practical as those French lessons our school gave us for the first few years I was there -- no real practical application.
And, if the textbooks are going to be that much... it's a good thing my birthday is coming up T_T
Textbooks are never cheap. Especially when it is something a person could actually need lol. Go to a local big name bookstore, and check out books there. Then maybe see if Amazon would have a cheaper price, as Amazon usually does rather than big name bookstores. A class would still be your best bet, because with a book you can see the proper word you need to say but you have no idea if you are actually pronouncing it correctly.
There are those who believe that dictionaries should not merely reflect the times but also protect English from the mindless assaults of the trendy.
Ah, I guess >.< it was naive of me to have thought otherwise T_T
Currently I'm scouring the internet for courses nearby. There're courses at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London... for a 20 hour intensive course, part of which I'm already pretty okay with, I'd be looking at £280. Ouch.
In defense of middle school French classes: If you know how to implement it, it is useful!
Education is expensive. Whether that be the classes or the textbooks. I don't know how scholarships and student loans work in the UK, but you might research them too. It is a college course after all!
made one wish for a permanent kiss that would echo through these bones like arsenic
Women are female (adj,) but not females (n.) We aren't dogs.
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