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Learn a language: any advice?

Wed. December 30, 2009 Posted in Personal

I’ve loved languages for a long time. It started with Spanish (when I was about 16) due to where I live, moved onto Chinese since I wanted to speak with the kids at the orphanage I’d be working at (when I was 18), then to French for all of our times in France, with a little dash of Italian for the same reasons as French. I’ve since dabbled back and forth the most between French and Chinese.

At my best, I was somewhat decent with both French and Chinese. But the problem is that once I head on to another country I try my best to speak some of that language — thus pushing the amount that I knew farther back in my brain.

So I’m officially wanting to refresh my Chinese brain and I’m down to Rosetta Stone and Fluenz. Does anyone have any experience with either of these? I’ve heard Rosetta Stone is great — outside of the Chinese. I’ve heard good things about the Chinese with Fluenz. But if you’ve used either for any language, I’d love to hear first hand accounts, your friend’s experience, or your uncle’s dentist’s mechanic’s account… Can you tell I’m pretty curious?

Also, anything additional that you know of is more than welcomed :)

———-

The South Gate and Thom Bayon – Cambodia.

Bobby

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by Bobby Earle

16 comments

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Anonymous - I bought Rosetta Stone for Vietnamese. For me, it wasn't worth it. - Tim NewtonDecember 31, 2009 - 2:12 am

Kyle - Bobby, my mom has learned Mandarin, enough that she can actually converse with people. She started with Rosetta and then moved on to another program that's basically listening to tapes too. Email me if you want and I can give you her email. She's nice and she looooooves learning languages, traveling and when other people learn languages and travel, so I'm sure she'd be happy to help!December 31, 2009 - 10:02 am

gina&tony - rosetta's interesting in that it forces you to associate the new language with concepts and ideas and never gives you an actual translation. you just go through the lessons and eventually figure out on your own what the words mean. it's a great WAY to learn a language, because you're not constantly translating back to english in your head. but on the other hand, you don't learn anything you'd actually need until you're pretty far into it. i would use it WITH other things like a podcast or tapes so you have the best of both worlds.

(ps, i used rosetta for japanese, but i all i remember now is "the boy is under the plane." lol. not sure how handy that will ever be.) -ginaDecember 31, 2009 - 5:32 pm

Angela Young - My brother speaks Mandarin (sp?) and I could ask him if he has any advice for ya! :) I stink at foreign language! :( I can barely remember English somedays!! LOL! :) I will let ya know what he says!December 31, 2009 - 9:37 pm

sylvia borgo - Hey Bobby, hang out with me and you're Spanish will be awesome! ;)

I'm sorry I can't be more help, since I don't have any experience with those 2 programs you mentioned. Best of luck, and seriously, let's catch lunch!December 31, 2009 - 9:38 pm

Morgan Henderson - Not sure how the reverse works, but several of my chinese friends said watching dvds in english helped them learn. If you could pick up shows you are already familiar with but dubbed in Chinese that might help. I think it would also help to get chinese tv shows to get the slang down. I've heard that is what makes TV shows a good way to learn. You pick up some culture & slang at the same time.

There are the region issues with DVDs, but you are probably already familiar with that.December 31, 2009 - 9:39 pm

Bobby Earle - Thanks you guys! Sylvia, as soon as I catch up, we should hang out for sure! I'm going to try to do an Office night sometime soon so you should totally come!

Angela, definitely ask your brother! That'd be great :)December 31, 2009 - 9:42 pm

Matt Antonino - Rosetta pretty much rules the roost. I've heard good things about Fluenz but I used to use Rosetta to teach English when I lived in Korea. It was pretty frickin sweet.January 1, 2010 - 1:08 pm

Anonymous - Never heard of Fluenz... I think Rosetta stone is the best probably.January 1, 2010 - 1:08 pm

alex.kruk - I learned my english with Callan Method and I loved it ! I know they do have it for german and I think spanish, but I am not sure.

The Callan method is a very strict scripted method where you learn by repeating sentences by answering many questions until they are stuck in your brain.January 1, 2010 - 4:02 pm

Chris Ohta (H2Ohta) - I have a friend that is really "hooked" on Live Mocha, http://www.livemocha.com/ might be another option.January 1, 2010 - 4:27 pm

Kyle Edminson - Kudos on all the language skills! My wife and I lived in China for two years and my mandarin was barely passable...I could never get the tones right. I've heard good things about Rosetta. Best of luck and happy new year!January 1, 2010 - 8:44 pm

Cat Hoffman - Not sure if this is ever an option, but Middlebury College offers summer full immersion programs (9 week courses) and they take all ages and language levels into the course, from the beginning to the already fluent advanced student who wants to further their skills. Obviously a program like Rosetta would be cheaper, but their programs are great if you can sacrifice a summer and want to be forced to speak only that language therefore forced to adapt and pick it up :)

I've been there for intermediate Japanese back in summer 2005 (though they over like 9-10 languages total, Chinese included) and if I could afford to sacrifice another summer I totally would (but sadly can't ;_;)January 1, 2010 - 10:09 pm

LHC - I've learned Chinese and am now pretty much fluent but I attribute most of that to living in the actual environment (Taiwan, 5 years and counting ...). The time period that I learned the most I met with a private tutor, studied every day and practiced about twice a week at church. I really think a private tutor or language partner helps for the interaction. Good luck! I love fellow lovers of the Chinese language!!!!January 4, 2010 - 5:36 am

Diandra Ann - Rosetta stone (spanish) was a HUGE help to me. I work at a church that merged with a spanish church and i am very involved in the spanish ministry... so i pretty much submerse myself in it throughout the week, but Rosetta stone was a big help. The biggest thing with language I think is learning to THINK in the language rather thank think in english and then translate it... Rosetta stone doesnt use english... it just uses pictures and says the words... it kind of expects you to figure it out that way... it also uses several ways at once... pictures, spoken words, written words and then has you repeat, so you get all at once. I love it!January 5, 2010 - 8:40 am

Fluenz Lab - Hi Bobby,

I work with Fluenz, and I just wanted to answer any questions you might have if you are still interested in learning Mandarin. It might help to take a look at our demo and sample session on our website (http://www.fluenz.com/languages/mandarin/demo/) to get a better sense of our approach to Mandarin. Please don't hesitate to contact us with any questions you might have. Best of luck with your language endeavors and for 2010!

Ciao,

Meeghan, Fluenz LabJanuary 11, 2010 - 6:46 am

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