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YouTubeI want to learn a second language. I took French in college but don't remember any of it, Spanish in high school and remember even less of that. Is there anything short of immersing yourself in a culture that actually works? Has anyone used Rosetta Stone? If I can get enough reviews from people I trust I guess I could justify the huge cost, but 550.00 for a language program seems pretty crazy.
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Language learning advice
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joev
Merion Village
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My wife got Rosetta Stone to learn Spanish for work - it's a little frustrating at first, because there aren't direct translations - just pictures and sounds. But once you get used to it, it's pretty nice for auditory learners, which she is. I'm a visual learner, though, and even though I know basic Spanish, I found it a bit frustrating lookign over her shoulder. And she was frustrated that I was looking over her shoulder. You probably remember/will remember enough that you would get a little bored with the first level pretty quick.
I'd recommend a good language dictionary as well. My wife got the first level (first of three in basic, I think) for something like $225.
Posted 3 years ago # -
Tigertree
771 N. High St.
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Also, I am between Japanese and Spanish. Spanish seems like a no-brainer. I would probably remember a lot more than I think from High School and I feel like everyone in our country should be learning Spanish anyway. Japanese would be good for my business, but I tried to learn it once before and it took me a month before the words sounded like words to me. Japanese seems more fun though, so I think I could be more motivated to learn.
Posted 3 years ago # -
joev
Merion Village
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I'd bet Spanish will eclipse Japanese in business usefulness for you in the next few years. My two cents. Learning Japanese has go to be like learning cat language. My brain works on connecting foreign words to cognates - with none of those, Japanese would be daunting to ever speak fluently.
Posted 3 years ago # -
Core_Models
Columbus
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I've got Rosetta Stone, and you can definitely get it in a crafty way if you desire. You'll not get conversational level language skill out of it, but you really will be able to communicate.
Posted 3 years ago # -
frozen twinkies
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Japan's news station, NHK has free language lessonson their web site, as well as feeds from a TV station.
Practical lessons to basic Japanese language. Each episodes introduces simple phrases and Japanese characters that are useful when visiting Japan or meeting someone from Japan.
A poor man's immersion technique would be to take the lessons and then watch TV an hour a night in the language you studied. In cities with a large ethnic diversity they often have a set of cable channels in a certain language that you can order.
I occasionaly get my morning news from Shonan Beach FM, a Japanese radio station.
Wonder if there is something like HULU in other countries.
Posted 3 years ago # -
johnwirtz
Evanston, IL
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There are free podcasts for lots of languages, or you can pay and get "bonus material." I think if you listened to the Spanish ones you might remember some of that stuff from high school. Nevertheless, without actually having to use the language on a daily basis (immersion), you might become conversational, but probably not truly fluent. That at least is my experience.
Posted 3 years ago # -
lifeontwowheels
Highland West
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Take Latin for 4 years, really helps for those Romance languages.
Posted 3 years ago # -
joev
Merion Village
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blammo wrote >>
Someone posted a link on CU about this awhile ago, and of course I can't find it. But I believe you can go through the entire Rosetta Stone program through the columbus public library, free of charge.That is technically true (tried it) but for some reason, there is a waiting list on it that's like 140-some weeks long. They only have a few licenses for the software, maybe? Maybe thefightinglibrarian can illuminate more.
Posted 3 years ago # -
michaelcoyote
!seabus
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There is a Japanese tutoring place next to Crescent Bakery at Kenny Center.. They advertise Japanese language classes for English speakers from time to time... I would imagine that the focus is on conversational business Japanese..
Posted 3 years ago # -
blammo
in the shadow of the wonder of bread
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joev wrote >>
blammo wrote >>
Someone posted a link on CU about this awhile ago, and of course I can't find it. But I believe you can go through the entire Rosetta Stone program through the columbus public library, free of charge.That is technically true (tried it) but for some reason, there is a waiting list on it that's like 140-some weeks long. They only have a few licenses for the software, maybe? Maybe thefightinglibrarian can illuminate more.
140 weeks??? GAH. I could walk to Mexico, immerse myself for 6 months, and walk back in less time than that.
Hmmm, actually that sounds pretty fun.
Posted 3 years ago # -
Daz
Tweeting about some totally unimportant event
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After growing up with years of Spanish, 2 years of Chinese, and a year of Tagalog (Filipino), plus massive use of My French Coach and My Spanish Coach (gotta brush up) on my DS, plus using Rosetta Stone software, I've gotta say...
If you aren't speaking that shit every day to groups of people, you might as well have never spent the time learning it. You will forget it and you will never gain the confidence to speak to others and learn on the fly without it.
Taking a class at Columbus state is my WHOLE HEARTED recommendation. (I need to get back into Chinese... mine just sucks)
Posted 3 years ago # -
frozen twinkies
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I don't know.
I have found Latin very useful, without the need to speak it.Posted 3 years ago # -
thefightinglibrarian
Running after the 'Bus
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You can use Mango Languages through the library:
http://www.worthingtonlibraries.org/research/topics/multilingual-resources
Posted 3 years ago #
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