21 replies to this topic

[eraser]

Just curious, has anyone ever used those Rosetta Stone thingys? They tell me they're good, but I'd rather hear it from an impartial source.

We have Rosetta Stone set up on the computers of our lab for students who are learning English, and it's the first program I generally show to students, especially if they know little to no English.

I think it's a really great way to start learning another language outside of just jumping full bore into a class. One of its big strength is its ease of use - the interface is really easy to use and not clunky at all (which is important here, where a lot of students who are just learning English usually haven't used a computer much).

RS, I think, is good for building vocabulary (especially since it links what you see with words and phrases), conversations, pronunciation, and writing. Where it's probably weakest (in the version that we have) is with learning grammar, which isn't its goal at all.

On Ebay, you can find starter packs for less than $10 (maybe even less than $5) that have a sampling of the first round of exercises and activities. You might want to check that out first and see if you dig it enough to commit to the full program. Actually, I think by now there might even be downloadable demos on their website.

Overall, though, just like anything, it usually depends on how much time you can put into it ...

[eraser]

double post!

[Jacki O.]

i would never go live in another country and not try to learn their native language (or the language most spoken) it's kind of a slap in the face not to.

Sometimes the above is used as an argument that agrees with complainers about people moving to the US who can't speak English. It's one I don't like.

The difference between you moving to another country and a lot of other people moving to the US, is that for you it'd be a luxury. You may not be rich, but you're the one already living in a 1st world nation and the odds of you having many more resources and much more time to learn another language are stacked highly in your favor.

I know that's not necessarily what you were saying, and I'd want to do the same, but just throwing that out there. Saying you would "never" do the above is also an idea backed by luxury. What if increasing political tensions caused violent rebel groups to invade + take refuge in your home town, and you wanted to get the hell out of your country before shit hits the fan?
Just saying.

ya got me all wrong but I hear what your're saying: it is because i have the luxury of being from a rich country that i can learn other languages. but what about the people that aren't from rich countries that speak multiple languages? Don't count out people that aren't from the US doing things with limited resources and without certain luxuries.

I was implying was that i wouldn't go to Ecuador or Brazil and speak english and be angry that i have to learn spanish or portuguese. And they wouldn't put up with that shit either. and if/when shit hits the fan in the US, i'll move wherever i can go and do my best to learn whatever i have to, with the resources that i have, to get by - just like everyone else does.

I do understand that people can argue that everyone coming to the US should learn english. And while i don't think that learning one of the predominte languages in your new home should be mandatory (if that's even possible) i do think it only helps if you speak multiple languages. And that goes for English only speakers as well.

My mother's family emigrated to the US in the early 1900s and they all learned to speak english as a second language. My uncle's wife's family fled poland during WWII to Argentina and then the US and they all speak polish, hebrew, spanish and english.

If you move to the US and speak only spanish, it will only help you to learn some english if you are able to, if you live in the US and speak only english it will only help you to learn some spanish if you are able to. if you move to the US and speak only cantonese it will only help you to learn some english if you are able to. if you move to japan and speak only english it will only help you to learn some japanese if you are able to.

Capice?

[The Real Jeffrey Lebowski]

Just curious, has anyone ever used those Rosetta Stone thingys? They tell me they're good, but I'd rather hear it from an impartial source.

We have Rosetta Stone set up on the computers of our lab for students who are learning English, and it's the first program I generally show to students, especially if they know little to no English.

I think it's a really great way to start learning another language outside of just jumping full bore into a class. One of its big strength is its ease of use - the interface is really easy to use and not clunky at all (which is important here, where a lot of students who are just learning English usually haven't used a computer much).

RS, I think, is good for building vocabulary (especially since it links what you see with words and phrases), conversations, pronunciation, and writing. Where it's probably weakest (in the version that we have) is with learning grammar, which isn't its goal at all.

On Ebay, you can find starter packs for less than $10 (maybe even less than $5) that have a sampling of the first round of exercises and activities. You might want to check that out first and see if you dig it enough to commit to the full program. Actually, I think by now there might even be downloadable demos on their website.

Overall, though, just like anything, it usually depends on how much time you can put into it ...

Awesome!

Guess who's gonna be learning Welsh!

[wingedvictory]

I think it's all a moot point, though, since we all know what the 3 universal languages are that help us communicate beyond the borders of our geographical or ethnic points of origin:

1. Love
2. Music
3. Speaking our native tongues slower and LOUDER and with plenty of gesticulation

Awww... love. That's precious.

[bucky]

Capice?

Capice!

and yes to eraser's list

[BornInCrimson]

In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.

I think things such as school laws preventing people from speaking Spanish in the hallways are dumb, but I generally agree with the above quote.