Learning a Language (German) - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

AfterBurn · 10-10-2005, 11:09 PM

I'm currently learning German (by myself) and I was wondering if anyone could recommend me some good audio-programs or software that they know is good. I am currently using pimsleur and it's pretty amazing..any other suggestions or comments?

Pragma · 10-11-2005, 04:32 AM

I'm currently using The Rosetta Stone software to teach myself German. It's a bit expensive, but it's sort of the "gold standard" for language software, used by the State Department, NASA, etc. Let me know if you want to know more about it.

ruggerp11 · 10-11-2005, 08:30 AM

I got a copy of that to Pragma, what do you think about it? Ihavne't started using it yet...

aintyoboyfriend · 10-11-2005, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pragma

I'm currently using The Rosetta Stone software to teach myself German. It's a bit expensive, but it's sort of the "gold standard" for language software, used by the State Department, NASA, etc. Let me know if you want to know more about it.

What do you think of Rosetta Stone. I want to learn french (again) before my trip next spring.

ruggerp11 · 10-11-2005, 10:08 AM

see thats what I want to do (learn french)

Pragma · 10-11-2005, 01:44 PM

It's by far the best method for learning a language that I've ever run across. From the minute that you start the lesson, everything is in German (or whatever the language you're learning is). There's no learning by translation (i.e.: "hund = dog"), it's all total immersion.

I took three years of Spanish in highschool and always found myself very slow when trying to speak in Spanish, because first I had to think of what I wanted to say, then translate it bit by bit in my head, and then say the finished product. With TRS, when I want to say something in German, that "translate" logic isn't there in my brain, I can just say the German.

It goes over quite a lot of the language, everything from car parts, street directions, food, hotels, standard conversations, to counting. Pretty much everything you'd need to at least get along in the foreign language while you learn all of the local idioms and specialized vocabulary that you may need.

Just as a view of what it looks like, here's a screenshot of the listing of lessons from Unit 1 of German.

AfterBurn · 10-13-2005, 01:46 AM

looks cool, I'm using pimsleur to learn german and i must say its awesome. I'm on level 2 now and i can hold up a decent conversation with my german friend. How long have you been using rossetta stone and how is it going?

Pragma · 10-13-2005, 04:15 AM

I've gone through the first two units (of 18-ish?) - I did that in a few weeks back over the summer. However, once school picked up, I haven't really been able to find time to continue, unfortunately. I really need to start squeezing in 15 minutes for a lesson here and there to keep going. I'm enjoying it a lot though - definitely a good way to learn.

Scorpion23 · 01-03-2006, 05:47 PM

On the same note, does anyone know where I could get some software for cajun french? All the major language programs that are recommended don't offer it.

orangemonkeyee · 01-04-2006, 01:52 AM

What's cajun french ? German owns. I've been taking german since 7th grade and am not entirely fluent, although after staying over there for five weeks when I was sixteen boosted my speaking skills an assload. Another thing I reccommend, think of ten words or phrases that you use everday and look them up and learn them. Also, you could post sticky notes on everything in your home for whatever language it is you want to learn.

http://dict.leo.org/ for German this is the best dictionary source I'm yet to find

AngelicVampire · 01-04-2006, 02:38 AM

Rather than clutter another topic does anyone know any good "learn Japanese" books, audio, programs, websites?

Thanks

Pragma · 01-04-2006, 06:21 AM

Well, I know that The Rosetta Stone makes software for Japanese - I've looked at it in the past. If you're just interested in speaking, it'll help you out. If you want to learn reading/writing, then you're probably better off combing that with some sort of physical book.

sailor · 01-04-2006, 10:28 AM

dict.leo.org rocks. I'm living in Germany at the moment on a study abroad program, and it's made my life much easier. I carry around a small notebook with me, and everytime I hear a word/phrase I don't know, I write it down, then look them all up when I get home on dict.leo.org. It's helped my German a whole lot, and is much faster than a book.

FngKestrel · 01-04-2006, 10:34 AM

So between Pimsleur and Rosetta Stone, which one would you guys recommend more?

10-10-2005, 11:09 PM	#1 (permalink)
AfterBurn Psycho	Learning a Language (German) I'm currently learning German (by myself) and I was wondering if anyone could recommend me some good audio-programs or software that they know is good. I am currently using pimsleur and it's pretty amazing..any other suggestions or comments? __________________ smoking weed everyday keeps the doctor away

10-11-2005, 04:32 AM	#2 (permalink)
Pragma I am Winter Born Location: Alexandria, VA	I'm currently using The Rosetta Stone software to teach myself German. It's a bit expensive, but it's sort of the "gold standard" for language software, used by the State Department, NASA, etc. Let me know if you want to know more about it. __________________ Eat antimatter, Posleen-boy!

10-11-2005, 08:30 AM	#3 (permalink)
ruggerp11 Cautiously soaring Location: exploring my new home in SF	I got a copy of that to Pragma, what do you think about it? Ihavne't started using it yet... __________________ Patriotism means being loyal to your country all the time and to its government when it deserves it. --Mark Twain Do What makes you happy --Me BUT! "Happiness is the absence of the striving for happiness" - Chuang-Tzu

10-11-2005, 10:08 AM	#5 (permalink)
ruggerp11 Cautiously soaring Location: exploring my new home in SF	see thats what I want to do (learn french) __________________ Patriotism means being loyal to your country all the time and to its government when it deserves it. --Mark Twain Do What makes you happy --Me BUT! "Happiness is the absence of the striving for happiness" - Chuang-Tzu

10-11-2005, 01:44 PM	#6 (permalink)
Pragma I am Winter Born Location: Alexandria, VA	It's by far the best method for learning a language that I've ever run across. From the minute that you start the lesson, everything is in German (or whatever the language you're learning is). There's no learning by translation (i.e.: "hund = dog"), it's all total immersion. I took three years of Spanish in highschool and always found myself very slow when trying to speak in Spanish, because first I had to think of what I wanted to say, then translate it bit by bit in my head, and then say the finished product. With TRS, when I want to say something in German, that "translate" logic isn't there in my brain, I can just say the German. It goes over quite a lot of the language, everything from car parts, street directions, food, hotels, standard conversations, to counting. Pretty much everything you'd need to at least get along in the foreign language while you learn all of the local idioms and specialized vocabulary that you may need. Just as a view of what it looks like, here's a screenshot of the listing of lessons from Unit 1 of German. __________________ Eat antimatter, Posleen-boy!

10-13-2005, 01:46 AM	#7 (permalink)
AfterBurn Psycho	looks cool, I'm using pimsleur to learn german and i must say its awesome. I'm on level 2 now and i can hold up a decent conversation with my german friend. How long have you been using rossetta stone and how is it going? __________________ smoking weed everyday keeps the doctor away

10-13-2005, 04:15 AM	#8 (permalink)
Pragma I am Winter Born Location: Alexandria, VA	I've gone through the first two units (of 18-ish?) - I did that in a few weeks back over the summer. However, once school picked up, I haven't really been able to find time to continue, unfortunately. I really need to start squeezing in 15 minutes for a lesson here and there to keep going. I'm enjoying it a lot though - definitely a good way to learn. __________________ Eat antimatter, Posleen-boy!

01-03-2006, 05:47 PM	#9 (permalink)
Scorpion23 Psycho	On the same note, does anyone know where I could get some software for cajun french? All the major language programs that are recommended don't offer it.

01-04-2006, 01:52 AM	#10 (permalink)
orangemonkeyee Upright	What's cajun french ? German owns. I've been taking german since 7th grade and am not entirely fluent, although after staying over there for five weeks when I was sixteen boosted my speaking skills an assload. Another thing I reccommend, think of ten words or phrases that you use everday and look them up and learn them. Also, you could post sticky notes on everything in your home for whatever language it is you want to learn. http://dict.leo.org/ for German this is the best dictionary source I'm yet to find

01-04-2006, 02:38 AM	#11 (permalink)
AngelicVampire Insane	Rather than clutter another topic does anyone know any good "learn Japanese" books, audio, programs, websites? Thanks

01-04-2006, 06:21 AM	#12 (permalink)
Pragma I am Winter Born Location: Alexandria, VA	Well, I know that The Rosetta Stone makes software for Japanese - I've looked at it in the past. If you're just interested in speaking, it'll help you out. If you want to learn reading/writing, then you're probably better off combing that with some sort of physical book. __________________ Eat antimatter, Posleen-boy!

01-04-2006, 10:28 AM	#13 (permalink)
sailor beauty in the breakdown Location: Chapel Hill, NC	dict.leo.org rocks. I'm living in Germany at the moment on a study abroad program, and it's made my life much easier. I carry around a small notebook with me, and everytime I hear a word/phrase I don't know, I write it down, then look them all up when I get home on dict.leo.org. It's helped my German a whole lot, and is much faster than a book. __________________ "Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws." --Plato

01-04-2006, 10:34 AM	#14 (permalink)
FngKestrel Junkie	So between Pimsleur and Rosetta Stone, which one would you guys recommend more?