Advice on learning a new language?

[DampCharcoal]

A short term goal of mine is to visit Rome for a week so I can spend time exploring Vatican City. Kind of a pilgrimage.

I'd like to learn Italian and I hear about Rosetta Stone constantly but does it really work?

I pick up on foreign languages fairly easily. Took French and Spanish in high school and while I've forgotten most of it, I understand that Latin is often the root language and while I don't really know that either, it seems easy to recognize.

So, as always, any good advice?

 

[Andy M.]

If I were to get serious about learning a new language (by that I mean being able to get around in that language's country), I'd go with Rosetta Stone. It's so widely used and recommended it would probably be difficult to not learn. With a language facility, you will do it even faster. Italian is very similar to Spanish.

 

[Dawgluver]

Our local high school uses Rosetta Stone, in combination with the regular foreign language classes. The kids like it, and it seems to work.

 

[DampCharcoal]

Cool, thanks Andy! That's kinda what I wanted to hear.

My trip to Rome may or may not be the only one so I'd like to make it count, just in case. If I can build on my weak foundation of Spanish, that would be good too.

 

[TATTRAT]

If you are only going for a week, the initial price of the Rosetta Stone Program maybe a turn off for a weeks worth of language, in a place that speaks plenty of English.

 

[Addie]

Check ebay and see if one is for sale. It is a bit pricey, but very effective. My son used it (Rosetta Stone) to learn Albanian. He married a girl from Albania and learned it fast enough that he was able to call her father in Albania and ask him for permission to marry his daughter. They talked for an hour. Her whole family was so impressed.

 

[DampCharcoal]

If you are only going for a week, the initial price of the Rosetta Stone Program maybe a turn off for a weeks worth of language, in a place that speaks plenty of English.

It would be worth it for me.

It would be both enjoyable and challenging to get everything out of it I could.

I'm not making the trip just for the hell of it, afterall.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I took Spanish and Italian in High School, mmphgh years ago...it was easy picking up on the Italian, many words in common for those day to day things.

 

[Addie]

I took a look at ebay. From what I coud figure out, it will cost $159.00. But I can't figure out if it is for one language or all four. I think it is one. All sellers offer free shippiing if you buy it now instead of bidding on it.

 

[DampCharcoal]

I took a look at ebay. From what I coud figure out, it will cost $159.00. But I can't figure out if it is for one language or all four. I think it is one. All sellers offer free shippiing if you buy it now instead of bidding on it.

I think a full course runs in the $600 range (yikes!)

A bit F'ing expensive but reasonable if it works well.

It would be cheaper than a college course.

 

[Addie]

I took Spanish and Italian in High School, mmphgh years ago...it was easy picking up on the Italian, many words in common for those day to day things.

My DIL comes from Naples. She took Italian in H.S. And she flunked. Her mother was furious. Now her moter didn't speak a word of English. She marched up to the school to talk to the teacher and started talking in Italian. The teacher didn't understand a word she said. For one, she was talking too fast, and second she was taling Naplese. The teacher talked only Roman Italian. So off to the principal's office the three of them go. My DIL acted as her mother's interpreter. The principal agreed with her mother. My DIL got a passing grade. The teacher got transferred to a school that lacked an Italian population. They got a native Italian teacher who understood the different dialects.

My two grandson's grew up (Son #2) speaking Italian to their grandparents and English to their parents. My youngest GS is two years old and speaks English to his father, Albanian to his grandparents and Italian to his mother. My son said that he does get a little confused when he hears his mother talk Albanian to other people and Italian to him. His other grandmother speaks seven languages, his mother five. His grandfather speaks two. Russian and Albanian. He is learning English. I only speak "childrenese."

 

[GB]

I used Rosetta stone for a short while to try to learn Hebrew. I did not stick with it, but I think if I had then Rosetta stone would have been a great way to learn. I have talked with many people who have used it and every single one has loved it.

 

[DampCharcoal]

I used Rosetta stone for a short while to try to learn Hebrew. I did not stick with it, but I think if I had then Rosetta stone would have been a great way to learn. I have talked with many people who have used it and every single one has loved it.

Apropos of nothing, I just called the line to take advantage of the promotion and got a long sales pitch.

I kinda feel bad because the lady was just trying to earn a commission on the up sell and I just wanted to test drive the freebie.

I plan on purchasing the whole kit and kaboodle anyway so I hope she gets a proper cut.

 

[jonnyjonny_uk]

I was forced to learn a new language(Russian) as I'm living and working here for the last six years and how I learnt was by using the Pimsleur courses, these courses give you the conversation and vocabulary that you need for everyday use and you can stick it on your ipod or car radio and listen whilst driving, sitting on the bus or train and the more you immerse yourself into a language the easier it will be to use and remember. Find tv and radio channels in the language you want to learn and just have it on as background noise and you will start to recognise words you have learnt already and remember in what situations they are used. Get a notebook and write down five words a day with the direct English translation and read read read them all day long and for sure you will remember these five words by the end of the day, just think, five words a day, 35 words in a week, it won't take long to widen your vocabulary and soon you'll be talking fluently You obviously can't beat being immersed into the language and by that I mean actually living in the country like me and I did not do much studying before I arrived and it only took six months being in the country for me to start conversations in Russian but if you don't have that opportunity then I would suggest some of the above just to get you ready.

I hope that helps

John.