Rosetta Stone Software?

[CptTrips]

I'm considering embarking on learning to speak Japanese. 

Has anyone one used the Rosetta Stone software for this or any other language.

Are there real advantages to this approach vs. more traditional techniques, or is it all just a bunch of hype?

Thanks in advance,
Wab

[Denholm]

I have Rosetta Stone for German (1, 2, and 3.) While I have an advantage of having lived in Germany for five years, I still believe this is some incredible software. There are times when it simply becomes frustrating, though. For instance, when you have to write what you hear the speaker say. While it may sound like an, "h" it could be a, "j." The writing is by far the most frustrating part of the program.

I feel you have an advantage with Rosetta Stone. It's interactive and amusing, plus you have people from the actual country of your language choice that are being used to make the recordings. So you hear the language in its actual accent and pronunciation. The only down-side to the program: Not enough writing, no tests, no due dates. While that may be an advantage to some, it can help others slack a little and slow down on their progress of learning their language of choice.

I'd say go with it! I certainly love it.

[Chalenge]

Yes it works The tagalog language with over 100 dialects... impossible even with their software but at least natives can get the intent of what I say and I can keep up with most conversations. The dialect of the province where my wife is from (because of learning with her) I have down to useable but I have never been skilled in language. I get a lot of laughs from Filipinos because even after a few years I tend to use words like an English speaking American would instead of their syntax.

[Denholm]

Well, I don't think you're going to learn the accent from the program. However you will be encouraged to pronounce the words in a more proper matter due to the voice recognition process.

[Treize69]

I've been thinking of using it for Japanese myself, let me know how it is if/when you get it and use it for a while. I've tried several different "teach yourself" language programs and all of them were a waste of money.

Incidentally, I would have gotten it anyway by now if they had a Romanian course (didn't the last time I checked)

[Chalenge]

Well, I don't think you're going to learn the accent from the program. However you will be encouraged to pronounce the words in a more proper matter due to the voice recognition process.

When I said dialect I mean the words are completely different in a lot of cases. And by syntax I mean the way sentences are constructed. My wife meets other women all the time that she can communicate with by sticking to the roots of the language but can also talk in such a way they cannot be understood. Tagalog is heavily influenced by Indonesian Chinese Arabic and Spanish with the northern islands having also incorporated English to a great extent. To a Filipino from Leyte talking to a Visayan can be impossible but its a big step from kidnapping one and throwing them into the volcano. 

[Treize69]

Like watching a Quebecouis and a Parisian try to speak "French"?

[Denholm]

Sorry about that Chalenge. I read the words but they just didn't click.

[BlueJ1]

We used it prior deployment for our mission. We had a crash course on poshtu. So we could know what our friends in the cells were saying to each other. Come to find out only the taliban uses poshtu here and when talking to locals in poshtu it caused some awkward moments.

[Ack-Ack]

I'm considering embarking on learning to speak Japanese. 

Has anyone one used the Rosetta Stone software for this or any other language.

Are there real advantages to this approach vs. more traditional techniques, or is it all just a bunch of hype?

Thanks in advance,
Wab

Yes, Rosetta Stone is a really good program for learning a foreign language.  I'm finishing up the Japanese language program and after that will be starting the Chinese one.

Personally, its techniques made it easier for me to learn another language than the more conventional methods.


ack-ack

[texasmom]

Yes, it's an awesome set of lessons. I've been using it (my kids as well). We've not gotten too far on it, since we've been limiting our lessons to the weekends though.

[Treize69]

What language TMom?

Please don't say Spanish...

[texasmom]

LOL. No, not Spanish.

Inupiaq

[Treize69]

Oh, and sorry for that, and apologies to any Spanish speakers on these forums. But I have to listen to all the inmates (literally something like 1/3) who "only" speak Spanish and refuse to learn English (and we can't make them, because we'd be violating their "cultural identity") that I refuse to learn a single word of it. My ancestors had to learn English when they came here, why the [expletive deleted] can't you.

end rant.

WTF is Inupiaq?? 

[texasmom]

WTF is Inupiaq?? 

My ancestors had to learn English as well.  Problem is that our own language is dying off as a result.  In the  1930's my Grandma was the bilingual teacher at the school in their town ~ now everything is almost entirely English-only.  So my children & I are learning the old language.

Inupiaq =