I just ordered Dutch With Ease from Assimil. I am going to try using professor Alexander Arguelles shadowing technique using this course. I have not used Assimil before, and I have wanted to give the shadowing technique a good try for quite a while.
Although I have some decent materials to work with, I have a limited amount of time. I intend to finish up the Michel Thomas Foundation Dutch course, then use the time in the most intense type of studying I can. I think the most intense thing I could do is Assimil with the shadowing technique.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Miccosukee
I have an interest in endangered languages. So, I've been doing a little research about the endangered languages near to where I live, which limits me to Native American languages in South Florida. The only languages that meet this criteria are the Seminole languages of Creek and Miccosukee, both closely related Muskogean languages that I believe originate from Alabama and Georgia. (Interestingly, there were a number of tribes in Florida before the Seminoles, but were wiped out by disease, slavery and oppression of arriving Europeans, and conquest by other native tribes. The Seminoles arrived later.)
The history of the Native Americans, particularly those in the US southeast, is horrific. Just the fact that these people still exist is inspiring and makes me want to help document their languages, as there are more that have disappeared or died out than now exist. And those that speak them are very few - a few hundred for Miccosukee and not much more for Creek.
Resources to learn these languages are almost non-existent. I found a few texts with audio for Creek and other Muskogean languages. There are a couple of webpages with a few dozen vocabulary words. Not very helpful.
I read an article from 1999 that stated that Rosetta Stone was working with the Miccosukee (as they have with other tribes) to create software to teach their language. I have not heard if that project was ever completed.
I am finishing up a book called Spoken Here - Travels Among Threatened Languages by Mark Abley. It makes me want to contribute in some way and help save or at least document endangered or dying languages. But how can I help?
The history of the Native Americans, particularly those in the US southeast, is horrific. Just the fact that these people still exist is inspiring and makes me want to help document their languages, as there are more that have disappeared or died out than now exist. And those that speak them are very few - a few hundred for Miccosukee and not much more for Creek.
Resources to learn these languages are almost non-existent. I found a few texts with audio for Creek and other Muskogean languages. There are a couple of webpages with a few dozen vocabulary words. Not very helpful.
I read an article from 1999 that stated that Rosetta Stone was working with the Miccosukee (as they have with other tribes) to create software to teach their language. I have not heard if that project was ever completed.
I am finishing up a book called Spoken Here - Travels Among Threatened Languages by Mark Abley. It makes me want to contribute in some way and help save or at least document endangered or dying languages. But how can I help?
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Rosetta Stone IPO First Day
Rosetta Stone (RST) had its opening day on the NYSE and it was a big one. One of the best IPOs in a long time. Why?
They are in a good market - the language learning market is fairly hot and it's growing.
It's at the right time - I know, everyone speaks English so there's no need to learn another language. Well ... when the whole crowd is thinking one way, it might be time to start looking in the other direction. You need every edge to compete and having command of at least one other language can help you do that.
Brand recognition - Rosetta Stone has it like nobody else.
Reliable and growing US sales but they are expanding aggressively into the global market. This is where they can see some really good growth for the next few years.
So, long-term prospects for the stock appear to be good. I'm not trying to rewrite history here. I thought they were crazy to do an IPO now and I said as much. I couldn't tell you why it worked so well for them.
They are in a good market - the language learning market is fairly hot and it's growing.
It's at the right time - I know, everyone speaks English so there's no need to learn another language. Well ... when the whole crowd is thinking one way, it might be time to start looking in the other direction. You need every edge to compete and having command of at least one other language can help you do that.
Brand recognition - Rosetta Stone has it like nobody else.
Reliable and growing US sales but they are expanding aggressively into the global market. This is where they can see some really good growth for the next few years.
So, long-term prospects for the stock appear to be good. I'm not trying to rewrite history here. I thought they were crazy to do an IPO now and I said as much. I couldn't tell you why it worked so well for them.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Transparent Language Discounts
Transparent Language is offering 25% off any order for their software language products! If you aren't familiar with them, they make the popular Before You Know It (BYKI) vocabulary flashcard program, as well as the Language Now series for a variety of languages, and the Languages of the World software for a whole slew of uncommon languages.
Transparent Language, Tell Me More and other language product publishers often have discounts or promotions for some or all of their products, but since I have so little time to update the site as I would like, I can't post those coupons in a timely manner. So I am making a coupons page on the site that I can update whenever there is a new discount or promotional offer. I will also post free downloads and product demo links so that visitors have another way to find out about new products. If you are looking to buy some additional learning tools, check this new page of language product coupons and discounts to see if you can take advantage of an offer.
I wanted to post these discounts as soon as possible. This page is brand new and needs some work done, so bear with me as I finish working on it!
Transparent Language, Tell Me More and other language product publishers often have discounts or promotions for some or all of their products, but since I have so little time to update the site as I would like, I can't post those coupons in a timely manner. So I am making a coupons page on the site that I can update whenever there is a new discount or promotional offer. I will also post free downloads and product demo links so that visitors have another way to find out about new products. If you are looking to buy some additional learning tools, check this new page of language product coupons and discounts to see if you can take advantage of an offer.
I wanted to post these discounts as soon as possible. This page is brand new and needs some work done, so bear with me as I finish working on it!
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Michel Thomas Courses
Several visitors to the site have commented that I haven't used or reviewed Michel Thomas courses. I have in recent months worked through Michel Thomas Foundation Spanish, Advanced Spanish and a little of the Language Builder course.
I will include a full review of these courses and the Michel Thomas method in general in the upcoming months.
I also mentioned in my last post that I was currently working my way (slowly) through Michel Thomas Foundation Dutch. This is a better test of the course because I am a beginner in Dutch. I have been studing Spanish in small doses for a few years, so Spanish is not the best test of the methods effects for me. I will review the Dutch course as well when I am finished.
I will include a full review of these courses and the Michel Thomas method in general in the upcoming months.
I also mentioned in my last post that I was currently working my way (slowly) through Michel Thomas Foundation Dutch. This is a better test of the course because I am a beginner in Dutch. I have been studing Spanish in small doses for a few years, so Spanish is not the best test of the methods effects for me. I will review the Dutch course as well when I am finished.
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Update on my Dutch Progress
I'm not really that motivated to learn Dutch, so I'm taking my time. I have been able to do something with it everyday, but as far as a concerted and systematic effort, there has not been much real progress.
I am about 10 chapters into Teach Yourself Dutch (an old version) and about half way (4 cds) into Michel Thomas Dutch Foundation. Vocabulary and some sentences go into Anki, which is the one thing I have been able to use every day, other than listen to music or an audiobook. I have Anki set for 3 minute reviews, so I can guarantee I have at least some exposure to Dutch everyday when I can't do some of the Teach Yourself or Michel Thomas.
One site I just checked out that might be helpful for learning Dutch is www.fluency.nl It is for text-to-speech in Dutch.
Simply type or paste in some Dutch text, choose one of the male or female speakers and it will read the text! It is not perfect, of course, but the words are pretty clear and recognizable, even to a Dutch beginner like me. I think this is good for getting an idea what a particular vocabulary word or sentence might sound like if you don't have any audio for it.
The page is in Dutch, but there is a link for it in English.
PS - You can save the audio file it creates as an mp3!
I am about 10 chapters into Teach Yourself Dutch (an old version) and about half way (4 cds) into Michel Thomas Dutch Foundation. Vocabulary and some sentences go into Anki, which is the one thing I have been able to use every day, other than listen to music or an audiobook. I have Anki set for 3 minute reviews, so I can guarantee I have at least some exposure to Dutch everyday when I can't do some of the Teach Yourself or Michel Thomas.
One site I just checked out that might be helpful for learning Dutch is www.fluency.nl It is for text-to-speech in Dutch.
Simply type or paste in some Dutch text, choose one of the male or female speakers and it will read the text! It is not perfect, of course, but the words are pretty clear and recognizable, even to a Dutch beginner like me. I think this is good for getting an idea what a particular vocabulary word or sentence might sound like if you don't have any audio for it.
The page is in Dutch, but there is a link for it in English.
PS - You can save the audio file it creates as an mp3!
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