Language

Has anyone please used Rosetta Stone language products

Are they worth the investment any advice much appreciated

Regards Rod

You could have a look at this, Rod. 

http://www.learnthatlanguagenow.com/articles/rosetta-stone-review/6-good-reasons-why-rosetta-stone-sucks

I often wonder if children would pick up their own national language if it was taught to them as many of these courses do. Children immerse themselves in their mother tongue. They listen, repeat and learn not 1 hour a week but 24/7. They are exposed to radio, television, books family and friends. As a consequence children as young as 18-months are richly elequent; they only really started 12-months earlier.

I believe watching TV is an excellent way to pick up a new language. You can enjoy the programme as the pictures and the body language conveys much of what is going on. Television adverts are brilliant as, presumably for deaf persons, they put in screen words much of the spoken message. So you learn pronuniation too.

I believe 40 percent of the Spanish language is close to the English language: It isn't a new word, it is simply a new pronunciation. Elevator is a good example. We know how we say it. They say it Ellie-vat-or.

Congrats, Patricia, on reaching 200 posts. Justin sends you a holiday voucher; a fortnight's cruise around the Bahamas. We will miss you   ;o)

Heh heh Mike.

Isn't this website just full of surprises and unexpected generosity!

Suitcase open here on the floor beside me.  Just choosing the bikinis - wonder should I pack the gold lamé one as well, or maybe the silver leather with rhinestones might be more discreet.

Patricia

To which it must be added that arm-candy must have her own rugged (not rug 'ead) on call and ready to accompany her on such exotic island jaunts; a girl dressed as you describe could attract wanted and unwanted attention. The downside is (Justin's rules) is that you must return pure and undefiled. See, there's a catch to everything. Life sometimes sucks!

Erm, yes, err, tickets are in the post....

Justin

Mike_Walsh

Interesting idea that Elevator is a Spanish word.  !!!

Ascensor (Esp) = evelator (USA)   = lift (UK)

Yeah, I was puzzled by that one too! Maybe they use it in some obscure Central American banana republic?

Not too sure about the "40%" stat either. Whilst the two languages may be distantly related (both Indo-European), one is Germanic, the other Romantic, and I think you need to be careful about assuming similar words have similar meanings; whilst a discusión in Spanish can refer to a discussion, it often refers to an argument. And an argumento in Spanish can refer to the plot of the story. Just putting a Spanish sounding pronunciation onto English words and hoping for the best can lead to very embarrasing situations - such as telling someone you are very embarazado !!!

Tee hee Roberto.

Heh heh.  Target is not a "tarjeta" but an "objectivo", and a bigot is definitely not a "bigote" but an "intolerante".

P

Seems a lift is an "elevador" down México way.

...and maybe bigots have bigotes!!

 Elevador is a lift in Portugese.  

One of the biggest, second only Otis, maker of elevators is Schindler.  My wife did laugh the first time when I told her we were on Schindlers Lift but, after the hundredth time, she doesn't find it funny any more.

You beat me to it, Abbb!

And not just the male ones! 

P

Couldn't resist that one

On another front, about learning Spanish.  I went to classes (England); progressed on to Spanish penfriends; talk on Skype; read Spanish books,  and every time I go to Spain I not only drop in on conversation classes, but also try to speak Spanish at every opportunity, and watch Spanish TV.  I tried Linguaphone and others, but they weren't for me - too long winded and many didn't have relevant matter

Collins Spanish-English Dictionary carries elevador as a Spanish (Castellano) word and translates it as "elevator (US); lift (England)".   It also carries ascensor with the same translation.  Language isn't a static thing; it is a living thing and new words are introduced all the time, mainly by young people but also through the influence of television.  Elevador is a good example of the huge influence of US English on languages all over the world - even though it is not the most widely used first language apparently, trailing Mandarin and Spanish. 

It's also worth remembering that many words have more than one meaning in all languages.  So when Roberto points out that argumento means the plot of a book, we have to remember that argument has the same meaning in English.  And argument can also mean discussion or debate - depends who's involved.

Well as long as we keep this as a friendly argumento then that's great

Justin

Indeed, Justin.  I often ponder on how wonderful it must be to know absolutely everything.  Nice word: sabelotodo

Or

La sabiduria consiste en saber que se sabe lo que se sabe y saber que no se sabe lo que se sabe!!!!