Rosetta Stone (language learning software)

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 8/5/06 at 4:27am

So I was just wondering if anyone has had first hand experience with or knows anyone who has had experience with the Rosetta Stone Language learning software? Did it work? Was it worth the money?

I keep seeing these commercials caliming it teaches you to think in a different language instead of just learning to memorize (what most language classes these day do).
Too Good to be True?

[Fiction Writer]

Posted: 8/5/06 at 4:47am

My friend Oscar used it for his trip to 6 month Europe trip, and he said it worked. He now speaks French and German pretty well.

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 8/5/06 at 4:53am

thats cool. I don't really need to learn another language. but after having taken 4 years of frnech in High school and 2 years of Italian in College, and not really having anything to show for either, I'd like to actually learn a language.

My best friend is from Brazil so learning portugese would be cool.

the only problem is that (for an essentially unemployed college student) its kind of expensive.

[Fiction Writer]

Posted: 8/5/06 at 4:54am

He said he downloaded it for free. I dunno where and how. I took 3 years of Spanish in high school and the only thing I can say is "te adoro". But I got that from West Side Story.

I can also say "beso, beso".

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 8/5/06 at 4:56am

well I mena, i'm not completely without anything from my foreign language classes. I have enough of an understanding of Italian to survive.

[hannahshule]

Posted: 8/5/06 at 7:35am

I've been using for Italian the past several months (about 6) and I now speak Italian rather well, with a nice accent too, as they have software that let's you practice speaking against a native speaker's example. (I got both levels 1&2) it's a lot of fun, and I felt it worked really well for me. I'm now thinking of adding a new language. Any suggestions? I already know french and german.

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 8/5/06 at 7:39am

spanish seems logical.

[hannahshule]

Posted: 8/5/06 at 8:38am

nah. I'm thinking I'll go with Swedish or Dutch. I took spanish in elementry and middle school and it just wasn't for me.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 8/5/06 at 10:02am

Zone, if you already have that much Italian and French under your belt, why buy an expensive program? Costco from time to time has other cd's and I've used them to brush up on my German and Spanish

I can see possibly using Rosetta to learn a brand new language but to brush-up seems expensive

Updated On: 8/5/06 at 10:02 AM

[Elphaba]

Posted: 8/5/06 at 10:08am

dang that stuff is expensive......$195 for 1, $225 for #2....yikes

[hannahshule]

Posted: 8/5/06 at 10:12am

I got a discount luckily. Even I don't want to pay 400$ for a computer language course.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 8/5/06 at 10:14am

I'm still in the Euro mode, maybe I'll convert it and i won't seem so bad......

I want to learn Italian. If they had Czech, I'd learn that.

[hannahshule]

Posted: 8/5/06 at 12:10pm

I was looking for a Czech one too but they don't have it. (But of course they have Swahili)
Don't worry Elphaba, I still have some euros left over from my trip. I'm using them when I go to Italy tomorrow!

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 8/5/06 at 6:46pm

Elphaba, the thing is, I don't want to use Rosetta to learn italian or french.

Also, while it is expensive, if it can do what it claims, then it is weel worth the price.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 8/5/06 at 7:10pm

very true, zone.......I think I may try the Italian one

Hannah, have a blast!

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 8/5/06 at 7:12pm

I want to learn portugese cause the love of my life is from brazil.

[Reverie]

Posted: 8/5/06 at 7:30pm

My mom and I have been talking about picking up the French one since we've both been wanting to learn French.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 11:27am

The have an online trial, and I tried it last night. I tried it in Russian and Swedish.

I was much, MUCH better in Swedish than Russian. I am definately buying the Russian one, as everyone tells me you need to be able to at least read signs when in Russia.
I also want the Swedish one, being half-Swedish, and since it came so easy to me.

From the plans I've researched, it looks to be the best.

I checked the Living Language one out from the library yesterday, the book alone seems complicated.....sigh

[wink]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 12:32pm

I bought the French Rosetta Stone CD but haven't had time to work with it yet. I've always wanted to learn French. It would help me more to learn Spanish but I just don't want to. I want to do French, then Italian.

When are you leaving, Elphaba?

[vmlinnie]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 1:20pm

I'd like to learn Japanese, because when I was in Japan I was completely clueless. I can usually get by in European countries all over. I've done English, Irish, French, Latin, Ancient Greek and Sanskrit in school, so I have most alphabetic bases covered. My Latin and French mean I can pretty much understand what people are on about in Spanish and Italian (as long as they don't yap too fast). And when I was in nepal and India, although the vast majority speak at least a little English, I could get by in Bengali and a little Nepali.

[kelzama]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 5:05pm

My local library carries Spanish & French rosetta stone programs(and maybe italian? Serbian? It's been too long since I've looked and thought, gee, I oughta do that) Might want to check yours.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 6:12pm

kelz, I did....the largest library nearby only has the others, not Rosetta.

wink, not for a year, just want to start early

[vmlinnie]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 7:30pm

Do they do Archaic languages?

Or Japanese?

[shiksa_goddess]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 12:19pm

My uncle works for a company that deals with a lot of foreign companies and had to learn to speak multiple foreign languages, so he got basically every Rosetta Stone pack. He has so far given me 3, and I can now speak Dutch, Italian, and Vietnamese quite well. I already spoke (High School) French, but am thinking of taking that next. I'm sure he will eventually give up the rest of his collection. He says they work great as well.