anyone use rosetta stone?

[fris]

curious if anyone has used it for another language.

[DamianJ]

http://seekingalpha.com/instablog/28...-scheme-around

[BFT3K]

Originally Posted by DamianJ

http://seekingalpha.com/instablog/28...-scheme-around

Great blog - very informative and well written!

[2013]

I learned a lot

[Sly]

Originally Posted by DamianJ

http://seekingalpha.com/instablog/28...-scheme-around

Is that supposed to be a funny blog? He goes on about consumerism and then makes sure you know that he is sitting in Starbucks using an iPad, I would assume so?

I have the Spanish version of Rosetta Stone. I liked it. You may also want to check out Pimsleur for more natural speaking training.

[NaughtyVisions]

I can't see their commercials without thinking back to my days of listening to goth music.

[myjah]

Originally Posted by Sly

Is that supposed to be a funny blog? He goes on about consumerism and then makes sure you know that he is sitting in Starbucks using an iPad, I would assume so?

I have the Spanish version of Rosetta Stone. I liked it. You may also want to check out Pimsleur for more natural speaking training.

for Pimsleur

[d-null]

better to start with livemocha, and it is free

[mynameisjim]

That blog post was pretty silly. I didn't bother reading the whole thing but anyone that starts off by talking about how clueless/stupid everyone else is usually is just a person who is angry and bitter for not achieving what they think their own perceived intelligence entitles them to. So pretty much a barely above average person who thinks they are a genius.

Anyway, Rosetta Stone reminds me a lot of the Bowflex ads from a decade ago or more. Everyone wants to get in shape at one point, and Bowflex marketed itself as the official way to get in shape with its premium price. So when people decided to get "serious" they would spend money on a bowflex even though it was just a standard home gym. Rosetta Stone is basically the same thing. A lot of people dream of learning a language at some point. So one day, they get serious and decide to buy the "best" and order Rosetta Stone even though it's nothing really that special.

A lot of marketing and buying has to do with the consumer wanting to commit to something they have always wanted to do. By spending money, they feel they are finally committing to something for real and taking that big step. That's how premium home gyms and Rosetta Stone work. For example, if someone wants to start getting in shape, they could simply go outside and start running. Yet everyone starts by spending money, either on a home gym, membership, workout gear, etc. It doesn't mean anyone is stupid, it's just the psychology of how people deal with procrastination and certain goals they are unsure about.

So basically, it's no different than any other form of language learning. Just like workout routines, if you stick with it, it will probably work. If you bought Rosetta Stone and followed the course exactly, you would start to learn a foreign language.

[d-null]

Originally Posted by mynameisjim

That blog post was pretty silly. I didn't bother reading the whole thing but anyone that starts off by talking about how clueless/stupid everyone else is usually is just a person who is angry and bitter for not achieving what they think their own perceived intelligence entitles them to. So pretty much a barely above average person who thinks they are a genius.

Anyway, Rosetta Stone reminds me a lot of the Bowflex ads from a decade ago or more. Everyone wants to get in shape at one point, and Bowflex marketed itself as the official way to get in shape with its premium price. So when people decided to get "serious" they would spend money on a bowflex even though it was just a standard home gym. Rosetta Stone is basically the same thing. A lot of people dream of learning a language at some point. So one day, they get serious and decide to buy the "best" and order Rosetta Stone even though it's nothing really that special.

A lot of marketing and buying has to do with the consumer wanting to commit to something they have always wanted to do. By spending money, they feel they are finally committing to something for real and taking that big step. That's how premium home gyms and Rosetta Stone work. For example, if someone wants to start getting in shape, they could simply go outside and start running. Yet everyone starts by spending money, either on a home gym, membership, workout gear, etc. It doesn't mean anyone is stupid, it's just the psychology of how people deal with procrastination and certain goals they are unsure about.

So basically, it's no different than any other form of language learning. Just like workout routines, if you stick with it, it will probably work. If you bought Rosetta Stone and followed the course exactly, you would start to learn a foreign language.

nice post, good food for thought

[SEXTANT]

Originally Posted by fris

curious if anyone has used it for another language.

interesting that ask.. i know something but this topic is not for public trolls

[Matt 26z]

I attempted to learn French with it like 5 years ago and got nowhere. I am skeptical that anyone has ever learned a new language using only that software, but the same can probably be said about any single course. Just don't buy into their hype that they make it easy.

What they do (at least with my version back then) is put a group of photos on the screen, speak a sentence and then you have to choose the photo that goes with it. There is never any explanation of what the words mean. You are supposed to eventually just figure it out through repetition. Perhaps it's great to use in addition to other courses, but I didn't attempt that.

[Sly]

Originally Posted by Matt 26z

I attempted to learn French with it like 5 years ago and got nowhere. I am skeptical that anyone has ever learned a new language using only that software, but the same can probably be said about any single course. Just don't buy into their hype that they make it easy.

What they do (at least with my version back then) is put a group of photos on the screen, speak a sentence and then you have to choose the photo that goes with it. There is never any explanation of what the words mean. You are supposed to eventually just figure it out through repetition. Perhaps it's great to use in addition to other courses, but I didn't attempt that.

The beginning courses are vocabulary-based, later on you move into more purposeful lessons like statements. How far did you get into it?