Arabic Advantage (Language Programs, Books & Tapes) Language Learning Forum

Arabic Advantage
Tags: Language Program \| Arabic
Share with: Delicious Digg reddit Facebook StumbleUpon
Language Learning Forum : Language Programs, Books & Tapes

translator2
Senior Member
United States
Joined 6922 days ago
848 posts - 1862 votes

Speaks: English*

Message 1 of 5

28 December 2005 at 3:43pm | IP Logged

Does anyone have any experience they could share about the Arabic Advantage program to learn Arabic by Abdulbaset Ibrahim? I am considering buying this program and was wondering if anyone has used it:

Link with audio samples (Click on the words Sample 1 or Sample 2 in the first link (middle of the page under What is Arabic Advantage?)):

http://www.intertrama.com/product_info.php?products_id=62

Main site:
http://www.arabicadvantage.com/arabic/agora.cgi

The program (and the amount of vocabulary that is taught) seems impressive, but the English-speaking narrator on the audio SAMPLES talks very very slow.

Edited by Malcolm on 30 December 2005 at 2:01am
1 person has voted this message useful

Al-Malik
Bilingual Heptaglot
Senior Member
United Kingdom
arabicgenie.com
Joined 7137 days ago
221 posts - 294 votes

1 sounds
Speaks: English*, German*, Spanish, Arabic (Written), Dutch, French, Arabic (classical)
Studies: Mandarin, Persian

Message 2 of 5

28 December 2005 at 4:31pm | IP Logged

The audio sample seems to be quite good, basically what Pimsleur does. However, I got three complaints:

1. the English speaker is speaking VERY slowly and in a really annoying tone.

2. some of the exercises are not to my liking, especially the "correct" or "incorrect" exercise:

female: fahima fahima
speaker: means "lesson" DONG no
female: fahima fahima
speaker: means "understand"

Personally, I hate to listen to these exercises, since they make me feel as though I was learning something that is wrong (fahima=lesson), especially when I don't pay enough attention to them...

3. I only listened to the second audio sample, but it seemed that it lacked dialogues, or else, some form of longer Arabic-only section. This seems to be the most serious flaw.

However, apart from these three flaws, the course seems to be quite good for someone who likes to learn through tapes rather than through reading grammar books etc. If the course makes good on its promise to teach 2500 words, then it might be quite cheap ($180) compared to Pimsleur courses (although there's no Pimsleur MSA course...).
1 person has voted this message useful

KingM
Triglot
Senior Member
michaelwallaceauthor
Joined 7194 days ago
275 posts - 300 votes

Speaks: English*, Spanish, French
Studies: Russian

Message 3 of 5

28 December 2005 at 6:57pm | IP Logged

The program looks like it would have an interesting political/religious spin:

Quote:

They claim that this Holy Book is miraculous, and that no power �what so ever this power is- can create a similar text or even a similar line to what is written in this Book.

The Holy Koran was revealed in Arabic and is worthy to be studied in Arabic and not in any other language.

Quote:

It is simply the most healthful way for language acquisition, a way that was created by the Almighty Creator and proved to be a successful way in every aspect for language acquisition.

This healthy way of language acquisition was tested on billions of peoples from the day Father Adam was created until this moment.

Quote:

In addition to Arabic language learning, you will discover in Arabic Advantage:
...
      How do they think�.
      How they sympathize�
      Whom do they support and love�..
      What is their main cause��
      What are their attitudes towards certain incidents�.., and many more.

Sounds like a preview of upcoming opinions about Zionism, imperialism, the Palestinian question, etc.
1 person has voted this message useful

translator2
Senior Member
United States
Joined 6922 days ago
848 posts - 1862 votes

Speaks: English*

Message 4 of 5

29 December 2005 at 1:31pm | IP Logged

Another thing is that it claims to teach you 2500 words(which would be great), but is only 33 hours long. By my calculations, that is more than one word per minute. Do they consider each verb form (aktib, taktib, etc) or each noun + pronoun (kitaabak, kitaabik, etc.) as a separate word??

Al-Malik wrote:

1. the English speaker is speaking VERY slowly and in a really annoying tone.

1 person has voted this message useful

liddytime
Pentaglot
Senior Member
United States
mainlymagyar.wordpre
Joined 6232 days ago
693 posts - 1328 votes

Speaks: English*, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Galician
Studies: Hungarian, Vietnamese, Modern Hebrew, Norwegian, Persian, Arabic (Written)

Message 5 of 5

28 September 2011 at 7:01am | IP Logged

translator2 wrote:

Another thing is that it claims to teach you 2500 words(which would be great), but is only 33
hours long. By my calculations, that is more than one word per minute.

1.262626 words per minute to be exact!

I found this thread in the Archives.

Has anyone tried this course in the last 6 years?

2500 words seems a bit ambitious, no?

1 person has voted this message useful

If you wish to post a reply to this topic you must first login. If you are not already registered you must first register

Printable version

You cannot post new topics in this forum - You cannot reply to topics in this forum - You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum - You cannot create polls in this forum - You cannot vote in polls in this forum

This page was generated in 0.3125 seconds.