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Deciding between two Spanish programs | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Language Programs, Books & Tapes |  | |
| Jake Day Newbie United States Joined 5030 days ago 30 posts - 35 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish | Message 1 of 16 17 March 2011 at 10:17pm | IP Logged | ||
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I'm studying Latin American Spanish, and I'm trying to decide between Platiquemos and Linguaphone. Which is
better? Which is more comprehensive? 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| tractor Tetraglot Senior Member Norway Joined 5454 days ago 1349 posts - 2292 votes  Speaks: Norwegian*, English, Spanish, Catalan Studies: French, German, Latin | Message 2 of 16 17 March 2011 at 10:40pm | IP Logged | ||
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The Linguaphone Spanish course they sell today is not the same as the one they sold in the 1970s, 80s and 90s.
There used to be one Linguaphone Latin American Spanish and another Linguaphone (Peninsular) Spanish course. I've used the latter, and it was very good. You might be able to find a used copy of one of the old courses on Ebay. Granted Linguaphone is a UK company, the current Linguaphone Spanish probably teaches Peninsular Spanish. I don't know if it's good or not. Apart from money, there's no reason you shouldn't get both Linguaphone and Platiquemos. Instead of Platiquemos, you could try FSI, which is free. Edited by tractor on 17 March 2011 at 10:40pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Elexi Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 5566 days ago 938 posts - 1840 votes Speaks: English* Studies: French, German, Latin | Message 3 of 16 18 March 2011 at 12:13am | IP Logged | ||
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The iterations of the Linguaphone course from the end of the second world war onwards are
1 1950s-1960s courses - one in Latin American and one in European Spanish in 50 lessons (actually more like 60 lessons because some have 2 parts) - this is the one Prof A talks about in his videos. In my view best left as a vocabulary and revision course for later. 2 1970s-2000 course - In European (i.e. Castilian) in 30 lessons (made up of 3 parts) - this series follows a family in Spain through most of the essential parts of grammar. Excellent and easily obtainable on ebay.co.uk. 3 2000 onwards - inferior to the rest, Set out like the modern Berlitz courses - lots of small and useful phrases that get progressively more difficult. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| tractor Tetraglot Senior Member Norway Joined 5454 days ago 1349 posts - 2292 votes Speaks: Norwegian*, English, Spanish, Catalan Studies: French, German, Latin | Message 4 of 16 18 March 2011 at 12:29am | IP Logged | ||
I think there was one for Latin American Spanish as well. I remember Linguaphone courses, among them a Latin American Spanish course, being quite heavily marketed here in Norway in the 1980s and early 90s, and I doubt it was from the 1950s or 60s. Back then, Linguaphone had a much wider range of languages, and unlike today, the courses (or rather the "Handbook") were available in several different base languages (including Norwegian). 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Jake Day Newbie United States Joined 5030 days ago 30 posts - 35 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish | Message 5 of 16 18 March 2011 at 3:42am | IP Logged | ||
That is one reason I'm not going after both. As for the original FSI, from what I've heard on this forum, it's very good--for learning the kinds of words and phrases you'd use in a diplomatic or military setting. (It was developed by the government, after all.) I don't want to get FSI, only to learn how to give a speech like a South American dictator, but be completely stumped when someone asks me where the bathroom is. ;D I don't know, do I have a mistaken impression of FSI? It's one of my reasons for wanting Platiquemos instead. Linguaphone is a different story. From what you say, it sounds like it's only currently available in the Iberian dialect. I also know (from bumming around this forum) that Linguaphone courses can vary in quality, depending on which language is being taught. Would I learn a lot with it, or would I end up spending 6 hours and 200 bucks learning how to say "The car is red"? Edited by Jake Day on 18 March 2011 at 3:49am 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| HenryMW Tetraglot Senior Member United States Joined 5175 days ago 125 posts - 179 votes Speaks: English*, German, Spanish, French Studies: Modern Hebrew | Message 6 of 16 18 March 2011 at 5:30am | IP Logged | ||
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I used FSI for Spanish when I was in high school. I had no problem talking to the ESL kids.
1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Talairan Tetraglot Senior Member Spain Joined 6593 days ago 194 posts - 258 votes Speaks: Afrikaans, English*, Gypsy/Romani, Dutch Studies: Spanish, Flemish, Galician, Aramaic | Message 7 of 16 18 March 2011 at 4:21pm | IP Logged | ||
I was shocked at how little the new Linguaphone course actually covers. It is no where near as much as the older courses (based on viewing the pre- and post- 2000 Spanish Complete courses). 2 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| tractor Tetraglot Senior Member Norway Joined 5454 days ago 1349 posts - 2292 votes Speaks: Norwegian*, English, Spanish, Catalan Studies: French, German, Latin | Message 8 of 16 18 March 2011 at 6:28pm | IP Logged | ||
If you buy a used set of the 1970–2000 generation course, you'll learn a lot. If you buy the new course, I don't know. Edited by tractor on 18 March 2011 at 6:29pm 1 person has voted this message useful |
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