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Confused by reviews

  Tags: Usefulness | Assimil
 Language Learning Forum : Advice Center Post Reply
52 messages over 7 pages: 1 24 5 6 7  Next >>
fanatic
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 Message 17 of 52
01 December 2008 at 5:11am | IP Logged 
Javi wrote:
That said, and talking now about the ads that come with the book, please don't take any offence, but how naive you've got to be to believe the six months/half an hour bit? No one learn a language in six months by reading a book and listening to tapes half an hour every day, that's ridiculous. This is made clear as you actually read the book anyway. So this course, as many others I bet, is just a starting point.


I disagree. I succeeded learning German with half an hour's study each day in six months. I personally know several others who have done the same. If you use Assimil as they recommend it is certainly possible.

At the end of six months you have a good vocabulary, sufficient to get by in most situations. I learnt the specialised vocabulary that I needed for my work by going to the local library and reading technical books on the subject.

My knowledge of the language was sufficient for me to work in the country, listen to lectures, go shopping, tell jokes and understand jokes.

Obviously I needed to build my vocabulary. Assimil teaches you enough to converse on the basics. I regard Assimil as a complete language course. All courses are a starting point to build on. You never stop learning.
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Javi
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 Message 18 of 52
01 December 2008 at 9:11am | IP Logged 
fanatic wrote:
Javi wrote:
That said, and talking now about the ads that come with the book, please don't take any offence, but how naive you've got to be to believe the six months/half an hour bit? No one learn a language in six months by reading a book and listening to tapes half an hour every day, that's ridiculous. This is made clear as you actually read the book anyway. So this course, as many others I bet, is just a starting point.


I disagree. I succeeded learning German with half an hour's study each day in six months. I personally know several others who have done the same. If you use Assimil as they recommend it is certainly possible.

At the end of six months you have a good vocabulary, sufficient to get by in most situations. I learnt the specialised vocabulary that I needed for my work by going to the local library and reading technical books on the subject.

My knowledge of the language was sufficient for me to work in the country, listen to lectures, go shopping, tell jokes and understand jokes.

Obviously I needed to build my vocabulary. Assimil teaches you enough to converse on the basics. I regard Assimil as a complete language course. All courses are a starting point to build on. You never stop learning.


I suppose it all depends on what do we mean when we say that someone knows a second language. For me the standard is the language spoken by natives. Since I finished Assimil I've learnt thousands of words that 100% of natives know but they wasn't in the book, so I didn't know the language then I don't know it now either. If there are a lot of thins around you that you can't name, or everyday concepts you haven't got a word for, and natives speakers have to adapt their speaking especially for you, then you don't know the language, you are just a learner, that's how I see it. So, I just can't quite believe that someone can leave this state just after six months of reading a book.

Edited by Javi on 01 December 2008 at 9:39am

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slucido
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 Message 19 of 52
01 December 2008 at 9:29am | IP Logged 
Javi wrote:

I suppose it all depends on what do we mean when we say that someone knows a second language. For me the standard is the language spoken by natives. Since I finished Assimil I've learnt thousands of words that 100% of natives know but they wasn't in the book, so I didn't know the language then I don't know it now either. If there are a lot of thins around you that you can't name, or everyday concepts you haven't a word for, and natives speakers have to adapt their speaking especially for you, then you don't know the language, you are just a learner, that's how I see it. So, I just can't quite believe that someone can leave this state just after six months of reading a book.



I agree Javi. Assimil is a short introduction to the language. You can not claim that you speak a language after Assimil I and Assimil II. You need a lot of interaction. Maybe if you learn the two books by heart...








Edited by slucido on 01 December 2008 at 9:31am

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fanatic
Octoglot
Senior Member
Australia
speedmathematics.com
Joined 7152 days ago

1152 posts - 1818 votes 
Speaks: English*, German, French, Afrikaans, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Dutch
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 Message 20 of 52
01 December 2008 at 4:07pm | IP Logged 
You don't believe there is such a thing as a complete language course? The best courses available are just introductory courses?
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slucido
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Spain
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 Message 21 of 52
01 December 2008 at 4:26pm | IP Logged 
fanatic wrote:
You don't believe there is such a thing as a complete language course? The best courses available are just introductory courses?


As far as I know, I agree.


1 person has voted this message useful



fanatic
Octoglot
Senior Member
Australia
speedmathematics.com
Joined 7152 days ago

1152 posts - 1818 votes 
Speaks: English*, German, French, Afrikaans, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Dutch
Studies: Swedish, Norwegian, Polish, Modern Hebrew, Malay, Mandarin, Esperanto

 
 Message 22 of 52
01 December 2008 at 4:57pm | IP Logged 
slucido wrote:
fanatic wrote:
You don't believe there is such a thing as a complete language course? The best courses available are just introductory courses?


As far as I know, I agree.



Then, we have to change our definitions. It is meaningless to say that X is an introductory course. By the definition on this thread, they all are.

My definition of a complete course is a course that enables you to speak, understand, read and write the language to the extent that you can read books, attend lectures, speak on basic subjects, etc.

I would classify FSI, Linguaphone, Assimil, Cortina and Hugo as complete courses.

I would classify Pimsleur, Language For Travellers, Language on the Move and the like as introductory.
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reineke
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 Message 23 of 52
01 December 2008 at 7:46pm | IP Logged 
I believe you guys need to define what means learning a language.
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