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The overall usefulness of FSI

  Tags: Usefulness | FSI
 Language Learning Forum : Language Programs, Books & Tapes Post Reply
35 messages over 5 pages: 1 2 3 4 5  Next >>
ExRN
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Studies: Dutch

 
 Message 1 of 35
02 September 2015 at 7:06pm | IP Logged 
Based on past experiences, I am more than aware that some FSI courses are more useful than others
when it comes to dated vocab and grammar. Is there any possibility we could get some group input on
each course specifically so that we can refer to it before starting a course that could prove to be more
costly in learning a language than beneficial. Prime example being the German course as it is technically
useless in a modern day setting. Maybe we could rank them out of 10 for vocab used and grammar.
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Elexi
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 Message 2 of 35
02 September 2015 at 7:50pm | IP Logged 
What makes the FSI German course 'technically useless' in your opinion?

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ExRN
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Studies: Dutch

 
 Message 3 of 35
02 September 2015 at 8:03pm | IP Logged 
Elexi wrote:
What makes the FSI German course 'technically useless' in your opinion?


Now I have never studied German but I was under the impression that German spelling and grammar was
standardised in the 70s? Now even if the audio segments are correct, parts of text are going to be wrong
are they not? And if it's for a learning learning from scratch, there is no way of telling what is still relevant a
d what isn't.
Sorry if I am wrong.
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dampingwire
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 Message 4 of 35
02 September 2015 at 9:14pm | IP Logged 
ExRN wrote:
Now I have never studied German but I was under the impression that German spelling and grammar was
standardised in the 70s? Now even if the audio segments are correct, parts of text are going to be wrong
are they not? And if it's for a learning learning from scratch, there is no way of telling what is still relevant a
d what isn't.
Sorry if I am wrong.


I thought it was more recent and Wikipedia agrees.

Is it that big a deal though? (I'm going to start early next year, so I'm not just nit-picking for the sake of it ... I'd really like to know :-)).

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ExRN
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United Kingdom
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Studies: Italian, Spanish
Studies: Dutch

 
 Message 5 of 35
02 September 2015 at 9:35pm | IP Logged 
dampingwire wrote:
ExRN wrote:
Now I have never studied German but I was under the impression
that German spelling and grammar was
standardised in the 70s? Now even if the audio segments are correct, parts of text are going to be wrong
are they not? And if it's for a learning learning from scratch, there is no way of telling what is still relevant a
d what isn't.
Sorry if I am wrong.


I thought it was more recent and Wikipedia German_orthography_reform_of_1996">agrees.

Is it that big a deal though? (I'm going to start early next year, so I'm not just nit-picking for the sake of it ...
I'd really like to know :-)).


I would have thought so yeah. I suppose it's the difference between sounding like you come straight out of
an old black and white film where everyone is referred to as "one" and sounding to a current member of
society. "does one care for a jolly good rogering madam?" etc etc
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flydream777
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 Message 6 of 35
02 September 2015 at 9:52pm | IP Logged 
I thought the German course was incredibly useful. The speed that they teach and the grammar drills far
outweigh the more dated aspects of the voices/material.
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ExRN
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United Kingdom
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Studies: Italian, Spanish
Studies: Dutch

 
 Message 7 of 35
02 September 2015 at 9:56pm | IP Logged 
flydream777 wrote:
I thought the German course was incredibly useful. The speed that they teach and
the grammar drills far
outweigh the more dated aspects of the voices/material.


I am so confused then. I was under the impression that the reform had pretty much completely changed
the language as it was spoken?
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Elexi
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 Message 8 of 35
02 September 2015 at 10:12pm | IP Logged 
As it happens, I use 'one' all the time. Mainly because I work in a university and
students get confused and sometimes offended by the use of the generic 'you'.   

As to FSI - the spelling reforms have not changed the way German is spoken - time has
to a degree (e.g. the genitive case is less used as it was and 'gnädige Frau' may lead
to odd looks). My experience of educated Germans is that they would be very impressed
if one could speak with the grammatical precision of the FSI course.

Of course, many of the words are outdated, or diplomatic corps related - but it drills
many of the grammatical points, especially the cases, that Germans always comment about
when one gets them wrong.

Edited by Elexi on 04 September 2015 at 11:47am



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