[.ca] Chinese (Mandarin) I - 2nd Ed.: Learn to Speak and ... (ISBN 0671790617)

The best there is!:
I have a Ph.D. in linguistics and taught the subject for many years. Pimsleur is absolutely the best system out there for learning foreign languages short of being dropped in another country. (In fact, I'd still take Pimsleur with me if I were going to be set down in a foreign land.) In 30 days you will have basic functionality in the language along with excellent pronunciation-- a real Pimsleur plus. Work through the entire three levels (90 lessons) and you will reach a solid intermediate speaking level-- something that might take 4 years or more of traditional study! I started the Mandarin program from scratch and could not be more pleased. The tones, which will seem impossible at first even if you understand the theory behind them, are much easier after only 7 days and almost natural in two weeks. At the end of the 30 day first course you will barely be thinking about them any more-- so automatic will they have become. Obviously, you will need to further your studies to become as fluent in your second language as you are in English-- but there is absolutely no other course that teaches you so much, so fast, and with so little pain as Pimsleur. (By the way, I have no vested interest in this company-- I just love the system.)

Makes Mandarin Possible!:
When I first started Pimsleur Mandarin I, about six months ago, I gave up after the fourth lesson thinking it was too difficult. I just couldn't get my head around the tones and the difficult pronunciation. It seemed as though every sentence that I tried to make was too slow or had a wrong tone. Then about a week later, I tried it again and it wasn't quite so hard. I made it to lesson eleven, but then took another week-long break out of frustration. When I picked it up for the third time, it was much easier. I had finally figured out how to position my tongue to create most of the non-english phenomes (pinyin: q, x, j, r, ü, z, c), and the tones were starting to get easier, although I still had trouble when combining two falling-rising tones. After two months, I managed to finish Mandarin I, and then, with a bit more effort and patience, I finished Mandarin II and III. I can now repeat or say any sentence at full speed, and the tones have become almost entirely subconscious, making the language much more reasonable. This is the main strength of the Pimsleur program, it gets your ears accustomed to the sounds, and it forces you to make correct sentences quickly, with good pronunciation. This is especially important for a tonal language such as Mandarin. Of the three levels, Mandarin I is by far the most difficult and frustrating. This is because the four tones and many of the difficult phenomes are all introduced at once, and it seems almost impossible to master them. I had to listen to the first four lessons about four or five times each. After that, I listened to the remaining twenty-six lessons three times each. When I got to Mandarin III, I only had to listen to each lesson twice, as I had already mastered the tones and phenomes by that point and I only needed to deal with the vocabulary and relatively easy syntax. It gets much, much easier as you progress - trust me. It is also tremendously rewarding. I can carry out basic conversations with Chinese people, which suprises everyone (myself included). However, it doesn't take long before I encounter a word or sentence structure that I'm not familiar with. Oh well, I can't expect to become fluent in six months. As for pronunciation, I've been told that I don't have an accent, which is almost entirely because of Pimsleur. I highly recommend getting this course if you are serious about Mandarin. It is much more efficient than a tutor, and you'll see results. As for the cost, I'm only reviewing the qualilty of the product and not the cost/quality ratio. However, you should realize that there are other ways of obtaining this course. It is possible to buy it used, or rent it, and some libraries even carry Pimsleur programs. Keep this in mind...

Even I managed to make progress....:
As probably one of the worst language students in the continental US i bought this package with a certain amount of scepticism. However, i read the review by someone who claimed they listened to it in the car each day as they drove to work and ended up speaking with relative ease so it seemed it might be worth a try. After the package arrived i tried this and found myself veering into oncoming traffic and running red lights as i tried to concentrate on what the speaker was saying. i gave this up fairly quickly and finally found the best way (for me) was to go for a walk as i listened to each tape. even then i was stumbling along in an erratic manner and muttering to myself which only helped to lowering my neighbours poor opinion of me. I had to listen to the first few tapes anywhere between 5 to 10 times before i mastered them. I followed the advice of another reviewer, picked up a copy of the Oxford English-Chinese dictionary and proceeded to write down each lesson. I am now towards the end of the set of tapes and it is definitely getting easier - I can master each tape in 2- 5 hearings, am stumbling less and speak mandarin in a clear voice, oblivious of the looks from the neighbours. I intend to get Mandarin II as soon as i am done. and now if you will excuse me, it is time for my next lesson...

Excellent for the spoken language:
Once again Pimsleur offers an excellent course for the spoken language with relevent conversations and a teaching style that is both automatic and effective. Users should realize that spoken and written Mandarin are different and this course is ONLY for the spoken language. However, it is excellent for listening and speaking. The speakers in the series are clear and easy to understand. My only objection to this course is the lack of written material to accompany it (though the booklet that does come with it is very intersting and informative). Unfortunately, much of Mandarin sounds alike and most 'words' have multiple meanings depending on tone, accompanying words and context. A pinyin or other phonetic guide to the conversations would be very helpful. But for those with a good ear who want to learn by listening and speaking, this course is excellent.

Excellent as usual:
I have used many of the Pimsleur programs before and believe they are worth every penny. However, I have found that the Mandarin language is most difficult to learn and find myself going over each lesson more than once. None-the-less, this is an excellent program and I am learning to speak and understand Mandarin. I reccomend this product and will be purchasing Mandarin 2.