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Really enjoyable - solid, well produced, and fun:
I'm learning Italian for a trip in November, during which I'll be getting married and going on a honeymoon. I've tried several books, books with casette tapes, and interactive CD products, and so far this one is the best. I got it ...after seeing some reviews for the abridged version. Amazon.com seems to have a hard time keeping it in stock, so if you come across it, I'd highly recommend picking it up on the spot. I'm about 1/2 way through the first CD, which is providing me with a very good, if limited, vocabulary, and I'm having an easy time picking it up. Again, though, I've poked around with some books, and have at least a *little* experience with grammar, so it's a valuable vocabulary tool for me. It looks like it might be useful for someone learning fresh as well, though. I might have my fiance try it and see how she does. I haven't yet tried the other 3 CDs (the dictionary, the "intermediate" level Italian course, and the Tour of Italy). I was also interested in the "Tour of Italy" CD, as I want to do some research on sites we'll visit, and this should help. From what I've seen in other reviews, though, the second CD is quite a leap up from the first, and the Tour of Italy CD basically requires you to be fluent, so there might be some frustration issues there. Overall it's well worth the money. Very well put together, with high production values, and you WILL start learning some vocabulary and useful phrases, at the very least. It's clear this company puts time into doing quality software, rather than just slapping a quick semi-interactive VisualBasic or Flash application together and shipping it. (For that, you'd need to go see Street Smart Italian, which I got ...and was not pleased.)
"Underwhelmed":
I guess I just expected so much more after reading the other reviews. Guess I'm just the odd man out but I don't like what I've listened to thus far. Hopefully the last half of the CDs will be better. Here's what I don't like: 1) TOO SLOW - ridiculously slow 2) I don't like having the Italian first because as I learn more of the vocab I like to translate the English before the speaker. Helps me to know if "I've got it." 3) Arranged randomly. I feel like the vocabulary that it's giving is in a very random order. Perhaps it isn't - may be based on sounds and such but nonetheless, I find it very odd. 4) It's silly of me but the English speaking narrator has a wierd accent. She says "Eeee-tell-yun" for Italian. I don't know what to say but that it annoys me - a lot. 5) Here's another silly thing but what can I say? I find it distracting: The speakers have "sticky mouth" syndrome - the recording equipment seems to pick up their mouth noises. Yes, I know. PICKY but it's annoying. I have another Italian program and I prefer it - "Learn in Your Car - Italian." I am going to continue to listen to the last half of the CDs and hope they get better.
Learning Italian:
This was the required text for a four week (8 hour) course to learn key Italian phrases. We went to Italy recently and found the results of this class very useful.
Molto bene:
This is great especially on the long commute to work I love to put in a cd and actually do something progressive. These are easy to repeat and follow along.
Purchase for teenager:
The book was purchased for a grandchild to help her learn the language of her hertitage and is being used and enjoyed.
| Author: | Topics Entertainment | | Author: | Instant Immersion | | Binding: | Audio CD | | Dewey Decimal Number: | 458 | | EAN: | 9781591507574 | | ISBN: | 159150757X | | Number Of Items: | 8 | | Number Of Pages: | 8 | | Publication Date: | 2005-07-01 |
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