Rosetta Stone

[delusional]

Hi guys,

Has anyone tried Rosetta Stone to learn Chinese? The starting cost is a bit steep so I want to get as much information as possible before taking the plunge.

It looks fun to learn and has excellent reviews but that might just be their marketing.

Thanks!

[linguaholic]

Hi there

Well first of all I would like to say that I did not yet test the Chinese version of Rosetta Stone. However, I had the chance to test several different versions of Rosetta Stone and I have to say that it is a useful tool for beginners. Still, I do believe that there are enough nice and free language resources out there when it comes to the study of Chinese and therefore I would not be willing to pay money for something like Rosetta Stone. To get a nice overview about the online language resources for learners of Chinese, please have a look here:

http://linguaholic.com/chinese-links/study-chinese-links/

[surrender2air]

I have a friend who went through every Rosetta Stone level and came out far from fluent. If you're gonna use it, make sure it's not your only source of learning.

[Trellum]

I haven't tried the Chinese version of Rosetta Stone, but I've tried learning other languages using the Rosetta Stone method.  This method is fairly good, but the price is too high!  If you want to learn the language, then try finding other resources to learn it online, so if after that you're not completely satisfied then you can go for it and buy the Rosetta Stone Chinese course.

What I like about this method is how engaging an interactive it is.  Sadly it's too expensive!  If you are ready to pay for that then go for it!

[deathbyprayer]

I've used the software before and I have to say it's a pretty good starting platform for beginners wanting to learn a new language. As for the Chinese though, I've never really dabbled with it but I did start my Japanese lessons there and it wet pretty well for me so I guess a language as complicated as Chinese will be handled quite well. I suggest you find online reviews if there is any.

[Rosyrain]

I have a couple of coworkers who have used Rosetta Stone for Spanish and they seem to like it.  There are videos and games you can play on there to help you learn the language.  I am not sure how Chinese would work though, but I have heard good reviews of the product in general.

[Telco]

I love this software! It's what I'm using most in my self-study of Mandarin. The techniques are certainly effective. It uses the association technique (pictures to words, ideas or sentences), it also uses repetition and practice. I don't exactly know what it it, but at the end of an activity I begin to see the grammar patterns and rules. I'm also using Barron's Mandarin Chinese The Easy Way but I'd always go back to Rosetta Stone because it doesn't bore me as much as the others.

[Pink Glitter]

I have heard nothing but great things about Rosetta stone. I have even tried out a demo of their program  and I enjoyed using it to learn. The high price point of Rosetta Stone is a real turn off. It is a shame that the don't make a more affordable product. I try to find a used version on line.

[Pesto]

While I think it could be a useful tool, I question how helpful it is with acquiring fluency.  You can have people do well with exercises, but then be at a loss to using language authentically in real-life situations.  Also, I imagine that there's not much involvement in regards to writing, which I often think is neglected when learning new languages (that is if the languages even have written components).

[PashaR]

I am an ESL (certified) teacher. The instructor for the course I took has two PhDs in neuroscience. He has taught in nearly 100 different countries, and has kept up with the latest studies/science in second language acquisition. His assessment of Rosetta Stone? "The biggest waste of time on the planet."

Rosetta Stone has its advantages when it comes to learning vocabulary. It can also help with grammar, but falls short when it comes to teaching the mechanics of grammar. It's popular, not because it's such a superior system, but because Rosetta Stone pours millions of dollars into marketing/advertising each year. In my opinion, it is WAY overpriced for what you get. At first, the learner feels like he is making progress because he is learning vocabulary and able to answer simple questions. But it's doubtful whether a person will ever become fluent or even conversational with such a system.

I think Pimsleur is a much better system. The learner participates in conversation, and it uses the graduated memory recall method. This, of course, should be augmented with other study methods.

[aceofnoobs]

I have heard much better things about Assimil than Rosetta Stone. I have heard that Rosetta stone is quite overpriced and not worth the money for what the product offers you. Rosetta Stone is definitely also to be only used as one resource, as self-taught methods for languages are very lacking and will only get you so far. I have also heard good things about Pimsleur, especially when you are a beginner. Good luck with your learning of Chinese!

[lei / Latifa]

TO be honest it depends on where you get it from. I don't know about Chinese but I know for French it cost $300 If I had gone somewhere differently, I could've bought it cheaper. I have seen it at Barnes and Nobles for under 200$ (which is good).

[BillyIdol]

I've been tempted to pick up Rosetta Stone too, but as others have said, I think you may be able to get tools which are just as good for free. The thing is, when I was looking for reviews of Rosetta Stone most of the reviewers were getting a commission if I bought the product, so I really can't take their review seriously.