Primsleur

[JaiGuruDev]

 

junglesoup said:

I was under the impression that in most modern language schools, people are being taught to speak less formally.

One might not be surprised given the sad state of education in many countries around the world; however, that?s not my experience studying Thai at the local Wat. The instructors there make it a point to teach the proper use of the language.

 

Please note that I?m using the word ?proper? and not ?formal.? Pimsleur teaches proper Thai, but Pimsleur does not teach formal Thai.

 

Most of us find that we speak differently depending on the situation; I may speak one way with my friends, another with my parents, and quite another in business. It?s not so much of a stretch to think that the same might be true in Thailand.

 

If one has a good understanding of the proper use of the language, they can just as easily talk with BGs, as the local police captain or bank manager. But I have a funny feeling that if one could only communicate at the level of a rice farmer?s daughter, the local police captain or bank manager might come to some very quick, long lasting, and unfortunate conclusions.

 

junglesoup said:

I just think that for the price of the pimsleur course its not so good. I feel I ve learned thai just as well from the 400baht books and CDs.

You may feel any way you wish? But the fact is that Rosetta Stone and the Pimsleur Comprehensive course are better tools than the Benjawan Poomsan Becker books and tapes/CDs.

 

One may be able to filet a fish with a butter knife, but a better tool will go a long way to ensure a better outcome.

 

Additionally, it?s not just what Rosetta Stone and the Pimsleur Comprehensive teaches, but how. Rosetta Stone does a good job creating a dynamic immersion learning environment, and Pimsleur presents and drills much the same way the instructors do at the temple.

 

Benjawan Poomsan Becker, on the other hand, presents things once and moves on. There?s precious little reference to previous lessons or drilling. Benjawan Poomsan Becker just isn?t in the same league as Rosetta Stone and Pimsleur.

 

I have quite a few Benjawan Poomsan Becker books, and you?ll be able to buy them soon very cheaply in the used section of Amazon.com.

 

junglesoup said:

The pimsleur course only concntrates on speaking with absolutely no reference to any other aspect.

This is incorrect. The Pimsleur Comprehensive also includes a reading section. I have not opened it yet, so I don?t know if writing is included.

[junglesoup]

To be honest Jai you seem to be a much more dedicated thai student than me.

 

I m not very proficient at thai yet and I havent looked enough at these programs. Your right it is good to use the language properly,which doesn t mean more formally necessarily.

 

I ll get the 10 lesson pimsleur out again tomorrow and have a go and give it more of a chance.

 

have you tried the linguaphone full program yet Jai? Everyone said its good but it really is expensive.

 

Good luck.

[JaiGuruDev]

Next time you're at your favorite BKK software shop, pick up a copy of Rosetta Stone. It only has 1 or 2 units and it's an older version of the program, but the price is right.

 

And if you can make it to the end of the 2 units (reading and writing), it'll be a lot easier to spend the money on the current revision program because you'll have experinced the results possible.

 

I belive the Comprehensive version of Pimsleur Thai was released in March of this year. It has around 24 CDs (if memory serves), and includes a reading section.

 

I haven't tried Linguaphone, but I'm not against trying it. I'll have more free time after I get Rosetta Stone and Pimsleur under my belt. But by that time, I might be beyond what Linguaphone has to offer.