At PimsleurMethod.com we are always curious as to why people want to learn a new language. We’ve heard lots of reasons such as travel, business, family history, dating and more. But now we want to hear from you. Why do you learn a new language? Let us know.
June 3, 2010 10:03 am
June 2, 2010 7:57 am
It’s time to travel! It’s summer. The kids are out of school. You have vacation from work. Maybe you’re going to Europe. Maybe you’re staying right around your own backyard. But we want to know your travel tips. Things that make your trip better.
For instance, here at Pimsleur Method we think before you head out on any trips, you should learn the lingo. If you can, learn a bit of the language. Even if it’s just a few basic sentences or words. Not only will you find it helpful, but when a local can see that you have tried to speak their language they will be much more willing to help. So visit PimsleurMethod.com to start learning today.
Other travel tips:
- Store your memory. Always take the memory card out of your digital camera and store it seperately. That way, if someone steals your camera, they don’t have all your pictures.
- Take a lightweight scarf. A lightweight scarf doesn’t take up much space but can become very handy at times. You can transform it into a pillow, sarong, towel, sun shield, blanket and also a way to cover your shoulders and hair if the local culture calls for it.
So now we want to hear from you! Please share with us your favorite travels tips.
May 26, 2010 10:53 am
Learning a new language can be fun and challenging at the same time. Here are six steps that will help accelerate your language learning.
1. Understanding is the most important thing in learning a language, not memorization. You need to study to understand. This is different than just listening. As you listen you need to understand the words and meanings of what is being said. Don’t move on until you get the understanding of the words and the lesson. After you get this meaning it is time to move on to the next lesson.
2. Study at a time and in a place where you can concentrate on the material at hand. This can differ depending on the person. One person can listen and understand while walking, jogging or driving. Another person may find that he must study alone and in a very private place. Know yourself well enough to know what works best for you and then be sure that you consistently follow the same routine that will give you the best results. Effective study is hard work.
3. Study in time increments that keep you fresh. Many people find that when studying a language a 30 minute time period works the best. You focus so intently that trying to go for a longer period of time does not work very well. Be sure to keep your study periods to approximately 30 minutes. Then give yourself a rest until the next day.
4. Study your language each day, every day. Push yourself to keep going. You learn little by little and as time goes on you start to understand your new language and the pieces start to fit together.
5. It is important to try and use what you have learned. Take every chance to say words and phrases to others. You will never learn to speak a new language by just saying things to yourself. Studying a language is not just reading and memorizing, although it encompasses both. You need to use every chance to speak the language in order to acquire that language.
6. Studying is like a job. With time and effort and attention, you can learn to speak the language well. You must learn to think like a native speaker. Learning occurs with repeated practice.
Follow these 6 basic steps and you will quickly be on your way to learning a new language.
Are you ready to learn a new language? Try Pimsleur Method languages courses to quickly and effectively learn to speak a new language. Visit PimsleurMethod.com for more details.
May 25, 2010 10:35 am
Haitian Creole (Kreyòl ayisyen) is spoken in Haiti by all of its 7 million people. It is also spoken in the Bahamas, Canada, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, France, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. It is based on French and on African languages spoken by slaves brought from West Africa to work on plantations. It is often incorrectly described as a French dialect or as “broken French”. In fact, it is a language in its own right with its own pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and pragmatics.
Status
Even though Kreyòl is a language spoken by all Haiti’s citizens and even though it was recognized in 1961 as Haiti’s official language along with French, it continues to have less prestige than French. Even after Haiti became independent from France in 1804, French continued to be the prestige language of government and of power. Not surprisingly, French is more likely to be spoken by the urban elite which constitutes about 8-10% of Haiti’s population. In addition, urban French-based schools have been privileged over rural Kreyòl-based schools.
Print media in Kreyòl has been limited due to regional and social variations in the language and orthography. Newspapers are beyond the reach of many citizens due to language differences, illiteracy, and cost. There are only a few television stations that broadcast in Kreyòl. Radio is the most important medium of communication providing a way for Haitians to stay informed.
In the large expatriate Haitian communities of New York, Miami, and Boston, Kreyòl is the subject of instruction and is also used to teach subject matter in elementary and secondary schools.
Learn Haitian Creole with the Pimsleur Method Haitian Creole course. Available on CD or Download at www.PimsleurMethod.com. Hear the first lesson for free when you visit our website.
Resources: www.aboutworldlanguages.com
May 17, 2010 12:01 pm
We’re giving away a FREE Pimsleur Method Level I Download ($345 value) to one lucky customer. How do you get entered to win? It’s easy! Become a fan of Pimsleur Method on Facebook AND leave us a comment telling us what your favorite language is. It’s that easy. Once we reach 500 fans on Facebook we’ll choose one winner. Tell all your friends!
If you’re already a fan of PimsleurMethod on Facebook, all you need to do is leave us a wall post on Facebook telling us your favorite language.
You can link directly to Pimsleur Method on Facebook using this link:
May 11, 2010 11:17 am
Pimsleur Urdu is now available in the Basic (10 lessons), Conversational (16 lessons) and Level I (30 lessons). According to AboutWorldLanguages.com:
Urdū belongs to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family. It is spoken as a first language by 11 million people in in Pakistan and by 48 million people in India. It is also spoken in urban Afghanistan, in the major urban centers of the Persian Gulf countries and Saudi Arabia.Urdū is also spoken by Pakistani immigrants in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Norway and Australia. The worldwide population of speakers of Urdū as a first language is estimated at 60.5 million people, and together with second-language speakers, the number is 104 million (Ethnologue).
Hindi vs. Urdu
The name Hindi is of Persian origin. The Persians used it to refer to the Indian people and to the languages they spoke. Scholars postulate that Hindi developed in the 8th-10th centuries from khari boli , the speech around Dehli which was adopted by the Moslem invaders to communicate with the local population. Eventually, it developed into a variety called Urdū (from Turkish ordu ‘camp’), characterized by numerous borrowings from Persian and Arabic, which became a literary language. In the meantime, the language of the indigenous population remained relatively free of borrowings from Persian and Arabic, and instead borrowed words and literary conventions from Sanskrit. This language became Hindi.
As a result of these different influences, Hindi is written in the Devanagari script and draws much of its vocabulary from Sanskrit, while Urdū is written in the Perso-Arabic script and draws a great deal of its lexicon from Persian and Arabic. The two languages also differ in a number of relatively minor ways in their sound system and grammar. Both Hindi and Urdū have been used as literary languages starting in the 12th century. Under the influence of English, Hindi and Urdū literature flourished starting in the 18th century.
Hindi and Urdū have a common colloquial form, called Hindustani. Hindustani never achieved the status of a literary language, although Mahatma Ghandi used it as a symbol of national unity during India’s struggle for independence from England.
Status
- Pakistan
Urdū is the official language of Pakistan, along with English. It is the 2nd or 3rd language for those Pakistanis for whom it is not a native language. All government, business, media, and education are conducted in Urdū. - India
Urdū is also one of the official languages of India, and has official status in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, and Uttar Pradesh where it is used in government administration and is the medium of instruction in primary schools. Throughout India,Urdū is typically spoken by Moslems, whereas Hindi is typically spoken by Hindus. India has several thousand daily Urdū newspapers. There are Urdū schools with their own curriculum.Even though India and Pakistan achieved independence from British rule in 1947, the legacy of the English language continues to affect all aspects of society and of the educational system of the two countries, where education in English is a prerequisite for social status. English remains the sole language of higher education in almost every field of learning, and code-switching between Hindi/Urdū and English is extremely common, especially among the educated elite. English continues to be a necessity for Pakistan, a country where the majority of the people speak Punjabi, where the national language is Urdū, and where a large number of other languages are used on a daily basis.
You can find the Pimsleur Method Urdu courses at PimsleurMethod.com.
March 31, 2010 4:18 pm
The scooters can cruise at break-neck speed. This matches the fast speed of Taipei’s whirly development. But why follow them when slowing down reveals China’s richest art and its cultural treasure trove? Tom Cockrem discovers even more.
The Chiang Kai-shek is a masterpiece. Its enormous five arched gateway, crowned with glared blue tiles, would befit an emperor’s palace. The trapezoidal main structure is similarly clowned. It recalls-perhaps on purpose – the uncluttered elegance of great monuments from antiquity, like the Mayan Chichen-Itza of Mexico and the Egyptian Pyramids. There entrance is flanked by two imperiously palatial red colonnaded halls; the National Theatre and the Opera House. This complex might be modern, but its inspiration is decidedly in the past.
Taipei is a city of the present. Its infrastructure tells you that, along with its fashions and its shops. Not much history ostensibly remains. We have to suffer pragmatism here-those awful white glazed building tiles that remind you all too often that you may need the comport room. Taipei’s history defiantly remains, enmeshed as it is with that of mainland China. It is embodied in the people. Their dress is ultra-chic, as are their technologies; and they ride their motor scooters at modern break-neck speeds. But that’s where new-age trappings start and end. The Taiwanese exhibit values that you associate with the exulted ancient East. High among these are politeness and respect. The young will stand up for their elders (and me with my cameras in) in trains. You will never be assailed by crude behavior anywhere or see people cross the street against the lights. Egalitarianism too seems well entranced. It poverty exists, even if it has escaped my eye.
A few years ago, a visitor would have all but despaired at the prospect of covering the highlights of Taipei without access to a car. Now there’s the MRT-Mass Rapid Transit. Opened in stages from 1996-and still not totally completed- the underground rail system challenges even its Singapore equivalent unit’s user-friendliness, reliability and speed. Using this and one or two short taxi hops, the best of the city can be covered in two leisurely days, and don’t forget the guarantee: you simply can’t get lost. The congenital Taipeiorens will see to that. If all directions somehow fail, you might, as I did, find yourself being personally escorted all the way to your front door.
March 26, 2010 1:49 pm
G’day is how he greets you, and that’s his name too. Baliness hotelier I Gde Gunawan has fond memories of camping and picnicking with his “Aussie grandparents’ when he boarded in Melbourne many years ago. Things are a bit more comfortable at the Puri Santrian, the luxurious hotel he now manages on the beachfront at Sanur, Bali.
Bali welcomes, indeed needs, foreign visitors (even the Australians) more than ever. Most Balinese are just that: Baliness, wedded to their home villages, their home temples and their community. The raw material for racial or religious unrest is simply not there: last year’s Sari Club bombing was perpetrated by outsiders, now apprehended.
The Balinese social system based on the banjar or village cooperative, has always closed ranks on outsiders, and the province is now tightening controls on unemployed drifters from other parts of Indonesia. Many of the hawkers, vendors and masseurs who once made Kuta Beach an endurance test have been moved on.
Whether you’ve come for the shopping, the sunshine, the surf or the slopes, Bali remains an exceptional value. Hundreds upon hundreds of stores offer the ubiquitous batik fabrics, printed tee-shirts, surf wear, and software. Our evening at the Jazz Bar and Grill in Sanur cost a few dollars for each of us, and the ride home in a metered taxi clocked up less than a dollar. And where else would a smart bar serve non-alcoholic fruit thick shakes, or tolerate small children plying on the staircase?
There is no lack of things to do: spend the morning riding the 11 water slides at Kuta’s Waterbom Park and Spa, choosing between the high-speed Race Track and Boogie Ride of the thrilling River Raft Macaroni Tube or Jungle Ride.
Fast catamarans operate supper cruises with cabaret entertainment or all-day cruises to Lembongan Island; golfers at Le Meridien Nirwana can tee off within sight of rice paddies and ancient temples while their partners submit to time-honored massage therapies. Trekking, mountain biking or off-road expeditions tempt the more energetic, as does white-water rafting on the Ayung River in central Bali, which has become so popular that numbers may soon have to be capped. Surfing, of course, is what Bali means too many people: chasing those flawless tubes that roll in from the Indian Ocean.
Many of the best things to do in Bali are free or near enough. Without even leaving Sanur or Kuta you can marvel at the pageantry of a Hindu cremation, or inspect the tangible legacy of a history extending more than a thousand years.
Picking through the muddy lanes of Blahkiuh we discovered what’s special about a Balinese market; the piles of pork crackling (Indonesia’s Muslim majority naturally don’t keep pigs); the frangipani petals arranged in little square plaited boxes, hor’s d’ oeuvres for the gods; the earthenware pitchers and the gilded brocades for dressing up the deities. Women adjusted their ceremonial sashes before entering the market temple to set down their offerings. Bali’s Hindu ceremonies are so lavish that produce prices climb ahead of a big event, which chews up mountains of fruit and claims the lives of many a hapless chicken.
English is spoken widely in Bali, but I think I may brush up on a little Indonesian language before I go.
Listen to a Free Pimsleur Method Language course just for fun.
1:23 pm
1:01 pm
France is very good travel destination. There is an abundance of cafés, restaurants, bars, and museums. And the best thing about this is that they are cheaper compared to other European countries. France is actually the most visited country in the world. It has Paris which is a very great city, it also has good beaches, plus, it also has beautiful natural scenery. It is a very good place to stay for it has good food, great wines, and people there just enjoy their lives. If you are planning to explore France, you can find a lot of information about the country. You can either go through online travel guides or you can contact a travel agency to help you out with the necessary information you need.
Transportation services are good enough. The train services are extensive in the different areas of France. There are also a lot of comfortable places with good ambiance such as restaurants and other places where you can relax. There are a lot of cyclists in France. Some places even offer free bike rides. Road system in France provides access to all parts of the country. Expressways are actually still in the process of expansion. Passenger cars, buses and trucks, are also everywhere. They also have ferries for those who want to cross the waters.
The people in France are very courteous and they go direct to the point. They usually speak whatever is on their minds. When you get to know them better, you will know how polite and friendly they are. They love to put a lot of importance on their appearance. Fashion has become a great influence on them all. The French put significance on their fashion and good cuisine.
Famous tourist destinations in France include the Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, Palace of Versailles, Arc de Triomphe, Centre Pompidou, Mont-Saint-Michael, Musee Picasso, Disneyland Paris, Rhone Alps, Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral, D-Day Landing Beaches, Musee Rodin and a lot more.
The French cuisine is known for its exquisite taste worldwide. It’s complicated technique is the reason why most culinary schools have taken it as their base model for cooking. French people are very careful in preparing every detail in making a dish even if the recipe is quite simple. Traditionally, French chefs only stick to the old techniques but through time, they have become more experimental.
These are a number of reasons why France is a good place to visit. Aside from great shopping, wonderful dining experiences, lovely beaches, and an interesting culture, it is one of the most romantic places on earth. Go visit France and see it for yourself.
Please take me along!
Listen to a Free Fench lesson at Pimsleur Method.