Customer Reviews

Bilingual Dict Swedish (Berlitz Bilingual Dictionaries)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

Simple, serves the basic purpose. Most Swedish dictionaries are more expensive. If you are just starting to learn Swedish and you don't need an extensive reference, then this dictionary is a good start. At this point I prefer only one word/explanation per entry, where multiple translative options can complicate learning.

This dictionary is just the right size for when you want to learn Swedish. It should cover all the words you need for a beginners course and some for an intermediate course. The grammar is not entirely extensive nor is the idiom list. It's easy to carry and I don't mind taking it with me.

This little gem is the only dictionary I could find that gives common phonetic sound pronunciation for each Swedish word. Pronunciation is what makes this language difficult, and makes French pronunciation look like a piece of cake. Some Swedish lesson books have some pronunciation guides here and there, and some dictionaries have "hieroglyphics" pronunciations, but this is the only one that gives phonetic pronunciation for all words, and does a good job of it too.

The binding falls apart easily, but I have cut out the pages and punched holes in them to use ring binders, and I have also copied the book pages to 8½ by 11 sheets in notebook form as well, but this book should last a trip to Sweden and back, at least.

If you are thinking of investing in the much bally-hooed Rosetta Stone. Save your money.

Rosetta Stone is a nice little "stone" in the building materials and tools of learning a language, but that's all it is, a rough stone at that. More like a glorified giant-sized Sesame Street language program for kids, but to say that is berating Sesame Street a bit, which does a much better job. You still very much need to use grammar books and dictionaries, lesson books, etc. if learning a language from "scratch" and while you are using Rosetta Stone. There are no language-specific built-in appendices, no dictionary, no language translation guides of any kind, no footnotes pointing out grammatical anomalies etc. (of which there are many in every language.)Nothing. Zilch.

There are just phrases in text accompanied by the audio (if you select audio accompaniment) in Swedish, to fit the pictures, and you have to guess, either, or, depending on your choice lesson. But none of these many preferences is more than just a quiz game. ROSETTA STONE HAS NO LEARNING TOOLS.

It seems the creators/programmers of Rosetta Stone made the same basic program template of photo pictures for all language suites they sell, and they just changed the voice and text for the different languages. What a money-maker! And what a rip-off! I would bet they spent more on marketing Rosetta Stone than creating it.

Check out my review on Rosetta Stone's Swedish package.