Chinese (Cantonese), Basic: Learn to Speak and Understand Cantonese Chinese with Pimsleur Language Programs (Pimsleur Instant Conversation) [Audiobook] [Audio CD]

Pimsleur (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 6, 2006 | ISBN-10: 0743550803 | ISBN-13: 978-0743550802 | Edition: 10 Lessons

Cantonese, one of several major languages in China, is mainly spoken in Hong Kong, Guangdong, the Guangxi provinces, and in most overseas Chinese communities in Australia, Europe, and North America. Pimsleur's Cantonese teaches Cantonese as spoken in Hong Kong.

Cantonese Chinese, Basic

• Ten 30-minute lessons of spoken Cantonese Chinese language instruction. These 10 lessons are the same as the first 10 lessons in the Pimsleur Comprehensive Level I program.
• Each lesson includes an introductory conversation, and new vocabulary and structures and includes practice for vocabulary introduced in previous lessons.
• Essential grammar and vocabulary that teach you greetings, numbers, how to order food and drinks, and to give and ask for directions.
• Learn to speak with near-native pronunciation.
• No mindless repetition! Converse with native speakers in natural (and useful!) conversations.
• Easy, fast, fun and effective language acquisition.
• Completely Audio - anytime, anywhere. No computer necessary! Unlike expensive software programs which tie learners to a computer, Pimsleur courses are available in CD or mp3 format to meet your needs.
• Receive an instant credit of $50 to trade up from the Basic to the full Level 1 Comprehensive CD course.

The Pimsleur® Method: the easiest, fastest way to learn a new language. Completely portable, easily downloadable, and lots of fun. You'll be speaking and understanding in no time flat!

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Pimsleur programs provide plenty of positive reinforcement that will keep learners on track, and we found that Pimsleur gave us more proficiency and confidence in speaking the new language than any of the other language programs we reviewed." -- AudioFile Magazine

"EXTREMELY ACCESSIBLE...each section within the lessons is short enough to hold our attention, and there is enough repetition to teach even those who consider themselves slow learners...Pimsleur [programs] are extremely thorough and easy to use -- quite lively!" -- Boston Herald

"Learn French while commuting, German while jogging, Spanish (or Russian, Italian, and Japanese) while cooking all with NO WRITTEN MATERIALS!" -- New York Daily News

"Designed for the ear and not the eye...the lessons provide PERFECT 30-minute bites of work." -- St Louis Post-Dispatch

"Learn to habla español or parlez français before your next trip aboard. The interactive LESSONS CHALLENGE STUDENTS to use new words in conversation instead of memorize them." -- American Way (American Airlines inflight magazine)

"I tried other language programs with little success...This is the best by far!" -- Pamela A. Mitchell, Pilot, International Society of Women Airline Pilots

About the Author

Dr. Paul Pimsleur devoted his life to language teaching and testing and was one of the world’s leading experts in applied linguistics. After years of experience and research, Dr. Pimsleur developed The Pimsleur Method based on two key principles:  the Principle of Anticipation and a scientific principle of memory training that he called “Graduated Interval Recall.”  This Method has been applied to the many levels and languages of the Pimsleur Programs.

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Pimsleur; 10 Lessons edition (February 6, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743550803
• ISBN-13: 978-0743550802
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.6 x 2.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,230,669 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Paul Pimsleur (b. 1926, d. 1976) devoted his life to language teaching and testing and was one of the world's leading experts in applied linguistics. He was fluent in French, good in German, and had a working knowledge of Italian, Russian, Modern Greek, and Mandarin Chinese. After obtaining his Ph.D. in French and a Masters in Psychology from Columbia University, he taught French Phonetics and Linguistics at UCLA. He later became Professor of Romance Languages and Language Education, and Director of The Listening Center (a state-wide language lab) at Ohio State University; Professor of Education and Romance Languages at the State University of New York at Albany; and a Fulbright lecturer at the University of Heidelberg. He did research on the psychology of language learning and in 1969 was Section Head of Psychology of Second Language Learning at the International Congress of Applied Linguistics.

Dr. Pimsleur was a member of the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF), American Educational Research Association (AERA), Modern Language Association (MLA), and a founding member of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).

His many books and articles revolutionized theories of language learning and teaching. After years of experience and research, Dr. Pimsleur developed a new method (The Pimsleur Method) that is based on two key principles: the Principle of Anticipation and a scientific principle of memory training that he called "Graduated Interval Recall." This Method has been applied to the many levels and languages of the "Pimsleur Programs."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Great learning for Mandarin speakers, December 26, 2011

By 

Mandarin Speaker - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chinese (Cantonese), Basic: Learn to Speak and Understand Cantonese Chinese with Pimsleur Language Programs (Pimsleur Instant Conversation) (Audio CD)

I've never written a review before, especially since I borrowed this product from the library rather than actually buying it (I was surfing to find the rest of the lessons). The only review of this product is extremely unfair. This learning system is amazing for learning in the car, while jogging, doing laundry etc. I can see why the previous reviewer might have a problem with this product due to having difficulties with distinguishing tones, however, that's the hardest part of Cantonese. I work in NYC Chinatown with primarily Cantonese speaking co-workers. Before I was there, I only spoke Mandarin. This product does a great job at pointing out the tonal differences between very similar sounding words (ones that I couldn't tell the difference between at work when actual people were speaking to me). You also feel like you progress quickly through learning with conversations, which is the most natural way to learn a language. I've tried learning french with CD's before with another brand to supplement class and it was mind numbingly boring. This goes fairly quickly. Mandarin speakers who want to learn Cantonese, this is the product for you, look no further. People learning Chinese for the first time, this is a great starting point.

9 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not for someone who wants to learn correct pronunciation, August 10, 2007

By 

Kelcy A. Hahn (Hong Kong) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Chinese (Cantonese), Basic: Learn to Speak and Understand Cantonese Chinese with Pimsleur Language Programs (Pimsleur Instant Conversation) (Audio CD)

Don't buy this product if you really want to learn correct pronunciation. There are no easy shortcuts to language learning, especially Cantonese! I bought the product, and all it consists of is CD's that have recordings of Cantonese that the listener is supposed to imitate. There's no text at all. Unless you are incredibly competent in tone discrimination, you can learn, at best, to say some phrases that sound like Cantonese.