Customer Reviews

Fodor's Italian for Travelers (CD Package), 2nd Edition (Fodor's Languages for Travelers)

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

 

 

Independent travelers who use this product should feel reassured that they can ask for what they need; express proper appreciation for assistance; make better informed menu choices and can even hold a friendly conversation with host country residents. Hearing native speakers repeat sounds, words and dialogs in proper cadence and accent is the key element to making the included phrasebook/dictionary usable in the real world. Although I am not an adept linguist, I have found Fodor's and Living Language products to be equally usable and equally comprehensive in meeting these needs on a basic level.

I migrated to Fodor's 2-CD Italian package from the older cassette format for ease and speed in finding and replaying spoken phrases and have been well-pleased with the results. Starting with drills for basic sounds and the alphabet, chapters build skills in vocabulary and forming sentences. Again, user repetition of the spoken models is the key to recognizing what is being said to or asked of you in a variety of standard situations and to building user comfort with reproducing the language. As with previous editions, the set includes a paperback version containing written transcriptions of the recorded passages plus a basic dictionary with phonetic transcriptions showing emphasised syllables. Users can follow along and see what they are learning to say. On tour, the 4x7-inch paperback is tote-able and, as necessary, words can be pointed out to locals. Back at the hotel, I use the paperback to plan conversations dealing with specific situations (illnesses, injuries, medicines, first aid supplies and toiletries)and try to locate some words that might be in the answers I might hear. The food vocabulary is very helpful in reading menus but works best if each traveller has some advance ideas of the names of main ingredients in the dishes and courses that might appeal. The text also contains useful background information on the country and how they handle a variety of issues of daily life. This edition omits the "vest pocket" abbridged booklet that used to come with previous sets. Having the more extensive dictionary along probably justifies this change.

Italian for Travelers was perfect for my trip to Italy during the Olympics. The book is well organized and is instantly useful! It has inspired me to learn more about the Italian language.

It's hard to find that "perfect" Italian book or audio CD to recommend to students, because I often run into these two situations: 1) the book is too in-depth and too focused on grammar; 2) the book is too superficial and more of a phrase-book for travelers, therefore not sufficient. SO, what I usually do is use a combination of books, including audio CDs, this being one of them. It has some useful information on the culture, as well as practical expressions for the brave traveler. However, my recommendation is to take a basic course before traveling to Italy, because even knowing a few simple sentences can get you a long way. Also, in a group setting you'll be able to ask specific questions and to practice with others. I'm sure that if you check with your local community college, there are some short continuing education courses for foreign languages. Non dimenticare! Don't forget: the trick in learning a language is repetition, so any audio CD that gets you to repeat the words over and over again, is great practice. The more you repeat, the more you'll remember! It's like learning a song: you can't sing a song you've heard only 1 time, but if you hear it over and over, you'll be able to sing all the lyrics!! So, keep up the good work! [..]

Not knowing any Italian aside from pasta names, I used this to prepare for a first trip to Italy and it was perfect--the CD went at a reasonable pace (unlike another CD course I tried which went painfully, ridiculously slowly) and covered a wide range of traveler-oriented phrases in a short amount of time. While many people spoke english in Italy, when they didn't, I was still able to communicate everything I needed to--get directions, order meals, even engage in very limited small talk. The phrasebook/dictionary is convenient too--a compact "back-up" in case you run into something unfamiliar or forget something.
I highly recommend it for anyone going to Italy!

This audiobook might be fine as a refresher, or if you already have the book to follow along, but as a stand alone for someone who does not know the language, I found it frustrating. I need to be able to see the words. Some of the sentences after the first couple of chapters were too long for me to repeat with any success.

I purchased this CD set and book so that I could listen to it in the car while driving to help with my Italian language learning as I prepare for a trip to Italy next Month. I have 2 major problems with these CDs. Firstly, There is no consistency. Sometimes they say the English word/phrase first followed by the Italian word/phrase twice with time for you to repeat it. Then in the next category they switch to saying the Italian phrases first followed by the English. It is SO confusing! Call me crazy, but I prefer to hear the English word first and then the Italian. It makes the most logical sense to me. But either way, if it were consistent, I wouldn't have cared so much. Second, they do not break down the pronunciation of the words/phrases. The voices simply say them, fairly quickly, too, and you are expected to understand each syllable. I'm sorry, but learning a new language isn't easy and the sounds are very different from English. These CDs would be much more helpful to me if they said the Italian, than slowed it down in the repeat so I can hear all the sounds in the syllables.

Very disappointed. I'm going back to my podcasts. Best part, they are FREE!

There are many instances where the Italian phrase is too long and Fodor doesn't break it up to allow a beginner to learn how to say it. I have another language learning CD where single words are broken into syllables, and then phrases are built, which is a much better way to learn a brand new language.

the book is great. I wish I would have bought it years ago. The only defect is that it fell apart. The glue that was used is no good.

useful phrases in book, but the cd is a bit messed up. it will randomly switch from first stating the english followed by italian to then stating the italian followed by english. very hard to follow because of this. they really need to redo this.