Customer Reviews

Haitian-Creole

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

 

 

Tapes are DEFINITELY the way forward - unless you're going to live and work in a country for a couple of years or more. Even then, a head start is worth something. You won't learn much language in a couple of months in a country starting from scratch (unless you stay with friends who have the patience to teach you in a structured way). Of course, if you can afford face-to-face tuition or learn it in college, nice. If not, then tapes will at least teach you how to pronounce things "properly" (which is not to say idiomatically). They will give you a basic vocabulary.

However, this course is so SLOW - the lessons are repetitious rather than allow the student to judge when to repeat something. One could get far more material into 5 tapes. I acquired them for my son and we were tempted to edit them into something compact. They do not equip you to hold a conversation but give you a basis.

The alternative is "Ann Pale Kreyol" (Valdeman) which costs three times the price but has about six times the material and would prepare you competently to strike up a simple converstaion from the word go.

The Pimsleur publishers might approach a full length course differently, but this abridged course is not good value for money. Students could make good the somewhat deficient volcabulary if they speak intermediate (or above) French because many French words have been drawn into the Kreyol vernacular - colours, for instance. The grammar is quite different and to be fair, the Pimsleur does drill many of its idioms into you. So, if you have six to eight months before you visit Haiti and can afford it, go for the "Ann Pale Kreyol" set. If not, this will do at a pinch. If you're a keen listener you'd soon start to pick the language up. It would also help to lay your hands on any easy books in Kreyol, even newspapers - and if you have a contact in Haiti, ask her/him to send you tapes of radio broadcasts.

I'm a language buff and have tried many different books/tapes/computer programs. The Pimsleur system is far and away the best. It's hard to find quality materials for learning a language like Haitian Creole, but they have it. I've been able to hold conversations with Haitians in Miami thanks to these tapes. Now, if only Simon & Schuster would publish a full, comprehensive Pimsleur Creole program.

I was very disappointed with this set of tapes. For the few phrases you will learn by the end of the tape, it is hardly worth the cost. It did help my pronunciation and the method/repetition was effective, but it would take many more volumes before you could be competent to attempt a real conversation. The included phrase book is nearly worthless. I would discourage anyone from buying this set...especially at this price.

Given the lack of available information on learning Haitian Creole, I was very happy when I found the Pimsleur tapes, and even happier when I was able to get them at a discount on Amazon.com. I agree with the other reviewers that the limited content is disappointing, but it's a good start and overall I'm happy with my purchase. My wife (who is Haitian) and her friends and family are amazed at the progress I've made in such a short period of time. Now the pressure is on to keep on improving. If Pimsleur made a second and third course, I'd buy them in a heartbeat.

This was my first exposure to the Pimsleur system of language learning. I found the tapes to be well produced technically, with excellent sound quality. I was disappointed at how slowly they moved, however. I understand the need for repetition in learning a language, but I wish they had covered more ground and just let me replay the tapes when I needed reinforcement. I became frustrated after going through 10 lessons and still not knowing any colors, days of the week, months, seasons, or even being able to count to 20. Perhaps some learners need more repetition, but I was exhausted after hearing, for example, the phrase meaning "..would like" presented 303 times(I counted). I am presently looking for some Creole tapes that present more information in a more concentrated fashion.

The Pimsleur method is a great way to start, but the five tapes can quickly be mastered. It would be better with more content/more tapes. Obviously you're not going to learn the language and strike up a conversation after following this course...but that was never my intent.....I was looking for a starting point. All-in-all I satisfied with the course and think it worth the price.

With all that said, they could have hit a home run with 3 things. 1: more tapes, 2: a pronunciation key, 3: the reading guide for each unit should have covered the words used in the corresponding unit on tape.

If Pimsleur expanded the course (before I mastered the language through other means) I would purchase it.

I am rather inept at learning other languages, and the Haitian-Creole: Pimsleur Language Program works pretty good for me. However, it took me very little time to get to the end of the five tapes - and it didn't seem as though I learned that much. They offer a booklet with Creole words - but you never learn what they mean - although you learn how to pronounce them wonderfully.

Bottom line: It is a good introductory program, the quality is good, but I feel the cost is a little too high for the volume of material covered (or not covered).

The best way to learn a language is to immerse yourself in it. In other words- go to Haiti! Listen, make mistakes, try again and guess what, you'll soon speak this language of little to NO verb conjugation! Besides, you'll get something else that no tape can give you- an experience of wonderful, magical Haiti.