Customer Reviews

Italian with Book (Berlitz Basic) (Italian Edition)

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

 

 

This tape program takes an "immersion" approach to Italian language instruction--accompanying cheesy sound effects give "clues" as to what is meant, but precise meaning is unclear and grammar concepts remain cloudy. The vocabulary is presented in no particular order--ie with no concern for utility and it's not good if you want something to listen to in the car (you really should follow the book for this one). The "Drive In" series is superior to Berlitz for car listening, and is better for vocab as well (in addition to being more engaging).

This is a very good beginner/introduction course for comprehention and one of the few that applies the principle of listening to only the target language in action instead of translating and switching back and forth from English... But reading the other reviews here, there seems to be confusion as to what to expect.

First of all: this is NOT a "travelers" course, so don't expect these tapes to just drill you on specific phrases to order food, check into hotels and change money... The market is packed with travelers language tapes and courses that will better serve those needs (such as the Berlitz Travel series). But this is Basic Italian which means its fundamental goal is to get one thinking and responding in Italian starting from scratch, so of course it begins by using some very simple sentences such as "I want... you want.." and "Who is listening to music?.. Mario is listening to music" (as the lessons progress it does get more complex but never too much so). So this isn't a course for memorizing set phrases and "canned speech" as much as it is for learning the fundamentals of speech and grammer in action.

Second: Unless you already have some level of experience in Italian, these tapes are NOT meant to be listened to on thier own without the included textbook. Basic Italian is not to be confused with the "Learn in Your Car" or "Pimsleur" series as an audio-only course... absolute beginners with no knowledge of Italian MUST begin by following along the textbook and reading all the sidebar information in English as to understand what is happening and why. Only after following the directions does one gain the confidence to use these tapes on thier own (and those directions include never going on to the next lesson without having completely understood the one before: even being able to read the lesson from the textbook aloud with a correct accent and understanding everything being said)... So don't fear, you will NOT be required to "play detective" to figure out what is being said if you follow all the directions in the text!!

Some of the diolouge is a bit dated and goofy, but in the grand scheme of the course this makes no difference. When you reach the point where you can follow the tapes alone and understand everything and respond correctly and read the text correctly out loud, then you can be sure you are ready for the intermediate level.

After working initially with the book, I listened to the tapes for many hours while commuting. Somethings have "stuck", but most have not. I feel that this would be an excellent program to take up with a partner or in a class, and would love to hear from someone who would like to practice with a beginner via email. I found "Italian by Association" by Michael Grunberg to be far more effective for vocabulary building.

I've been trying to use the tapes in the car, and now I'm giving up and getting my language instruction from another publisher. This is too confusing; it's like trying to be a detective while you learn to speak Italian. They use no English, and expect you to understand the words from context. I understood about 60 percent of it, and the rest I repeated like a parrot, while following it up, under my breath, with a frustrated, "Whatever that means!" I've picked out bits and pieces from the dictionary, etc., but why should I have to hunt them down?

This is a fun and interesting immersion course but be warned that it seems geared primarily for business travelers, as many of the "scenes" take place in an office environment. It's also a little outdated in that secretary Sandra uses a typewriter and her friend Mario is amazed that she can use a computer, which makes a lot of beeping noises like a cartoon Univac. It would be nice to not only learn how to think in Italian but to also find out how to negotiate for tickets and converse with people on the street for directions, restaurant recommendations, etc. I'm learning language structure but not much useful vocabulary.

This is a very worthwhile course for basic communication in Italian. It's not a course designed for short-term needs or for advanced vocabulary and grammer, but it does invite the user to use his/her immagination in learning more than other courses. I think this makes for a more active learning experience rather than having every little detail spoon fed to you. This course teaches to think in a new language instead of going through translations so this might make it difficult if you have zero knowledge of Italian vocabulary, but as it progresses u really do get a feel for how the language works. Even though no English is used, the initial "scenes" (what is used instead of lessons) are very simply presented and is not difficult at all to follow. Once you go through the course and master the simple vocabulary well enough, you can use these tapes in the car with no problem.

I found this course to be wonderful. You have to be able to take an hour a day three days a week to do it but if you follow the instructions and pay attention it is very easy, you really begin to understand the Italian language. You definatley can't do it in the car but if you can take out the time to do it at home or preferably with a friend, it's very worth while

Though the book might be factually correct, a good program also needs to hold the readers' interest. The book itself is black and white, the dialogue stale and unmoving, and there is very little opportunity for listener/speaker interaction. I also speak German and French, and the best way I learn is by incorporating four basic points: listening, reading, speaking and culture. The book offers the first two, but is nearly devoid in the last. I can't imagine using the majority of the conversations in real life. I gave up after 6 chapters and bought Learn Italian the Fast and Fun Way with the audio CD. I'm almost through with that, and it's much better.

I've wanted to learn Italian for years. These tapes made it easy and fun. They even helped me develop an Italian accent! This was much easier than learning French in school.