Japanese [Audiobook] [Audio CD]

Pimsleur (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2000 | ISBN-10: 0743517687 | ISBN-13: 978-0743517683

Understand and speak Japanese starting with these eight quick and simple audio lessons!

You're not just learning "phrases" with The Pimsleur® Method, you're acquiring essential, conversational Japanese!

You'll be thrilled to discover you can hold a real conversation in Japanese when you have finished these eight, 30-minute lessons!

Dr. Paul Pimsleur's original and unique method enables you to acquire Japanese as effortlessly as children absorb their native language. You will succeed because the Pimsleur program makes sure that you learn vocabulary and grammar correctly and easily in conversational settings without mindless repetition. Pimsleur is the only language program that includes exclusive, copyrighted memory training that ensures you will always remember what you have learned.

When you finish these lessons you'll be so delighted with you fast-growing spoken language skills you'll want to continue with the full 30-lesson Pimsleur® Program. And to make it easier, we've included a trade-up coupon in this package that will give you a $50.00 savings when you purchase the Level I Japanese Comprehensive Program.

Learn at your own pace -- comfortably and conveniently.

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Pimsleur (October 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743517687
• ISBN-13: 978-0743517683
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #907,005 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #25 in Books > Books on CD > Languages > Language Instruction > Japanese

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars You get what you pay for, February 19, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Japanese (Audio CD)

This program is a great place to START learning a language-- it is quick and simple japanese for about 25 dollars. I have read many reviews complaining that the material listed here is too easy, and too basic to really use if you want to learn any "real" foreign language-- well thats a given. Its quick and simple...

It does exactly what it promises to do in 8 easy lessons. You dont just learn set phrases... which would be quickly forgotton, you learn new functional words, and are forced to actively respond, and interact with the lessons. Not repeat as i've seen stated here in other reviews. You actually begin recombining, and guessing how to use the language from the first lesson-- you are prompted to make new phrases the tutor did not teach you-- (though a correct version is given to verify if your guesses are accurate).

But if you really want more indepth, you are going to need to buy something a little more comprehensive. if you dont ever see yourself buying the more expensive pimsleur courses, maybe you should save yourself some money up front, and really pursue a program that has the features you will want eventually now.

I've seen other criticisms about the lack of reading material... this is on the box-- its actually something Dr. Pimsleur states as a positive-- its not as if the course was misleading in some way. The idea here is to teach you a language like you did when you were a child, by just listening, and participating... and of course making mistakes. Written Language, and Spoken Language are only loosly related in an objective sense. Sure its best to have both, but reading ISNT REQUIRED to have a conversation, or function.

Think about it... by the time we enter school we are talking--maybe not about monet, or King Lear, but we can speak. Reading does not come so naturally to anyone.

This point is especially relevant in asian languages which don't use the roman script-- learning Kanji literally takes enourmous amounts of effort, japanese buisnessmen take Kanji courses, and this is an unnecessary complication for a quick and easy course. and as any serious student of japanese will confirm, romaji isnt very useful in the real world.

-- plus, when you are in japan... if you can speak.. you can ask almost anyone to read something to you outloud if you cant yourself-- the japanese are very polite, and the ability to communicate verbally again sidesteps, to a small extent, the unavoidable reality of becoming instantly illeterate.

But if Audio only isnt for you, then this probably isnt the best course--but at 25 dollars, it might be worth trying out-- you just might surprise yourself.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good concept but much to brief, February 2, 2001

By 

Christian Erwig-Straughan (Montréal, Québec Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Japanese (Audio CD)

I liked the approach on the CD. You listen to the speaker and repeat, slowly building your vocabulary. There are no grammar rules taught. The CD discourages you from looking at any book, something that I don't agree with. Some things I have to see in writing before I remember them properly. The main shortcoming of this CD set is its briefness. It claims that at the end you "can hold a real conversation in Japanese". However, this conversation will be extremely basic - far less than what a traveller in Japan will need. Example: You'll be able to order something in a restaurant, but only sake or beer. You can ask where Hibia avenue is, but unless it's "here" or "over there", you won't be able to understand the answer. All in all, the approach is good, but this CD set is not meant to teach you Japanese. It rather wants to give you a taste for the concept so that you will order the far more expensive comprehensive set. (Far more expensive even with respect to $ per CD or lesson.) For these reasons, I'll only give it three stars.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderfully quick and simple., February 24, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Japanese (Audio CD)

I've gotten these Pimsleur Quick & Simple CDs in Japanese, Italian, German, Russian, and Hebrew. They were a wonderful easy way to go into a foreign language class with a little working knowledge of the language and pronunciation. Also, I really recommend these as an inexpensive way to learn pronunciation of a foreign language. Many times I buy a language text book and teach myself with it in my spare time. These Pimsleur Quick & Simple CDs are a great, and in many cases cheaper, way to learn the pronunciation of a language so you can move on to an even more inexpensive media of language learning: used books.