French II - 2nd Ed. Rev.: 2nd Ed. Rev. Euro (Pimsleur Language Program) [AUDIOBOOK] (Audio Cassette)

by Pimsleur (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

With Pimsleur Language Programs you don't just study a language, you learn it -- the same way you mastered English! And because the technique relies on interactive spoken language training, the Pimsleur Language Programs are totally audio -- no book is needed!

The Pimsleur programs provide a method of self-practice with an expert teacher and native speakers in lessons specially designed to work with the way the mind naturally acquires language information. The various components of language -- vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar -- are all learned together without rote memorization and drills. Using a unique method of memory recall developed by renowned linguist, Dr. Paul Pimsleur, the programs teach listeners to combine words and phrases to express themselves the way native speakers do. By listening and responding to thirty minute recorded lessons, students easily and effectively achieve spoken proficiency.

No other language program or school is as quick, convenient, and effective as the Pimsleur Language Programs.

The Comprehensive Program is the ultimate in spoken language learning. For those who want to become proficient in the language of their choice, the Comprehensive programs go beyond the Basic Programs to offer spoken-language fluency. Using the same simple method of interactive self-practice with native speakers, these comprehensive programs provide a complete language learning course. The Comprehensive Program is available in a wide variety of languages and runs through three levels (thirty lessons each) in French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian and Spanish. At the end of a full Comprehensive Program listeners will be conducting complete conversations and be well on their way to mastering the language. The Comprehensive Programs are all available on cassettes and are also on CD in the six languages in which we offer the Basic Program on CD.

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Pimsleur (July 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671570722
• ISBN-13: 978-0671570729
• Product Dimensions: 13 x 10.5 x 2.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #366,216 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

66 of 67 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pimsleur method is still the best, but..., March 28, 2000

By	Ron (North York, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: French II (Audio CD)

When you finished this set, you can expect the following:

(1) You will continue to learn a lot of basic sentence structures along with important French expressions from the audio lessons and the supplementary text booklet.

(2) Your command of the language will improve subtly. I've found that when I had finished the 30 lessons (it took me about 2-1/2 months and on average 2 or 3 days on 1 lesson), I didn't think I know a lot more than when I started UNTIL I went back to go through each lesson again. I was amazed at the amount of materials I have actually picked up. It was then that I realized how NATURAL those expressions have become to me. I could recall about 90% of the lessons. The second time around (one day on each lesson) allows me to work on those 10%.

(3) Do NOT expect to carry out a long conversation with a French person or be able to watch French TV programs and understand what everything they are saying. I feel that I am now very competent in handling simple questions - albeit within the range of questions and answers practiced in the course. The problem is that I don't have enough VOCABULARIES to go into a `deep' conversation. VOCABULARIES are what this program doesn't give you. Indeed, this program excels in giving you all the BASIC FRAMEWORKS to build upon, but it's up to you later to expand your vocabularies and learn how verbs conjugate. (To learn more vocabularies, you may want to check out the `Vocabulearn' series - it is not the greatest or easiest learning program but it does give you a lot of vocabularies.)

I had very high expectations when I bought this set. Perhaps because of that I was slightly disappointed when I discovered that I still couldn't understand 30% of French television programs. But having gone back and reviewed the 30 lessons again, I realize I've actually learn quite a bit and the seemingly simple Pimsleur program has succeeded in making the language become very natural to me. Enjoy the program. It really works. Just remember that the strength of the Pimsleur program is its emphasis on SPEAKING skills and PRONOUNCIATION at the basic to intermediate level. You will be amazed at how much you've learned when you go back to do the whole set again after you've completed the 30 lessons. I am looking forward to the third set.

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I highly recommend this series as a way to become conversant, June 10, 1999

By A Customer

While this is an expensive set, it is well worth it. I have spent money on other french tapes and have found that no other series comes close in production quality and content. This series provides a perfect method to learn while driving. Not only are the tapes strictly conversational (no reference books) it provides a fairly comprehensive tutorial. I found that I had amazingly good recall of all the words, including verb conjugation, and sentence structure long after I had completed the tapes. I hope version III, which I have just ordered, will delve into the mystical subjunctive mood.

69 of 80 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars good, but vocabulary is scant and emphasis is misplaced, November 10, 2002

By	Ed Sejud (Boulder, Colorado) - See all my reviews

This review is from: French II (Audio CD)

I have used both the French (through Level II) and Italian (through Level III) versions of the Pimsleur language tapes. Both French and Italian use virtually the same script, and both have virtually the same strengths and shortcomings. Since all the other reviews seem for focus on the strengths, I will add a counter-perspective and discuss the shortcomings. I can live with the very limited vocabulary because a good electronic translator can give you all the vocabulary you need when you get in-country. I recommend the Franklin Bookman "French Professor" translator, which Amazon sells. The Ectaco is good for Italian, also sold by Amazon.

Both series really annoyed me by placing an unwarranted emphasis on the "familiar" forms of speech ("tu" instead of "vous," etc.)which would be appropriate only for talking with very small children, and very close friends. Nobody who buys this series is likely to have very close friends in France, nor of speaking to large numbers of very small French children. My university French course does not teach the familiar forms (the equivalent of "thee" and "thou" in old English) at all because it is unimportant, except to native speakers, and using them offers an unnecessary opportunity to offend someone if used improperly. A tourist or business person would not use "familiar" forms at all. French I (one) doesn't contain familiar forms at all. They creep into the series at about Lesson 8 in French II and persist throughout the remainder of the French II tapes, in a percentage totally out of proportion to their importance to the purchaser.

When I made this same criticism of the Italian II tapes two years ago, a company PR guy (kindly) sent me an email that said something like, "we know you're never going to use familiar forms, but we want you to be 'exposed' to it, just in case you run across them." In years of traveling in France and Italy, I never heard a familiar form used, except in some print and television advertising, where the advertiser is apparently trying to act like family to the customer. Bottom line: the emphasis on familiar forms in the Level II series is disproportionate to actual importance, and is a real waste of time and money, especially in a very expensive series that is scant on vocabulary to begin with. Pimsleur had better things to do with tape space and they wasted it teaching familiar forms instead of vocabulary.

Otherwise, I agree with the comments of the other reviewers that the series is, on the overall, the best that is available, especially if you regularly spend lots of time in your car and can listen every day. If Pimsleur redesigns the series, they need to delete or diminish the emphasis on familiar forms of speech and use that tape space instead for traveler/business relevant vocabulary. I define "relevant vocabulary" as involving trains, planes, automobile rentals, booking hotel rooms, ordering meals in restaurants, finding directions to museums and such, NOT playing tennis . . .