Series: Learn in Your Car
Audio CD
Publisher: Penton Overseas (October 2005)
Language: Japanese
ISBN-10: 1591251982
ISBN-13: 978-1591251989
Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 6 x 1.1 inches
Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces
Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #1,421,878 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #25 in Books > Books on CD > Languages > Language Instruction > Japanese #400 in Books > Textbooks > Humanities > Foreign Languages > Japanese #1566 in Books > Books on CD > Nonfiction
If your goal is to communicate verbally while traveling and you prefer to learn from interaction and practice rather than studying a book, this is an excellent resource. This gave me enough skills to get around Japan and greatly added to the enjoyment of my trip. If you have the impression that 'everyone' speaks English in Japan, then don't leave Tokyo. My simple interactions opened a lot of doors and made folks happy to deal with me rather than ignoring the tourist. It also made folks more comfortable to try a little English, after they heard my efforts at Japanese. Between the two it worked out great.The tapes covered all the standard phrases dealing with travel and they can take you a long way. 'Denshya no eki, a doko des ka?' or 'Where is the train station?' got me out of a lot of trouble, everytime I got lost doing walking tours in the countryside.I've also used the German tapes and have just ordered the French. I've bought many a language book and so far these are my favourite.
I would give this 5 star rating if it weren't the lack of grammar features in the beginning.My commuting to and from work takes almost two hours a day. That's the reason why I bought this product (I have both CD and cassette tape versions as each of my two cars have CD player and tape player only). I have tried two other products for learning Japanese before, but they were absolutely useless as I had to have a book in front of me while listening. This product allows you to listen to the tape or CD in the car while driving. Every word or phrase is pronounced in English first, then in Japanese twice in pure Japanese accent - with pauses in between so you can practice pronouncing it, too. It is a simple method, but it works amazingly well. Remember the most efficient way of learning a language (at least in the entry level) is by speaking and listening, not reading from a book.It also comes with a small book that describes meaning and pronunciation of every word / phrase used in the audio feature. One can easily review it after or before listening to the tape / CD.So what is the flaw? This does not give you grammar review in the beginning (only have completed first CD so can't tell you for the rest) so it can be confusing for some listeners at first. Japanese and English do not have the same arrangement or order when it comes to lining up subject, verb and objective. I wish this is discussed more in the beginning.
In general I found these discs (Level 1 to 3) good for covering basic vocabulary whilst out of Japan. However, they never really get you further than a basic understanding because at no time are you taught sentence conjunctions or how to express running thoughts. These very important points are covered by courses such as Living Language Japanese (basic-intermediate and advanced) but probably put off the beginner who wants or needs instant results. Further, there are mistakes in the application of some grammar points which may become a burden if you decide to continue your studies to a higher level. Treat this course as a good way to get started, but then progress to something like the Living Language courses which provide a better understanding of the language - but don't be suprised when you find some point of grammer you spent so much time mastering in the 'In-your-car' series turns out to be over-simplified or just plain awkward in real speech and needs to be unlearned.Do know this, any attempt you make to learn some Japanese will be greatly appreciated by the Japanese. If your goal is just to learn a few key phrases before going to Japan then this course is no worse than any other 'quick-course' on the market.
This program is not at all what I expected. It's simple and straightforward. I put the CDs on my iPod and practice while I'm driving and when I am able to at work. I have learned so much in such a short time. It is great because it's not necessary to sit down with a textbook or a pad of paper. Also included is a tiny booklet with all the translations which helps when I briefly review it from time to time. I also listen to Pimsleur's Japanese which is entirely different covering separate ground. I'm happy to add more depth to my study with another beginner's study aid. I recommend these CDs to anyone wanting to start learning Japanese or improve their skills.
Contrary to the product description, the recorings are NOT slow and designed to simulate a child's learning process! They are normal speed, said twice and then they move on to the next one. Half the time you can't hear what they're saying well enough to mimic it. Also, it could have been organized a little better. I wanted to learn something simple like, "Hello. My name is...may I speak with...". But I never found it! I think 3 CD's are generous for under [$$$], but this is for people that already know Japanese and not for people that are just learning for the 1st time.
I'm a US citizen currently residing in Japan (US military). I've purchased several books and audio instructions to help me learn enough Japanese to get by while I'm here, and nothing has really helped until these CDs. Awesome and wonderful for the beginner!
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