French Pronunciation and Learning French

Discussion in 'Learning Techniques and Advice' started by invictus, Aug 31, 2014.

  1. Big_Dog

    Big_Dog Administrator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2014
    Messages:
    1,039
    Native Language:
    English
    Advanced Languages:
    Spanish
    Intermediate Languages:
    French, Japanese, Mandarin, Russian, Swahili, Thai
    Basic Languages:
    Korean
    Something similar recently happened to me. I received what I thought was some random religious mailing instead of my book. I sent several messages to the vendor, and he kept claiming it was delivered. Then I looked at the packaging for the religious book, and realized that even though it was from a different company, it had the same return address. So they sent the wrong book, under the name of a different company. I told them about it, and they immediately refunded my money, but they would never admit they made a mistake. Kept saying "we don't normally do this, but we are refunding your money, even though we have proof that it was delivered". Anyway, I gave them the lowest possible rating (a vendor rating, not a rating for the book).

    If you care about getting a refund, I recommend that you just keep asking for it. After several emails, they will most likely finally give up and refund your money, at least that has been my experience with just about everything in the US.
  2. Wise owl chick

    Wise owl chick Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2014
    Messages:
    326
    Native Language:
    French
    Advanced Languages:
    Dutch, German
    Intermediate Languages:
    English, Spanish
    Basic Languages:
    Italian
    My dad (lawyer) said that Amazon might refund you.

    what you must do is to correspond with the 3rd party but you must do this on the Amazon wesbite. In the message you must say that you didn't receive it.

    If the seller reply you, then you can see if they will refund you, if they don't then you must make a claim on Amazon.

    Amazon can see the correspondence wehn it's via their website, then they can investigate. For make a claim, this is separate of the correspondence, but it is on the Amazon website when you are logged in.
  3. invictus

    invictus New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2014
    Messages:
    11
    I must applaud Amazon.I filed a complaint against the seller and Amazon instantly offered me a full refund in the form of Amazon credit (cost + shipping + tax),and that is how I originally paid. So I accepted and moved on with my life.

    Anyway, now I need to decide if I should order the same course again from someone else or not.
  4. Big_Dog

    Big_Dog Administrator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2014
    Messages:
    1,039
    Native Language:
    English
    Advanced Languages:
    Spanish
    Intermediate Languages:
    French, Japanese, Mandarin, Russian, Swahili, Thai
    Basic Languages:
    Korean
    Nicely done!
  5. Wise owl chick

    Wise owl chick Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2014
    Messages:
    326
    Native Language:
    French
    Advanced Languages:
    Dutch, German
    Intermediate Languages:
    English, Spanish
    Basic Languages:
    Italian
    Ja, en alsjeblieft voor de tip, volgende keer zeg ik dus niks.
  6. invictus

    invictus New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2014
    Messages:
    11
    I recognized that as Dutch (lived in The Netherlands a few years as a child) but had to use Google Translate. Always an interesting language. It surprises me how many Dutch speakers I meet. I've met more Dutch speakers than any other European language except for Spanish or German. Kind of strange now that I think about it.
  7. luke

    luke Member VIP member

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2014
    Messages:
    66
    Native Language:
    English
    Intermediate Languages:
    Esperanto, French, Spanish
    French in Action is the cat's pajamas and FSI is cat's meow.
  8. invictus

    invictus New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2014
    Messages:
    11
    Have you used it extensively, Luke? I know that the gist is watching the videos. But there seem to be a lot of moving parts. If someone were to use it exclusively, or at least as their main course, what all would they need? I also see on Amazon there is a really recently published 3rd edition.

    Any guidance on all the parts to look for would be great!
  9. luke

    luke Member VIP member

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2014
    Messages:
    66
    Native Language:
    English
    Intermediate Languages:
    Esperanto, French, Spanish
    Bien, I am watching a video right now. I've just really started using the program seriously. I've had it for a long time. I've been feeling I would get some benefit from something to fill in the cracks in my studies. I would do well in a class, but for language learning, most of my learning takes place solo. What French in Action brings is everything that one would have in a classroom situation for learning and the freedom to act solo.

    I got the videos very cheap, about $89 from a .tv site a few years ago. I also have the 2nd edition of the textbook, workbook, and study guide. These three books come in two parts. Lessons 1-26 in part 1, lessons 27-52 in part 2.

    The video is indispensible. It is not HD. It may have been shot with a video recorder, so I'm not sure HD is really possible. On a PC, it's fine. On a big screen TV it's okay as well, but HD would be cool.

    I also have the audio. To really do the course as designed, one needs the audio and the workbook for sure. The textbook has partial transcripts of the episodes and certain things, "documents", images, cartoons, questions, as well as vocabulary help that isn't in any of the other material. For that reason, as well as it's integration in the course, I think it's necessary. I'm certainly using it.

    The audio is very helpful as well. The first track is sort of like the soundtrack for the first part of the video. After that comes a series of tracks to help you be able to say what they said in the video. After that there are dozens of tracks per lesson that go along with exercises in the workbook.

    If one is just watching the video, they aren't really doing the course. That's not to say nothing can be learned from the videos, but I've read some forum posts that say things like "I've watched the entire course several times and I only understand about 70% and I can't speak French". Well, to that person I would respond that they haven't done the course and a lot of the learning takes place outside the video. Although the video may be "the heart" of the course, it's probably only about 25% of the course.

    There's a lot of vocabulary in the course. I've seen estimates between 3000 and 9000 words. I think it's closer to the upper number. (words, not "word families").

    The workbook is great for focusing on details. It ties in the video, textbook, and the audio programs. For me, it adds a written component that has heretofore mostly been missing in my French study.

    To do a lesson thoroughly, one may take 7-10 hours. That will include watching the video two - four times, doing certain parts of the audio more than once to really internalize it, etc. That's all good news, because that means the course offers several hundred hours of instruction.

    I'm on lesson 4 and I've learned a few things already, particularly colloquialisms, in addition to the synergistic practice the course provides.

    Lesson 13 of the new 3rd edition is available on the Yale books site, and it looks great. I've very similar to the 2nd edition in content, but it has more and better pictures and they are in color. There is a significant addition in content with the diary of Marie-Laure. I wouldn't re-buy the books for the third edition, but I am waiting and hoping that by the time I get to part 2 of the course, the 3rd edition for that part will be published. It's definitely possible.

    You know the course uses "immersion". I believe that will help activate French in my head.

    The last thing I'll say for now is that I believe that after having done the course thoroughly, one could refresh their French after some years of neglect in a short period of time by watching the videos. This may be hard to imagine, but if you are young or your life changes or gets busy, it could happen. Re-living an immersion experience seems like the perfect way to reconstitute a language without much effort.

    Bonne chance!

    P.S. Since they do a lot of full speed French from the very start, I think it will help one sound natural.

    P.P.S. I have and use the study guide. Of all the components, it is the least necessary piece. It isn't worthless though. It does tell you do to certain things, like "watch the video again" for certain exercises, which I wouldn't have done if it hadn't been explicitly outlined in the study guide. Also, if you are just getting started with French, it will probably be helpful because it explains many things in more detail than elsewhere.

    P.P.P.S. The study guide is mostly in English. The instructions to the workbook start out in English, but transition to French around lesson 6, which is nice. I've noticed now too that the instructions on the audio become French in lesson 6 as well, so it really does become a complete immersion. I won't be surprised if the study guide in part two stays in English, but perhaps there's a pleasant surprise out there.
    Last edited: Oct 24, 2014
    invictus likes this.

Share This Page