Chinese (Mandarin) I

Rating:
Summary: Even I managed to make progress....
Review: As probably one of the worst language students in the continental US i bought this package with a certain amount of scepticism. However, i read the review by someone who claimed they listened to it in the car each day as they drove to work and ended up speaking with relative ease so it seemed it might be worth a try. After the package arrived i tried this and found myself veering into oncoming traffic and running red lights as i tried to concentrate on what the speaker was saying. i gave this up fairly quickly and finally found the best way (for me) was to go for a walk as i listened to each tape. even then i was stumbling along in an erratic manner and muttering to myself which only helped to lowering my neighbours poor opinion of me.

I had to listen to the first few tapes anywhere between 5 to 10 times before i mastered them. I followed the advice of another reviewer, picked up a copy of the Oxford English-Chinese dictionary and proceeded to write down each lesson. I am now towards the end of the set of tapes and it is definitely getting easier - I can master each tape in 2- 5 hearings, am stumbling less and speak mandarin in a clear voice, oblivious of the looks from the neighbours. I intend to get Mandarin II as soon as i am done.

and now if you will excuse me, it is time for my next lesson...

Rating:
Summary: Even I managed to make progress....
Review: As probably one of the worst language students in the continental US i bought this package with a certain amount of scepticism. However, i read the review by someone who claimed they listened to it in the car each day as they drove to work and ended up speaking with relative ease so it seemed it might be worth a try. After the package arrived i tried this and found myself veering into oncoming traffic and running red lights as i tried to concentrate on what the speaker was saying. i gave this up fairly quickly and finally found the best way (for me) was to go for a walk as i listened to each tape. even then i was stumbling along in an erratic manner and muttering to myself which only helped to lowering my neighbours poor opinion of me.

I had to listen to the first few tapes anywhere between 5 to 10 times before i mastered them. I followed the advice of another reviewer, picked up a copy of the Oxford English-Chinese dictionary and proceeded to write down each lesson. I am now towards the end of the set of tapes and it is definitely getting easier - I can master each tape in 2- 5 hearings, am stumbling less and speak mandarin in a clear voice, oblivious of the looks from the neighbours. I intend to get Mandarin II as soon as i am done.

and now if you will excuse me, it is time for my next lesson...

Rating:
Summary: Good supplement for studying chinese
Review: I found that learning by the more traditional way (ie book together with audio teaching grammar and vocab) works better. My problem with pimsleur? Everytime i listen to it I'd start to fall asleep 15 mins later. Even during daytime, i'd get really bored after awhile (from doing nothing but concentrate on someone speaking) and start doing some other task that after the tape was done playing I'd forgotten most of of the stuff. So now I only use it to supplement my primary learning method but actually mostly as a sleeping aid.

Rating:
Summary: Best way to learn to hear and speak Mandarin
Review: I have not found a better way to learn to hear and speak a foreign language than the Pimsleur series. I've used both Mandarin I and II, and they have been a big help in enabling me to conduct everyday conversations in China.

The hard part about Chinese is that you don't run into any words that look even vaguely familiar. But the Pimsleur method is gradual. Each lesson begins with a brief conversation between two native speakers. The first time you hear it, you have no idea what's being said, but by the end of the lesson you'll be able to understand it and participate in the same conversation. But I found there's a lot of value in going through each lesson several times.

The emphasis is all on listening to native speakers and responding to them in short conversations. The method forces you to learn how the language really sounds, and you get lots of chances to practice getting the pronunciation right. It also has the advantage that you can do the course while driving or exercising. There is a very small reading book, but it's not essential.

If your goal is to read Chinese characters, you want a different course or a text designed for the purpose. The best introductory text I've found is "A Key to Chinese Speech and Writing" by Joel Bellassen and Zhang Pengpeng. It's very user-friendly, and puts a lot of emphasis on the history of each character, which helps a lot in learning them. Trouble is, it's hard to find. Hint: Amazon should sell it.

Rating:
Summary: The best method there is
Review: I'm married to a Taiwanese woman, and I've been trying to learn her language for ten years! According to CNN, Mandarin is number one on the list of "Ten Most Difficult Languages to Learn." Japanese is number two on the list; and English is number three (no surprise here). I salute anyone who even attempts to learn Mandarin Chinese.

Let's face it. Learning Mandarin Chinese is hard no matter what method you use, even Pimsleur's. But this is the best method there is. Believe me; I've tried them all: Transparent language, Berlitz, two semesters of Mandarin at college. With the Pimsleur method the phrases are methodically timed for the best optimal learning & recall. And you are required to put your own sentences together instead of tediously parroting back phrases like a Berlitz course.

The Chinese know how hard it is for us Westerners to learn their language. And I must say it is satisifying to see their eyes widen in surprise when I speak a little Mandarin AND be understood. Believe me, it makes a good impression.

This latest edition of Mandarin I is head over heels better than the first edition. And now Pimsleur finally released Mandarin II & III. I've just ordered Mandarin II, and I can't wait to start using it.

Rating:
Summary: The Easiest Way to Begin Speaking Chinese
Review: If it weren't for this program, I would've quit the idea of learning Chinese - but this program made it so easy and effortless that even after this first level I was able to exchange few words with a waitress in a Chinese restaurant in Chinese and be understood. That was a tremendous confidence booster that motivated me to keep going and the whole process of going through this program was so easy and enjoyable that it seemed entirely effortless. It has transformed learning Chinese from impossibility into something easy to accomplish.

There are many other cheaper programs for learning Chinese, but unless you are familiar with pronouncing Chinese words, you'll only find yourself frustrated. I tried some other programs before Pimsleur and was getting nowhere. The prospect of learning Chinese still seemed impossible.

In this program each word is broken into syllables which are easy to pronounce and then they are linked into words and sentences and another wonderful thing about this program is that it begins by teaching you some very useful things to say, so that no matter how many words you have learned, what you've learned you'll be able to use because it deals with fulfilling your basic needs and finding your way around.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent for the spoken language
Review: Once again Pimsleur offers an excellent course for the spoken language with relevent conversations and a teaching style that is both automatic and effective. Users should realize that spoken and written Mandarin are different and this course is ONLY for the spoken language. However, it is excellent for listening and speaking. The speakers in the series are clear and easy to understand. My only objection to this course is the lack of written material to accompany it (though the booklet that does come with it is very intersting and informative). Unfortunately, much of Mandarin sounds alike and most 'words' have multiple meanings depending on tone, accompanying words and context. A pinyin or other phonetic guide to the conversations would be very helpful. But for those with a good ear who want to learn by listening and speaking, this course is excellent.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent tool to facilitate further study
Review: This was a very solid method of learning that focuses heavily on speaking and conversation. Learning characters at the same time as the speaking language can be very intimidating and most professors would agree that there should be a substantial amount of lag between the spoken and written chinese. (see Chinese Primer Ta-Tuan Ch'En - the books I use for my Georgetown University Chinese classes) The Pimsleur method does not offer character knowledge, but it does allow a student to grasp the tones and sounds which are so vital to the language. I would suggest to anyone who is listening to the audio cds to begin with the cds and then, only when comfortable with pronounciation and tones, to go pick up some character and vocabulary texts. This was definitely money well spent because it really was a great way to begin my intensive Mandarin Chinese course.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent tool to facilitate further study
Review: This was a very solid method of learning that focuses heavily on speaking and conversation. Learning characters at the same time as the speaking language can be very intimidating and most professors would agree that there should be a substantial amount of lag between the spoken and written chinese. (see Chinese Primer Ta-Tuan Ch'En - the books I use for my Georgetown University Chinese classes) The Pimsleur method does not offer character knowledge, but it does allow a student to grasp the tones and sounds which are so vital to the language. I would suggest to anyone who is listening to the audio cds to begin with the cds and then, only when comfortable with pronounciation and tones, to go pick up some character and vocabulary texts. This was definitely money well spent because it really was a great way to begin my intensive Mandarin Chinese course.

Rating:
Summary: The best there is!
Review: When I first started Pimsleur Mandarin I, about six months ago, I gave up after the fourth lesson thinking it was too difficult. I just couldn't get my head around the tones and the difficult pronunciation. It seemed as though every sentence that I tried to make was too slow or had a wrong tone. Then about a week later, I tried it again and it wasn't quite so hard. I made it to lesson eleven, but then took another week-long break out of frustration. When I picked it up for the third time, it was much easier. I had finally figured out how to position my tongue to create most of the non-english phenomes (pinyin: q, x, j, r, ü, z, c), and the tones were starting to get easier, although I still had trouble when combining two falling-rising tones. After two months, I managed to finish Mandarin I, and then, with a bit more effort and patience, I finished Mandarin II and III. I can now repeat or say any sentence at full speed, and the tones have become almost entirely subconscious, making the language much more reasonable. This is the main strength of the Pimsleur program, it gets your ears accustomed to the sounds, and it forces you to make correct sentences quickly, with good pronunciation. This is especially important for a tonal language such as Mandarin.

Of the three levels, Mandarin I is by far the most difficult and frustrating. This is because the four tones and many of the difficult phenomes are all introduced at once, and it seems almost impossible to master them. I had to listen to the first four lessons about four or five times each. After that, I listened to the remaining twenty-six lessons three times each. When I got to Mandarin III, I only had to listen to each lesson twice, as I had already mastered the tones and phenomes by that point and I only needed to deal with the vocabulary and relatively easy syntax. It gets much, much easier as you progress - trust me. It is also tremendously rewarding. I can carry out basic conversations with Chinese people, which suprises everyone (myself included). However, it doesn't take long before I encounter a word or sentence structure that I'm not familiar with. Oh well, I can't expect to become fluent in six months. As for pronunciation, I've been told that I don't have an accent, which is almost entirely because of Pimsleur.

I highly recommend getting this course if you are serious about Mandarin. It is much more efficient than a tutor, and you'll see results. As for the cost, I'm only reviewing the qualilty of the product and not the cost/quality ratio. However, you should realize that there are other ways of obtaining this course. It is possible to buy it used, or rent it, and some libraries even carry Pimsleur programs. Keep this in mind...