It's a highly personal and individual choice, but for me, Rosetta Stone just suits me. I also created a portable version on a USB stick and can use it on the move. But, to be truthful it's very expensive. Also it's Tagalog. Which is OK for me since my wife has family spread all over the Philippines and Tagalog is the common, but the real close core of the family is in Mindanao which is not Tagalog but Bisaya (Visayan), which is really a lot different to the national language Tagalog. It's so different that when speaking Bisaya in Luzon hardly anyone can understand a word that's being said. (Sometimes a benefit) One of the many good things about joining a forum community is that there are always plenty of hints, tips and potentially useful resources. Anyway the purpose of this post is to highlight some free online lanuguage learning resources. A good choice for Tagalog may be BYKI (Before You Know It) It's free, and another good thing is that this also has vocalisations, so you can hear how a word is pronounced. Look here:- http://www.byki.com Another I found just by accident is here:- http://tagaloglang.com Online dictionaries are always a great tool take a look here for a multitude of dialects:- http://www.bansa.org/dictionaries/ce...search&data=my or try here:- http://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/index.htm Loads of languages. Here is a great site for assitance when learning a language. Just take a look at the starting languages and the finishing languages. http://www.qasana.com The best thing is that this study can be done in any language. Or try here:- http://www.forvo.com/ If anyone has any other good sites lets add them so we have a really great resource.
I've used this a lot in the past http://www.tagalog-dictionary.com/ Bansa is good and tagaloglang.com is in my google shortcuts. http://www.viloria.com/wp/ I also remember finding a tagalog slang site but can't find it just now Your other links look pretty good too! Rosetta is a bit expensive for me just now but I may well take a look at Byki
I've been in communication with the Rosetta Stone people for a couple years now...and they keep promising to me that they are working on a Bisayan version of their excellent software. I believe you are right, its the best way to learn a language I've ever come across. Short of having a live-in tutor, that is...hahaha Pete of New Hampshire
I didn't know that Mork was Bisaya! I think Rosetta stone is only good for learning the vocab, but you get stuck on how to use it in context. I prefer to learn the context, then use the new vocab as "window dressing" .
Tom. I'm not living there at present. I'm not very smart at learning languages. But if I'm living somewhere and really must speak the local language, I can catch up pretty quick. My wife is really brilliant at languages. So many from Phils are really good at picking up languages.
Oh yeh, they're born linguists. Someone said that if Germany had won the war, we still wouldn't be speaking German, because it takes a Brit more than 60 years to learn a language
I will never learn cebuano now fluently but knowing a bit does change the equation when your out and about just saying things like "maayong Buntag kaninyo taalang" to a group in the market may mean prices start more reasonable and cut the cheese wizz lol
I think its very important to make the effort to learn the language of your wife or fiance, because it shows that you are interested in her culture and in her..my american friend whom has a pinay girlfriend said he is too old to learn the language but i think that is just laziness as he is a very bright man..i travel with my girlfriend for a month and on the long bus journeys we would learn tagalog phrases together..she would dose for a little and then she would wake with me saying to her ...ikinagagalak kong makilala ka or richard ang pangalan ko..she would just laugh and encourage me more..i bought this expensive book at cebu with a cd and i think its very good but i will try roseeta stone aswell..I notice with tagalog it has many spanish words incorporated in the language which makes it a little easier as i know a little spanish..I usually learn a language by learning alot of vocalbulary, and constantly writing down phrases and words...then i put these together to form sentences.. Then as i thought everything was going smoothly I go to mindanoa and everyone speak bisayan..but my fiance recommended i learn tagalog..but its great and you get the gist of a conversation on facebook..very rewarding..or when you are in phil and you are shopping and you show respect to people by attempting to speak the language..you get there wonderful natural smiles and laughter..
Funny.... When we meet with the wife's friends, they are very careful in not saying anything embarassing to each other, as they know by now, that I can understand some Bisaya, but they don't know the extent of my knowledge... Better safe than sorry I guess...
Im in a four way language mix at the moment ,my cebuano and now tagalog freely mixed and english and portuguess its great fun Micky arriy ende car sit down dilly arti na l0l
