Russian, Q&S: Learn to Speak and Understand Russian with Pimsleur Language Programs: Amazon.ca: Pimsleur: Books

Product Description

Book 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. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Dr. Paul Pimsleur devoted his life to language teaching and testing and was one of the world's leading experts in applied linguistics. After years of experience and research, Dr. Pimsleur developed The Pimsleur Method based on two key principles: the Principle of Anticipation and a scientific principle of memory training that he called ?Graduated Interval Recall.? This Method has been applied to the many levels and languages of the Pimsleur Programs.

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Customer Reviews

20 Reviews

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Average Customer Review

4.5 out of 5 stars (20 customer reviews)

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you goal is to actually be able to converse in Russian, Jun 13 2004

By	Alan C. Bryant (Decatur, Ga USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Russian I, Comprehensive: Learn to Speak and Understand Russian with Pimsleur Language Programs (Audio CD)

The Pimsleur method strives to condition your mind first with the comprehension of words and phrases spoken by native speakers and to allow you to quickly form a response without puzzling over complex grammar rules. Secondly it strives to enable your spoken words to be pronounced correctly with the correct inflection.

The concept is that most conversations in any language consist of only a few hundred words and that most people speak using common phrases or word groupings. If you learn the overall meaning of a phrase, or word grouping, you are able to comprehend what is being said even when the words seem to run together and preemptively anticipate a response. This contributes to a greater fluency of the language and provides an excellent foundation to build on.

If your goal is to be able to converse in Russian this program is for you as long as your expectations are realistic. At the end of the programs I, II and III, if you are diligent, you should have a good foundation of spoken Russian on which to increase your fluency. What is more important is that you will have a good "feel" for the language and chances are you will get compliments on your accent.

Some of the complaints in other reviews are that there is no printed lesson book that comes with the program to teach how to read Cyrillic Russian and that the accent of the male speaker is difficult to understand. If you wish to learn to read Russian as well it would be necessary to supplement this course with another more traditional course that emphasizes reading skills. Pimsleur does not claim to fill this need but rather focuses on being able to converse. As far as the male speaker goes, I have encountered more people on the streets of Moscow and St. Petersburg who speak with his accent than the female speaker's accent. In addition it is my impression that there is more than one male and more than one female speaker. There seems to be an attempt to familiarize the student with more than one accent and thus increase fluency. This is more of an advantage rather than a weakness.

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3.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful system ... but questionable grammar..., Jun 17 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Russian I, Comprehensive: Learn to Speak and Understand Russian with Pimsleur Language Programs (Audio CD)

No one in these reviews has touched on the questionable grammar introduced in these tapes... Perhaps these people have not gone on or tried to put their Russian into practice (indeed it is unlikely that someone they don't know will try to correct them on a trip), but I have continually had to 'relearn' certain mistakes in these tapes which were riddled throughout the series. This ranges from things which I have been told are 'unnatural' in conversation to downright ungrammatical. However either should be considered unacceptable, as in an AUDIO course with emphasis on speaking, I would expect emphasis to be on natural, conversational Russian.

Also, many subjects of grammar are 'danced over', and never fully explained grammatically...I realize length of time prohibits this, but I as someone interested in grammar, I would have found it easier for a quick explanation, such as a word is in 'accusitive' form, rather than have them make up some 'layman's' explanation that I have to try to interpret, only to find out ultimately the concept was quite simple.

All in all, this series is a WONDERFUL way to learn language...my attention was always kept and after completing just halfway through the second series, I already feel that I can convey some very simple things with my Russian...

...the only problem is that it's not entirely CORRECT Russian...

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3.0 out of 5 stars Could be better, May 4 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Russian I - 2nd Ed. (Audio CD)

I really like the Pimsleur method and have been successful with several of their programs but this one (Russian I) falls short of their typical quality, in my opinion. The material presented is good but the pace is a little fast for the complex pronunciation required. After a few lessons it is often difficult to determine just what the speakers are saying unless you listen very carefully. If you try to listen while driving, this is often impossible. The main problem I have found is with the male Russian speaker. He frequently slurs the words in a nasal tone or speaks so fast you cannot quite tell what he's saying. He also frequently pronounces the words and phrases a little differently from the female speaker and often differently from his previous attempts. When so much emphasis is placed on the intonation and pronunciation in order to speak comprehensibly, it should be imperative that the native speakers enunciate and speak at a pace a beginner can follow. Pimsleur really should produce a 4th edition and replace this male speaker with one who can be consistent with the female and speak at a beginner's pace...and be clear when he speaks. This guy just sounds drunk. After 6 lessons I've gotten so fed up with him I can barely get through the lesson.

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Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Overall Very Good
As a language teacher, I would rate Pimsleur Russian I as an excellent product. Though expensive, it teaches accurate pronunciation, correct intonation (something generally not... Read more

Published on Nov 29 2003

4.0 out of 5 stars A Real Help for Learning the Difficult Sounds of Russian
(By Edward Trimnell, author of "Why You Need a Foreign Language & How to Learn One," ISBN:1591133343)

A Slavic language, Russian is much more difficult to... Read more

Published on Oct 1 2003 by Edward P. Trimnell

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!
This is the best audio only series I've ever seen. I love it. I've tried many of the others and they all not good[]. Read more

Published on Jul 27 2003 by Marvin A. Conn

5.0 out of 5 stars # of times I listened to each CD
Pimsleur is absolutely fantastic. I won't repeat what everyone else has said about it except to add that I actually listened to each lesson (2 lessons in each CD) on average 4... Read more