Review by Malvin

First off, I suppose I’ll have to start by stating that I initially knew very little about the Japanese language, other than little snippets spoken to me from old Godzilla movies and various anime titles. To an outside viewer any foreign language can seem like a perplexing challenge to take on. It usually requires regiments of classes and years of complex study. When Rosetta Stone advertized itself as being able to teach foreign languages in an easy, concise manner, I was very skeptical. Now that I’ve spent a few months using this software in the small gaps that open up during my busy schedule, my skepticism has completely dissolved.

While I can’t claim to have gained mastery of the Japanese language, I can say that I’ve learned quite a lot by utilizing this outstanding software. The program allows the user to work with a headset, in which you speak various words and sayings into a microphone. Feedback is given on how well you pronouce these words and compared alongside the audio samples of native speakers. The visual techniques employed by the software is also very effective; the mind is immersed in a catalog of recognizable images that methodically builds up a network of associations and helps to gently increase your powers of memory.

While most study involved in Foreign Languages can be ardous and painful, Rosetta Stone somehow manages to turn the ordeal into a pleasent experience. The program is very user-friendly without being overly patronizing, and it ran very smoothly on my system without any sort of technical problems. I was honestly expecting some sort of technical hiccup due to the complex nature of the programming, but one never presented itself.

But perhaps the greatest aspect of Rosetta Stone is it’s casual-though-effective structure to teaching. I found that simply using the program for just an hour a day proved to show progress, with most lessons taking 30 minutes or less to complete. It doesn’t force its users to dedicate large portions of their life time in order to make progress. The way the lessons are timed and structured, one could come closer to understanding a foreign language while still maintaining a full and busy life with career, friends, and family.

Overall, I found Rosetta Stone to an effective tool in learning Japanese. I’ve only had the time to get through level 1 of the course, but I’m already inching my way closer to speaking and writing the alphabets of Japanese, without sacrificing any time from my normal schedule. It is highly recommended to everyone.