Going
on holiday?
Last minute language learning!
A special
feature by www.languageadvantage.com
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The holiday season is here and you'll
get more of your time away if you learn a bit of the local language.
We've selected the best and most innovative quick holiday courses
for beginners, so that you can pick up the essentials before you
head away - even if you've never studied the language before. Or
just pack the course into your hand luggage ... and absorb it on
the plane ... on the beach ... or at the bar! And these courses
really do work. Don't just speak English!
Take a look at our top
ways to quickly learn a language, ready for your
summer vacation. There is something for everybody - there are the
latest in audio-only courses which everyone is raving about and
award-winning CD-ROMs in over 50 languages. And if you really don't
have time to learn a language (but at half an hour a day you should
have!), then pack an amazing new postcard-like phrase book and a
guide to the local culture in your travel bag - and you'll get much
more out of your holiday. Get more out of life. Get the language
advantage!
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01
Michel Thomas
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Audio
CD, cassette |
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Languages:
French, German, Italian or Spanish
Media: CD, cassette
Price guide: under $25,
under £15 for 2 hour course
Availability: worldwide
Current discount: up to
30%
Learn French, German, Italian
or Spanish from beginners. This is by far the bestselling
language course around at the moment - and that is because
it is quite revolutionary
and totally effortless. There are two courses available: the
2 hour introduction or the full 8 hour course. It is an audio-only
course on CD or cassette - you just sit back and listen -
no note taking or classroom exercises. Just listen to it as
many times as you like. It's amazing how much you learn. Michel
Thomas has been language teacher to corporate America and
the stars!
For more information about Michel Thomas 2 hour course and
other Michel Thomas language courses click here>>
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I recently bought the delux edition of French
with Michel Thomas.
I am loving this way to learn a language! I have learned so
much more this way.
I have tried other ways and got very discouraged. Thanks!!
US visitor, 2002
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02
Pimsleur Quick & Simple
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Audio
CD, cassette |
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Languages:
Arabic, Chinese, Cantonese, Mandarin, French, German, Greek,
Hebrew, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish
Media: CD, cassette
Price guide: under $15
Availability:
US
Current
discount: up to 30%
The newest addition to the Pimsleur collection is the Quick
& Simple series from Dr Paul Pimsleur - the reknowned
American language teacher. Pimsleur audio-only
courses let you learn a language as you did as a child,
appealing to the language learning part of the brain. You're
meant to do only about half an hour a day. These introductory
beginner courses have 8 half-hour lessons, which will give
you the basics and a feel for your new language.
For more information and to buy
Pimsleur Quick & Simple and other Pimsleur language courses
click here>>
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03
BBC Quickstart
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Audio
CD, cassette |
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Languages:
French, German, Italian or Spanish
Media: CD, cassette
Price guide: under £15
Availability:
UK and Europe
Current
discount: up to 30%
This course is brand-new
this year from the BBC! It is a very up-to-date and entertaining
way to learn enough language for a weekend city break or a
week in the sun. It is aimed much more at the younger generation
and provides you with phrases to get to the local nightclub!!
It is an audio-only method
with a little booklet for you to tuck into your rucksack.
It is exceptionally good value.
For more information and to buy
BBC Quickstart and other BBC Languages courses click here>>
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04
Teach Yourself Instants
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Book,
cassette |
BUY NOW!
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Languages:
French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian,
Spanish
Media: Book, cassette
Price guide: under $15,
under £15
Availability: Worldwide
Current discount: up to
20%
This Instant series is just great. We're did Instant Spanish
last year and it is amazing how much you learn - and retain!
Spend just 35 minutes a day for 6 weeks on this new method
of learning and you'll be able to learn the words and phrases
that really matter and will let you understand what people
are actually saying to you when you visit the country. Moreover,
you'll enjoy speaking the language, without getting hung up
on difficult grammar.
For more information and to buy
Teach Yourself Instants and other Teach Yourself language
courses click here>>
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Languages:
Afrikaans, Albanian, American English, Amharic, Arabic,
Assamese, Basque, Bengali, Brazilian Portuguese, Breton,
Bulgarian, Cantonese, Catalan, Cornish, Creole, Croatian,
Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Farsi, Finnish,
French, German, Greek, Gujarati, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian,
Icelandic, Igbo, Indonesian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Kannada,
Korean, Khmer, Lao, Latin American Spanish, Latvian, Lithuanian,
Malay, Malayalam, Maltese, Mandain, Mandarin Chinese, Manx,
Marathi, Nepali, Norwegian, Papiamento, Pidgin, Polish,
Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Saami, Sardinian,
Savo, Scots Gaelic, Serbian, Sesotho, Setswana, Sindhi,
Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, Tagalog, Tamil,
Telugu, Thai, Tibetan, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese,
Welsh, Xhosa, Yoruba, Zulu
Media: CD-ROM
Price guide: under £20,
under $25
Availability: worldwide
Current
discount: up to 20%
This is an award-winning beginner course on CD-ROM which
uses games and quizzes to make learning fun and relaxing.
The fun element of the program means that your fears are
forgotten as you absorb the basic words and phrases of your
new language without even realising you are learning them.
For more information
and to buy a Talk Now! CD-ROM and other language learning
CD-ROMs click here>>
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I’ve completed Talk now! Danish and I have generally been
very impressed.
It's very easy to use and a very effective way of picking
up the language.
The graphics are good too. I particularly like the final quizzes
which really help you to feel that you have picked up something
of the language.
UK
visitor, 2002
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06
Pigeon cards
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Postcards |
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Languages:
French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish
Media: Handy postcards
Price guide: under £5,
under $5
Availability: worldwide
These Almost
Get By... postcards are fantastically useful. It has all the
basic words you need to, well, almost get by. And the cards
force you to practice the language as they give you the phonetics
of the word - you have to pronounce it to make any sense.
You can't just point!!! They're the fastest selling phrasebook
(if you can call them that) on airlines on both sides of the
Atlantic. Don't leave home without them.
For more information and
to buy a Pigeon card click here>>
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07
Electronic dictionary
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Handheld
gadget |
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BUY
NOW! |
Languages:
French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and over
20 others
Media: Electronic handheld
dictionary or software for your PDA
Price guide: between $50
and $300
Availability: worldwide
If you've
no time to learn a language before you go, take one of these
amazing handheld electronic translator with you and keep it
at hand at all times. It will act as your personal interpreter
and help you to learn the language as you go.
For more information and
to buy an electronic dictionary click here>>
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...
and don't forget the culture!
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Books |
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Cultures:
Argentina,
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Borneo, Brazil, Britain,
California, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Cuba, Czech, Republic,
Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Finland, Germany, Greece,
Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel,
Italy, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco,
Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines,
Russia, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine,
United Arab, Emirates, USA, USA South, Venezuela, Vietnam
Media: Books
Price guide: under £10,
under $15
Availability: worldwide
These are essential books for
anyone who travels frequently and wants to get an understanding
of the local culture. Even if you don't have the time (or
inclination) to learn a language, you can get more out of
your stay by finding out about the culture from these informative
and very readable CULTURE SHOCK! Guides to over 60 countries
around the world. They will help you adapt to the customs
and etiquette of your new environment.
For more information and
to buy a CULTURE SHOCK! Guide click here>>
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Click
on one of our links and get learning now! You really will get more
out of your holiday if you learn a little bit of the local language.
Even if you just say hello, goodye, please and thank you - people
will love you.
While
you're on holiday, make the effort to seek out local people and
try to talk to them to learn a little more about the life they lead.
When
you come back, commit to studying the language some more, so you're
ready for next year! Take a look at our
best and most innovative ways to learn a language at www.languageadvantage.com/courses
If
you require more information on learning a language, then email
us on info@languageadvantage.com
Let
us know what you think! Does it matter if you speak the local
language when you go on holiday? Or do enough people speak English
that we can get by? Email us on contribute@languageadvantage.com
with your views!
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