Learning Italian

Zython

So long story short, in about 6 weeks, I'm going to be staying in Italy for an extended period of time. However, I know next to no Italian. I know there are language tools like Rosetta Stone, but I was wondering if anyone had any experience with other at-home language learning programs that they'd recommend. Any help would be appreciated.

Gazp

What other languages do you know? Besides English, that is. If so, do you have an overall ease at understanding any other language that isn't your own?

Saaruto

It's not ideal, but Duolingo is a good start to get the hang of a few things here and there!

Fantasma

Depending upon where you will be staying, the Italian language varies in the form of dialects, so even if you can take a course, chances are that people will have trouble understanding or you understanding them unless you spend sometime in Italy learning the language itself.

See if the Italian Embassy or Consulate offers resources for those wanting to learn, you may also check the following travel guide:

http://www.amazon.com/Italian-Survival-Guide-Language-Confidence/dp/0970373449/ref=rec_dp_1

Zython

Gazp wrote: »

What other languages do you know? Besides English, that is. If so, do you have an overall ease at understanding any other language that isn't your own?

The only language I know to some extent is Japanese, though I've learned Hebrew and Spanish before. As far as learning goes, I can usually get grammar and syntax down, but take time to memorize vocabulary.

As for where I'm going to be, I'm staying the Umbria region of Italy, if that's of any help.

Skeith

How proficient is your Spanish? Jumping to Italian after that is supposed to be relatively easy.

lifeincognito

Skeith wrote: »

How proficient is your Spanish? Jumping to Italian after that is supposed to be relatively easy.

This is will help the most, but given that you have been exposed to other languages as well you should be fine at picking it up once you arrive there. Duolingo is something I would suggest over Rosetta Stone, but Pimsleur might be real helpful in just getting used to how Italian sounds and that tends to focus on practically applications.

Dialect won't really hurt unless you start wandering around in small towns and villages. The dialect's of each area might not even be based on Italian as well. My family is from the North and while my mother and aunt's speak the dialect fluently their Italian is rather terrible.

Just be sure to go out of your comfort zone while you are there to get a real feel for the language. All too often people lament the fact that they stayed in their language bubble when they return from trips.

Good luck.

Gazp

Zython wrote: »

The only language I know to some extent is Japanese, though I've learned Hebrew and Spanish before. As far as learning goes, I can usually get grammar and syntax down, but take time to memorize vocabulary.

As for where I'm going to be, I'm staying the Umbria region of Italy, if that's of any help.

So if you do know different languages already and you don't have much of a problem with the wonderful world of grammar, I would say that you'll probably learn fast just by being there. And Spanish does have similarities in grammar and syntax, but not so much you can instantly transfer your knowledge. Still, it will help.
Last semester I went to Barcelona for 5 months, and while I'm comfortable with Castellano (Spanish), their "main" language, Catalan, kicked me in the ass at first. Even if the language has similarities with my own (Portuguese), Spanish and even French, I understood almost nothing. After 2 months or so, because I was bombarded with the language pretty much everywhere I went, from classes to just walking around the streets, I began to understand it rather well. I still can't talk fluently, or even write, but I understand it well enough, even more considering I never add any course or red any books about it.
If you are in a position were you need the language and are actively making an effort to not only absorb but also use it on a daily basis, you'll learn it a lot faster than if it was just for fun.

(Bonus tip: before your go, start watching cartoons, movies or series in Italian. Being a large country with an active media industry, it won't be hard finding any of those around the web)