Learning to Mango Italiano
October 7, 2010 | Frances | Comments (2)
I am dreaming of springtime in Italy, searching for that optimum place to spend my time and euros! I am getting ready for colourful piazzas, art all around me, and coffee and gelato on my doorstep by learning Italian. Online for free through Mango Languages. No classes to trek to after a long day's work - just me in my living room learning with my "teacher".
Toronto Public Library recently subscribed to Mango online language learning site. You can learn a foreign language or improve your English. I am up to lesson six in Complete 2.0. So far, I can meet and greet people, tell them I am very well, say "see you soon" and ask them if they speak English. Tonight I am learning how to say "you are". The e sound is challenging and I am using my built-in microphone to record my voice. I compare it with the teacher's voice using wave-based voice-comparison technology.
Sounds complicated? Well, I thought it would be but it isn't really. First, obviously, you have to have a microphone on your computer (my Mac iBook has one built-in) I click the Voice Comparison icon beside the words in the website and then I click the narrator's voice to hear the word or phrase. Next I click the red ball, wait for the countdown, and then try my luck at pronouncing it. I can listen to my voice and the narrator's again and again. When I think I have said the word as well as I can, I drag the waveform graph so that my voice graph matches the timing of the narrator. Then I click on "both" to hear my voice at the same time as the narrator's voice, both saying the word at the same time. Well, my pronunciation is not perfect yet and I still can't order a cappuccino or gelato di nocciola. Or maybe I can!
If you are interested in Mango languages, just type Mango languages in the search box on the library homepage. You will need to log in to use this premium service with your library card and PIN. Need help? Come in and talk to us! Now I have to learn how to ask where I can find the very best gelato in town!
Toronto Public Library recently subscribed to Mango online language learning site. You can learn a foreign language or improve your English. I am up to lesson six in Complete 2.0. So far, I can meet and greet people, tell them I am very well, say "see you soon" and ask them if they speak English. Tonight I am learning how to say "you are". The e sound is challenging and I am using my built-in microphone to record my voice. I compare it with the teacher's voice using wave-based voice-comparison technology.
Sounds complicated? Well, I thought it would be but it isn't really. First, obviously, you have to have a microphone on your computer (my Mac iBook has one built-in) I click the Voice Comparison icon beside the words in the website and then I click the narrator's voice to hear the word or phrase. Next I click the red ball, wait for the countdown, and then try my luck at pronouncing it. I can listen to my voice and the narrator's again and again. When I think I have said the word as well as I can, I drag the waveform graph so that my voice graph matches the timing of the narrator. Then I click on "both" to hear my voice at the same time as the narrator's voice, both saying the word at the same time. Well, my pronunciation is not perfect yet and I still can't order a cappuccino or gelato di nocciola. Or maybe I can!
If you are interested in Mango languages, just type Mango languages in the search box on the library homepage. You will need to log in to use this premium service with your library card and PIN. Need help? Come in and talk to us! Now I have to learn how to ask where I can find the very best gelato in town!
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