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April 12, 2010 How to Transfer your Pimsleur lessons:Apple iPod & iPhone
Are you confused about the transfer process? Maybe you tried the transfer once before and it didn’t work. No worries, this blog was written with you in mind. The transfer from your PC or Mac computer requires a few simple steps starting with a download.
To start you will always need to download the transfer software "Ingram Media Manager. This software will allow you to listen to your language program directly from the computer before you begin the transfer. You can access the software by visiting chipzip.com Once there you will choose the link that is compatible with your operating system. For example if you have a PC using XP, Vista or Windows 7, you will select the second option, ’You’re ready to transfer to your iPod or iPhone on your PC.’ Selecting that will bring you to our instructions page which will explain how to load the units of your language program on your device.
To install the IMM application you will then need to select the correct IMM version for your operating system again. If your are using a PC you will need to select the first option ‘IMM installer for PC beta.’ For Macs, OS X 10.6 has its own IMM version, while OS X 10.4 and 10.5 use a different IMM version. Click the link you need and IMM will install a set up wizard on your desktop. The set up wizard takes about two minutes to do, accepting the terms and agreements will complete the installation.
IMM on your PC or Mac
Now that IMM is installed on your computer, you’re almost ready to complete the transfer process. Make sure your audiobook chip is connected to your chip card reader properly, If so insert the reader in your USB port and IMM will detect your language in the bookshelf. Once you see the language display in the IMM bookshelf you can select it to see the units drop down. You can also select play to hear your units ensuring the chip is working properly.
Transfer!
You are now at the final stages of the transfer process. A small change to your iTunes settings will allow for your transfer to go through smoothly. Connect your iPod and head over to the summary tab in your iTunes. You can find this by clicking your iPod under the devices options in your playlist column. Once there scroll down to the options settings and select the third option, ‘Manually manage music and videos.’ Be sure to apply the settings before you leave the page. Now we are ready to begin.
Go back to your IMM application and select a language file to play then select pause. Go up to file and select transfer. A menu page will open asking you to select one of the following: iPod or Windows Media Player. You’ll want to select iPod. The next page will let you know IMM has detected your device and that your language program will fit on your iPod. Once you select next a menu will display all your units checked. It’s your choice if you want all the lessons transferred to your iPod or a select few.
Now the transfer will begin. It will take about 20-25 minutes for the transfer to complete. You can look in your iTunes to see the lessons transfer over. You will also notice that your iPod or iPhone is synchronizing as the lessons transfer to your audiobooks. A green check mark is a good sign, letting you know the transfer is complete. You can locate your lessons by disconnecting your iPod or iPhone and heading over to the audiobooks section of your device.
April 08, 2010 What kind of Spanish will I be learning, Mexican or Castillian?
For the sake of clarity we’re going to refer to ‘Mexican Spanish’ as Latin American Spanish, 
since the Spanish spoken in Mexico is also spoken in Cuba, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, and throughout Latin America.
The Spanish language can be found in many different varieties. There will be variation in pronunciation, depending on which country or region you’re visiting. However, no matter where your travels take you in the Latin American world, you will always use Latin American Spanish to communicate.
No doubt you are wondering about the Latin American and Castillian Spanish differences. Singular pronouns like vos instead of tú are a great example of obvious differences. In Spanish the use of the word vos is used as the primary form of the second person singular. The usage of this pronoun varies depending on which region you are traveling to. Countries like Bolivia and Honduras use the pronoun vos extensively in everyday conversation even though these countries media use tú more often.
If you still have questions about which kind of Spanish you need to lean allow us to put this question into perspective. Imagine you’re a foreigner coming to the states for the first time. You know you’ll need to learn English, but you’re just not sure which one. After all, there are many different variations of the English language. There is Canadian English, British English, Australian English and American English. The point of this exercise is to show you that the differences between which English you choose has little to do with you actually learning the language. Yes, there are some pronunciation and slang differences for each country, but those differences won’t play a significant role when it comes to communicating with native Spanish speaker.
April 06, 2010 I want to learn Arabic. Which one is for me?
Well that depends on where you’re headed! Arabic is a dynamic language, with roots that are deep and branches that stretch far and wide.
Of course if you’re traveling to Egypt, you won’t find the Eastern dialect. Egyptian Arabic is a spoken dialect of Arabic used by over 76 million people! It is one of the most widely spoken and studied varieties of Arabic to date, due in part to the predominance of the Egyptian media. Surprisingly Egyptian Arabic is not ‘officially recognized’ as its own language, meaning it has no official status, as Modern Standard is still the academic and written standard.
Our Arabic programs Eastern Standard and Egyptian include a complete listing of the Arabic alphabet. Arabic is written in the Arabic alphabet that dates back to pre-Islamic periods. It is also used in near by countries whose language is not Arabic like Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran. Even though Arabic has many different dialects, it is all written using the same alphabet.
March 24, 2010 Should Russian be the Official Language in the Ukraine?
UPI.com- A debate over giving the Russian language official status in the Ukraine is being revisited. Talks began again after the election of Viktor Yanukovych who took office last month as President. The Russian RIA Novosti news agency reported that President Viktor Yanukovych’s win came from an overwhelming majority of support in the east where Russian is commonly spoken.
Parliamentary speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn who opposes the idea of the Russian language becoming official in the Ukraine is calling for all talks of the debate to end. He believes making the Russian language official in the Ukraine will result in one state language. He argues The Ukrainian language cannot withstand competition in the scientific sphere, in the field of information, and in communications." Backing him are other government officials that agree stating public officials should be fluent in the Ukrainian language and that state broadcast should be given in Ukrainian.
We can imagine it is hard to find common ground on a subject as sensitive as this. We’ll wait to see how it plays out in the coming months. However the Ukraine decides PimsleurDirect believes that advancing all languages is in everyone’s best interest.
March 10, 2010 Pimsleur Urdu Coming Soon
As Spring inches closer and closer, we can look forward to the latest release of our Pimsleur language program, with Pimsleur Urdu. Urdu is one of the official languages of Pakistan (the other being English), and is closely related to Hindi, the primary language of the Indian subcontinent. To many linguists, Urdu is considered no different than Hindi, as they share the same vocabularies and grammar. But the difference between Urdu and Hindi lies mostly in the written word, with Hindi using Sanskrit and Urdu using Persian and Arabic derived script. But don’t let the closeness fool you into thinking Urdu is just an offshoot of Hindi—over 88 million people speak Urdu worldwide, from India, to Pakistan, to…Sweden!
We’re very excited to bring you Urdu language instruction, and look for another announcement towards the end of the month!
March 05, 2010 The Multilingual Future of Video?
CNet reports that YouTube has now turned on auto-captioning for the entire video site. This means that users who upload videos to YouTube can either upload a text file of a transcription, or add the video to the machine translation queue. Using voice recognition software, your video will become transcribed, which will allow viewers to turn subtitles on while watching your video.
For now, the service is English only, but the possibilities of this service are tremendous. If video transcription becomes commonplace thanks to YouTube’s automation efforts, then perhaps machine translation of the transcribed audio will be next. Since Google owns YouTube, the integration of Google Translate and YouTube is not far fetched. This would advance video learning capabilities the world over, and provide a huge quantity of translated videos.
Of course, video transcription and translation would not be very helpful for the most popular YouTube content—you guessed it, ping pong cats, for which no subtitles are necessary.
March 03, 2010 The Building Blocks of Spoken Language
Many people around the world have known about Roger Ebert’s unfortunate bout with thyroid cancer that took away his ability to speak. Since 2006, he has been using the built-in text-to-speech capabilities of Mac OS X, so that he can communicate out loud to his family, and also to his audience.
But living a life through some one else’s voice (and in this case, a robot’s voice!) is slightly disorientating and means that your accent, inflection, and other vocal modes of expression are completely lost.
Tech Crunch recently published an article about Ebert’s attempt to get his voice back. Scottish company CereProc specializes in creating lifelike voice reproductions of famous people. (Ever want Bill Murray to personally wish you a happy birthday? That’s where these folks would come in.) Roger Ebert was able to send them DVD commentary tracks from several films he discussed at length, and using bits and pieces of different words and sounds, they were able to recreate his voice for a text-to-speech module. Ebert recently went on Oprah to discuss the developments, and you can also read about his blog.
It’s a remarkable story about the power of technology, and the possibilities for using the building blocks of language to give the gift of speech back.
March 02, 2010 The iofy Player
The iofy player is a unique device specifically designed for iofy audio book chips. This portable unit is ideal for people who prefer to listen to iofy audio book chips on the go.
While transferring to an iPod or iPhone is an excellent way to manage your Pimsleur lessons, you probably don’t want to risk losing or damaging your iPod during an extended trip abroad. The iofy player is a great alternative for these kinds of situations. You would use this player for a fast portable way to listen to your lessons`
Our player is the inexpensive answer to having portable access to your Pimsleur language courses. The players simple functionality makes listening to your program easy and enjoyable.
February 19, 2010 Eye On Ireland
Ireland is known for its gorgeous landscapes of lush vegetation, rich cultural heritage and legendary myths It is the third largest island in Europe and has a population of 6.2 million people. Ireland has had a significant influence on culture throughout the world. This island boast a strong indigenous heritage that is expressed through native sports like Hurling and Rugby, but also through its unique and dynamic language Gaeltacht.
Sadly, the Irish language today is spoken by very few natives. In fact the language is so rarely spoken by native Irishman that it is on its way to becoming extinct within two generations, some scholars fear it could be sooner. The Irish language will only exist through English speakers who have learned Irish as a second language and have mastered fluency.
Irishlanguage.net reports the dangers of the Irish language being lost to its native people. “Gaeltachtaí embody more than just a language, but the cultural context in which it is spoken, through song, stories, social traditions, folklore and dance.” “The death of the Gaeltachtaí would make a break forever between Ireland’s cultural past and identity, and its future.”
A lot of what we do here at Pimsleur is dedicated to saving indigenous languages. The importance of culture and preserving a people is so vital to our world. We invite you to sample the first lesson of our Irish program free. After-wards leave a comment letting us know your thoughts about the blog and the sample Irish lesson. We would love to hear from you!
February 08, 2010 The Tower of Babel Restored!
Google has done it again! UK Times is reporting Google is currently working on software for a mobile phone that can translate your conversation for the speaker on the receiving end! Google is responsible for translating 52 languages via Google Translate, and Haitian Creole is their newest addition. UK Times simplifies the process for us and explains, “By building on existing technologies in voice recognition and automatic translation Google hopes to have a basic system ready within a couple of years.”
A few experts remain skeptical to the process. David Crystal, Honorary professor of linguistics at Bangor University explains the biggest problems with language translation software using speech recognition software is the ‘variability in accent.’
Google remains optimistic, they believe that by combining two current technologies of voice recognition and speak command they can develop the most comprehensive version of translation software. Googles head of Translation Services Fran Och says “The translation software is likely to become more accurate the more it is used; The more data we input, the better the quality.”
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"There truly is something very powerful and familiar in the way Pimsleur taps into those primitive parts of your brain in the learning process, almost like hypnosis. Having done it successfully, I realize that it is a revolutionary learning protocol that was designed to bypass all the things that would get in the way of me learning and not wasting time."
