subject: Can I learn French from Audio Recordings? [print this page] Can I learn French from Audio Recordings?
You can learn any language from audio recordings. What will vary is the amount of success you have by using various types of audio programs. One of the hardest things for an English-speaker to learn about the French language is the pronunciation. Unfortunately, many audio products are built on the concept of having a native speaker say a word and then having you repeat it back. This has two serious pitfalls: you're speaking way before you're ready to; there's no one there to correct your errors. To learn to speak a language, you have to sit down and listen.
There are other audio programs that offer a different take. These programs allow you to learn to speak French by hearing it spoken without expecting you to immediately parrot what's being said. The idea is entirely different: Instead of being driven to say words over and over, you're being asked to understand those words before you even speak them. This is how expatriates, diplomats and travelling business people usually become fluent. Because they hear the language spoken so much and because that speech has a context, they just assimilate the words.
To speed up the process, these programs sometimes actually ask you to slow down a bit. Learning French through a story requires you to listen to it over and over. What you'll soon notice is that people say the same things an awful lot, no matter what language they happen to speak. Phrases such as "I am", "Are you", "May I" and so forth are used so much in day to day life that the repetition requirement is satisfied simply by telling a story. It makes it a lot more fun than just saying "Je suis" over and over again. It also teaches you the correct pronunciation because of that repetition, and the lesson tends to stick.
Appropriately enough, it helps to explain this in context. A lot of people listen to the old style, rote instructional programs on their way to work or when they take trips. This is about as much fun as it sounds: It means hearing someone repeat the same phrase for miles. By listening to a story instead, you're able to give your brain something engaging to do and to learn the language at the same time. It's not a gimmick: It's simply an effective way to learn a language.
