Discussion Overview
The discussion centers on finding quality open source learning resources for French and Russian languages. Participants are seeking recommendations for materials, particularly those that include clear pronunciation guidance, amidst concerns about the abundance of low-quality information available online.
Discussion Character
- Exploratory, Technical explanation, Conceptual clarification
Main Points Raised
- One participant expresses a desire to learn French and/or Russian and requests guidance on intelligent resources, emphasizing the need for clear pronunciation information.
- Another participant shares a link to the Annenberg Foundation site, noting that it requires allowing pop-ups to view videos.
- A different participant recommends the FSI language courses website, stating it contains documents from a government language training program that are now in the public domain.
- One participant provides clarification about FSI, mentioning it stands for the Foreign Service Institute, which previously taught government employees, and speculates about their current use of Rosetta Stone.
- Another participant suggests learning Norwegian instead, describing it as a beautiful language and humorously suggesting that moving to Norway would facilitate learning it.
- A participant mentions a directory of dictionaries, noting that while most resources listed are paid, there may be useful options available.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
The discussion does not appear to reach a consensus on specific resources, as participants share various links and suggestions without agreeing on a single best option. Additionally, the suggestion to learn Norwegian introduces a competing perspective on language learning priorities.
Contextual Notes
Some resources mentioned may have limitations such as requiring pop-ups or being primarily paid options. The effectiveness and quality of the suggested resources remain unverified by the participants.
Who May Find This Useful
Individuals interested in learning French or Russian, language enthusiasts, and those seeking open source educational materials may find this discussion relevant.
