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 FSI Language Courses Forum : Learning Languages : French
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BookCat
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Quote BookCat Replybullet Topic: Difference between French Original / Revi
    Posted: 21 August 2006 at 3:30pm
Hi,

I'd like to try the French FSI course but I could not find what the difference(s) was between the Original version and the Revised. Anyone know what it is? (Or if it matters?)

It's been a few years since my last French class and I'd like to freshen my skills.

Thanks for your help.

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gdfellows
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Quote gdfellows Replybullet Posted: 21 August 2006 at 7:06pm
I have not used the French materials, so I will defer to someone else to identify the differences between the two versions.  
 
I will explain that I placed both courses on the web site in the interest of making all FSI materials available.  As the Revised Course is the only one I have with audio, you might go with it.
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Sir Nigel
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Quote Sir Nigel Replybullet Posted: 22 August 2006 at 1:08am
The revised would be the best choice. I haven't studied the original course as everything I've used with FSI French (including my own purchased copies of the Barron's editions) is from the revised course.

As for differences, you don't have to know French to notice that the silly script to help you pronounce French and pictures have been removed. However I noticed that, say in Unit 7, the revised edition doesn't include the original part on the alphabet at the end of the lesson or a part about dialing phone numbers! It appears written exercises were added to the revised edition as well.
Insurance Excuse:
The accident was due to the road bending.
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daristani
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Quote daristani Replybullet Posted: 22 August 2006 at 7:09am
One surprising aspect of the FSI French Revised course, given the difficulties most people have in learning French pronunciation, is that it doesn't provide explicit instruction in pronunciation, or how the pronunciation is reflected in the orthography.  There are plenty of drills in which one can pick this up in practice, if one listens closely and is aware of the subtle differences in the different sounds, but these things are not explained in the course. 

I think one reason for this may be that FSI also produced a course in "French Phonology:  Programmed Introduction", which explains the different sounds of the language and how they're represented in writing, with lots of exercises in distinguishing minimal pairs of contrasting sounds, as well as a wee bit of grammar, at least to the extent necessary to understand the very short dialogues that are employed.  394 pages long, this book strikes me as an excellent way to wrap one's tongue around the language before starting the regular FSI course, and presumably is used at FSI as just such a precursor to the regular course.

I have a copy of the phonology book, which I'd be happy to share for posting on the site, but unfortunately don't have the audio tapes that go along with it.  If anyone else has the tapes for this course, I think posting this material on the site would make it substantially easier for learners to get both their ears and their tongues accustomed to French prior to starting the FSI revised course.
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smoen
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Quote smoen Replybullet Posted: 22 August 2006 at 9:23am
I, too, had been looking at the French Phonology course. Good to see that you have the book. I am willing to purchase the audio (in a couple of weeks (after payday). Unless, of course, someone has the audio already, and is willing to donate.
 
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Quote BookCat Replybullet Posted: 22 August 2006 at 7:26pm
Thanks for all the responses. I downloaded the Revised version (the first few) and in the Introduction (specifically the Preface) it says that the Revised version has updated "the grammar notes which, in their earlier form, had presented difficulties to students." It also stated that the Dialogues remained unchanged.

I was a bit intimidated by the course being an intensive for six hours of study a day, but I'm hoping it will still work if I can't do it quite so often.

Any recommendations for learning to read French (as opposed to speaking it)?



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0MrOriginal0
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Quote 0MrOriginal0 Replybullet Posted: 10 September 2006 at 3:38am
Hi, I'm new to this site. I've been taking French classes at school and would really like to increase my French ability, the only problem is pronounciation so if that Phonetics book was put up on this site it would really give me a lot more confidence using the FSI units.

By the way great work with this site.
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