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Best Price: $179.95
(DVD Version)
Our Rating:
83%
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Transparent Japanese review
By Gerrit du Plessis
Transparent Languages, who also makes the less-rigorous Byki Deluxe 4, has put a great deal of
time and effort into the development of this Premium Edition with a clear eye toward affordability.
Transparent Japanese incorporates videos and audio recordings of native Japanese
speakers in realistic conversations. It has a virtual book format that replicates the look of a
standard classroom textbook, and - as you'd expect from a "classroom" course, it teaches both
reading and writing of Japanese characters. Transparent Japanese incorporates online self-tests and
interactive video games. This is, unquestionably, a very comprehensive program, no doubt about
it.
So why did it only rank 83% in my evaluation? Simple - we're looking for the program with the
tools to help you learn Japanese the most quickly and efficiently. And Transparent Japanese's
expectations seem to exceed either the needs or the capabilities of the average student. For
example, Transparent Japanese boasts that it teaches 15,000 words and phrases. Do you know that the
average English speaker - depending upon his or her level of education - only uses about 1500-3000
English words in ordinary conversation? Why would you ever need to learn 15,000 words and phrases
in Japanese? Overloading the curriculum doesn't seem like a good way to learn Japanese fast, or
even effectively. For many people, Transparent Japanese Premium Edition
may be just too much course.
But even more importantly, there is too much of a "classroom" feel to this course. It doesn't
have the sense of fun and excitement of Rocket Japanese -
that special "spark" that makes you want to return to the course again and again because you're
having such a good time with it. But it's a good course and an astonishing value for the money, and
if you really need to learn to speak more Japanese than you do English, Transparent Japanese would
not be a bad choice.
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