General Linguaphone Discussion

[David1917]

To clarify re the old "Teach Yourself Modern Persian" course by John Mace, since I've remarked on the better quality of the original hardcover book before, the hardcover didn't in fact have LARGER script, but only CLEARER script. In the later reprints of the book, the script was a bit blurred.

I think the progression/learning curve for the script in the Mace book is also excellent, since it teaches the script in small groups of letters, rather than in one fell swoop as some other books do.

For a Persian textbook with large script, you might take a look at L. P. Elwell-Sutton's
"Elementary Persian Grammar" (Cambridge University Press, originally published in 1963), which has very large and clear script.

Ah OK, my mistake. Either way I find some of the longer reading passages to be a little difficult to follow because of the script, so any improvement would be ideal. Total agreement about the teaching progression. Another reason I was looking it up was because I wanted to find a good version to give to a friend of mine thinking about studying Persian, and figured this is still the best English-language introduction available.

[simonwhiting]

A little more input on Russian & Greek Linguaphone courses. The dates, and book types, of these courses don't fit very well with the list at https://www.publishinghistory.com/linguaphone.html - the trouble with the lists there is they don't make clear when the different languages were actually being sold!



I bought the Greek course on the left in 1982. It's the old "series 2" with 50 chapters. The textbook was first published in 1967 (but printed in 1981). The audio is on 4 cassettes, copyright 1975. The textbook is a blue hardcover. There were 2 other paperback books - plain white covers - "Explanatory Notes" & "Vocabularies & Notes on Pronunciation", and 2 plain white leaflets, "Student's Instructions" & "Practice Material". It came in a grey vinyl case; and cost £118 - a fair sum in 1982 - paid in instalments.

In many ways it looks very like the format of the Russian course that Seneca mentions upthread (3 Jan 2018) - hardcover textbook with flag on the dustjacket. But I see that that course - despite being on records - appears to be a "series 3" course. 30 lessons, and the first one is called "аэропорт".

This seems to be the same course as the Russian one I've just bought new from Linguaphone - picture on the right. The published date is 1971 ("Transferred to Digital Printing 2004"). It came on 8 CDs, with 4 books - textbook, handbook, spoken practice, and written practice; and a rather useless generic Study Guide. It came in a translucent plastic case.

I see there's a Russian course on ebay right now: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Linguaphone-Institute-Language-Kit-Russian-English-Books-21-LPS-Records-RARE/113539095669?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2763.l2649. Although the advertiser states its publication year is "around 1960", the "blurred" chapter list suggests it's also a series 3, same as the one I've just bought.

My middle picture is a Greek course I bought in 2008 (for about £270). Its publication date is 1983 (though also "transferred to Digital Printing 2004"). Also 8 CDs. Blue plastic case. Books: all the new style orange & white - Textbook, Handbook, Spoken Exercises, Study Guide (more detailed & more specifically for Greek course), and Alphabet book (the Russian course could have done with one of these!).

As I've only just bought the Russian course, I can't say much about it yet, though it looks OK. The book print quality isn't quite as good as the newer Greek set; the 8 CDs are squeezed into a single fat case, whereas the Greek ones came in individual jewel cases; the Greek course was 25 years old when I bought it, whereas this one is 48 years old. However, I'm looking forward to it!

As to comparisons of the two Greek courses - I agree with others' comments. The older series 2 course has more "academic" explanations & fine detail; the small print means it covers a lot more than size comparison would suggest; and the combination of books (e.g. separate book of vocabularies/pronunciation/dictionary) suits me better. But the content is obviously rather out-of-date now; the bigger print of the newer course is easier; and the new course is monotonic.

Overall I'm very glad I've got both. Anyone know where I can get a series 2 Russian course? (seeing as the ebay offering does not actually seem to be from 1960 after all!).

[Speakeasy]

… Anyone know where I can get a series 2 Russian course? …

If you were to visit the Linguaphone UK website (https://www.linguaphone.co.uk/), select any language and scroll down to the bottom of the page, you would find an entry form through which you can send the publisher a short message.

Linguaphone.JPG (24.42 KiB) Viewed 1175 times

One of the options in the “Please Select” box is for “Early Editions” of their courses. You could try asking them if they have an “early edition” of their Russian course. Good hunting!

UPDATE:
As I, too, am interested in acquiring a copy of the previous generation of the Linguaphone Russian course, yesterday, I submitted a query to the publisher via the portal described above. This morning, I received the following reply: “The earliest Russian course we can supply is the 1971 edition.” So then, we’re both out of luck.

EDITED:
Typos.
Update.

[n_j_f]

Here are some answers:

I have those Danish records - they are produced by Linguaphone but they go with the old Blue/Yellow book Teach Yourself Danish course (the original grammar translation course). They have the dialogues and most of the readings read out by native speakers.

The Cantonese course is the other TY/Linguaphone collaboration - but there is a newer Linguaphone Chinese course.

I was perusing WorldCat today to see about getting one of the old hardback copies of John Mace's Teach Yourself Modern Persian course, since it is supposed to have larger script in it, and discovered that it also has a Linguaphone collaboration with tapes. I've had trouble getting Linguaphone items via Interlibrary Loan in the past, but I'll try to get one of these if only to photograph for the forum.

Just to clarify that I am reading this correctly, are you saying that audio was made for John Mace Teach Yourself Persian, or that audio by John Mace was made for a Linguaphone Persian course?

This would be excellent news either way.

[David1917]

Here are some answers:

I have those Danish records - they are produced by Linguaphone but they go with the old Blue/Yellow book Teach Yourself Danish course (the original grammar translation course). They have the dialogues and most of the readings read out by native speakers.

The Cantonese course is the other TY/Linguaphone collaboration - but there is a newer Linguaphone Chinese course.

I was perusing WorldCat today to see about getting one of the old hardback copies of John Mace's Teach Yourself Modern Persian course, since it is supposed to have larger script in it, and discovered that it also has a Linguaphone collaboration with tapes. I've had trouble getting Linguaphone items via Interlibrary Loan in the past, but I'll try to get one of these if only to photograph for the forum.

Just to clarify that I am reading this correctly, are you saying that audio was made for John Mace Teach Yourself Persian, or that audio by John Mace was made for a Linguaphone Persian course?

This would be excellent news either way.

It seems that audio was made for the John Mace TYS course, as in the Cantonese collaboration. I am still awaiting confirmation from the Interlibrary Loan service.

[Ug_Caveman]

UPDATE:
As I, too, am interested in acquiring a copy of the previous generation of the Linguaphone Russian course, yesterday, I submitted a query to the publisher via the portal described above. This morning, I received the following reply: “The earliest Russian course we can supply is the 1971 edition.” So then, we’re both out of luck.

A rather sad point to add - I recently emailed Linguaphone enquiring about their courses in the Danish and Norwegian to see if they still maintained any in stock (of any generation, I believe they were published as late as the 1990s) and got a reply telling me that they no longer have anything available looks like its back to eBay trawling for me which hasn't gone well recently .

Also, quick question on history - are the Linguaphone second stage courses a reasonably new part of the series (such that they are only available in paperback/CD), or are there old hardback/cassette tape editions knocking around?

[Speakeasy]

… As I, too, am interested in acquiring a copy of the previous generation of the Linguaphone Russian course, yesterday, I submitted a query to the publisher via the portal described above. This morning, I received the following reply: “The earliest Russian course we can supply is the 1971 edition.” So then, we’re both out of luck.

I had already located an offer for a physical copy of the 1950’s era Linguaphone Russian course on eBay and, upon receipt of the publisher’s above reply, I promptly ordered it. I sent an Email to Linguaphone advising them that, should I ever find the time to digitize my copy, I would send them a copy of the MP3 and PDFs for subsequent offer to the general public.

…Also, quick question on history - are the Linguaphone second stage courses a reasonably new part of the series (such that they are only available in paperback/CD), or are there old hardback/cassette tape editions knocking around?

Although I have never seen a hardback/cassette version of the “second stage” courses, they may have existed, my copies are the paper/CD editions and I’m pretty darned sure that these are what LinguaphoneUK is presently selling.

[Speakeasy]

Linguaphone German for the Businessman, © Interlang Limited, 1969
In early November of last year, I came across an offer on eBayUK for an incomplete set of a Linguaphone German course identified as “Vtg Linguaphone German Mini Lab Cased Language Course - No Manual” accompanied by a couple of photos, two of which I have posted below.

Linguaphone German for the Businessman 1.JPG (32.38 KiB) Viewed 932 times

Linguaphone German for the Businessman 2.JPG (70.39 KiB) Viewed 932 times

Intrigued by the offer, I communicated with the vendor (who was a reseller of odds-and-ends and who knew nothing of the course himself) and, following a delay of two months and a period of agreeable Email communications, purchased the audio cassettes only (the course manuals were missing from the package). I received delivery of the ten audio cassettes in today’s post, digitized the first cassette, played it and, based on the following information, believe that I have identified a heretofore unknown Linguaphone course. Here are the details:

There are 10 audio cassettes in total, each containing two lessons, for a total of 20, the recordings of which are approximately 25 minutes duration each.

The cassette case liners include the following printed identification:
“Linguaphone Business Services Division Helps British Industry Do Business In Any Language”
“Linguaphone I.C.L.T. Lang. Level. German L.II ” The “German L.II” text is not printed; rather, it is stamped as with a manual rubber stamp.

The audio cassettes themselves are identified as follows:
“This is a LINGUAPHONE Recorded Cassette.
Language GERMAN L.II” (stamped as with a manual rubber stamp)
Lesson No: 2 (inscribed by hand !!!)
ICLT
Copyright: Linuaphone (Interlang Ltd.) not to be publicly performed …”

On the first cassette, an English speaker introduces the course as follows:
“German for the Businessman, Level Two, Copyright Interlang Limited, 1969”
The recording continues as: “Erste Lextion, erster Teil. Umzug in das neue Haus”

The dialogue begins as follows:
Male: Guten Morgen, Frau Werner! Hoffentlich haben Sie nicht zu lange gewartert. Aber ...
Female: Das macht nichts! In der Zwischenzeit habe ich noch …

I have a copy of all of the standard Linguaphone German courses from the 1920s/1930s through to the present, the German for Business course of 1975, and the German Advanced (Aufbau) course and none of the lesson titles nor the initial dialogues in my collection resemble those above.

Would anyone have any information about this little treasure?

EDITED:
Tinkering

[David1917]

I sent an Email to Linguaphone advising them that, should I ever find the time to digitize my copy, I would send them a copy of the MP3 and PDFs for subsequent offer to the general public.

Better yet, see if they'd let Yojik host them

[David1917]

I was perusing WorldCat today to see about getting one of the old hardback copies of John Mace's Teach Yourself Modern Persian course, since it is supposed to have larger clearer script in it, and discovered that it also has a Linguaphone collaboration with tapes. I've had trouble getting Linguaphone items via Interlibrary Loan in the past, but I'll try to get one of these if only to photograph for the forum.

Just to clarify that I am reading this correctly, are you saying that audio was made for John Mace Teach Yourself Persian, or that audio by John Mace was made for a Linguaphone Persian course?

This would be excellent news either way.

It seems that audio was made for the John Mace TYS course, as in the Cantonese collaboration. I am still awaiting confirmation from the Interlibrary Loan service.

Update: As with my attempt to secure other Linguaphone courses in the past, this one was denied. However, I followed up in asking which libraries specifically have the item so that I can contact them, at least for photos/confirmation of existence. I will of course post anything that comes from this.

The two libraries in question are Toronto Public Library and Berkeley Public Library. Should any lurker in either of these locales feel like solving a mystery for us, including possibly even sampling the audio material, please do so!