On-line cheat sheet for languages?
 

I'll be visiting Italy this summer and wondered if there was anything on the net that would give me a "cheater" sheet or two of commonly used travel phrases?

Sure, try http://www.travlang.com - - they have audio clips too. <BR> <BR>This does not preclude buying a phrase book or dictionary or both, in my opinion. But it's a start in the right direction. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex <BR>

this website didn't help me much as I don't have speakers on my computer so can't "hear" the words. Also you have to put each word in individually to get the translation. I think Bashful wants a sheet listing commonly used words and phrases with the italian word beside it? And if so, I think a phrase book is the only way to go.

No, you must have clicked on the "dictionaries" - - click on the "Foreign languages for Travelers" - - http://www.travlang.com/languages - - and you will see a bunch of flags - - click on the Italy flag (or whatever language you want) and you will be presented with seven very useful lists of roughly one page each. <BR>

One I find very useful is BabelFish. http://world.altavista.com/ <BR>What's great about it is you can type in any phrase/sentence/word you like and it will translate it for you. I plan to have index cards with me when I go to Paris (in less than 2 weeks - yeah!). On them, I'll copy/paste translations to phrases I'll know I'll need. <BR>Buoa fortuna! <BR>

Travlang is quite good. <BR> <BR>Fodors also has a quite serviceable function found at <BR>http://www.fodors.com/language/ <BR> <BR>And if you want a very simple-minded single page with 16 very basic phrases in English, Italian, German and French you'll find it at <BR>http://www.fodors.com/language/ <BR> <BR>But gosh, if you can afford a trip to Europe you can afford a pocket dictionary and pocket phrase book that you can keep at hand throughout your trip. They'll cost less than $20 total and will add much more than that in value and enjoyment to your trip. Almost any bookstore with the barest of travel sections is likely to have what you need. <BR> <BR>twenj

I have tried altavista's babelFish and I have to say that other than single word translations, it does a very poor job of translations. It does word for word with no translation of meaning behind a phrase. I had found another site that does a very good job but it went off the air for modifictions and when I changed computers I lost the URL, so now can't find it. <BR>

I have used babelfish quite a bit, and I agree that there is an "art" to using it, Art (wink...) <BR> <BR>I find myself going back and forth, and re-stating a sentence more than one way. I often just ask it to translate a sentence fragment. I feel best about using it with languages that I actually know. <BR> <BR>I suppose that "we" veterans have to be careful with telling people like bashful what to do. I know plenty of people who are quite reluctant to even pick up a phrase book because they feel overwhelmed by "how can I ever learn to use all of these phrases?" - - they haven't yet experienced the pleasure of mastering a dozen words, or two dozen, or a hundred dozen. <BR> <BR>So, if a one page cheat sheet helps you tackle that first dozen, I say go for it. A key element to succeeding is to SAY IT aloud. LOUD. You have to get used to hearing your own voice say something that you feel very uncertain about. No mumbling, no muttering under your breath. Say it LOUD, strong and proud - - B'W'OWN JORE-NOH. And say it a dozen times before breakfast today, and again tomorrow, and the next day. <BR> <BR>And you'll be running out and buying that phrase book before you know it! <BR>