Dive Training....

HABLA DIVING?

BERLITZ AND BEYOND

Though he lived before the days of scuba diving, Maximilian Berlitz was like many modern dive travelers looking to communicate in foreign lands and seas. As a foreign language instructor at a private business college near Providence, Rhode Island, he even tried to help others learn languages for trips abroad in the late nineteenth century. He made great strides in teaching languages, but an illness in 1878 changed his methods and the instruction of languages forever. Dive travelers in foreign lands and seas should be thankful for that short sickness.

Berlitz fell ill from overwork and was forced to ask his newly-hired assistant, Nicholas Joly, to assume the teaching load. However, Frenchman Joly spoke no English, so Berlitz told him to simply point at objects and use a question and answer approach. Recovering five weeks later and fearing the worst, Berlitz was delighted to discover his students engaged in lively conversations using elegantly accented French. They had clearly made faster progress under this "new" method. Berlitz quickly recognized the essence of what was to become the Berlitz Method (NOTE TO KATHRYN--please use registered mark--little "R" with circle--after this) and struck out on his own later that year.

Berlitz originally catered to the well-to-do of the Gilded Age, who had the time and money for foreign travel or education. Business for Berlitz increased steadily and he opened a school in Boston in 1880 and others in New York City and Washington, DC followed in quick succession. In 1900, Berlitz demonstrated his teaching method at the Universal Exposition in Paris and was awarded two gold medals. As a result, his principles were officially adopted by the Congress of Teachers of Modern Languages. Soon, Berlitz established company-owned schools in major markets in Europe and issued licenses for secondary markets.

The first decade of the 20th century marked the global expansion of Berlitz to more than 100 locations, but the Depression brought tough times for the company. Business improved after World War II, as the company found its student demographics changing. The schools were increasingly attended by tourists and businesspeople hoping to expand their enjoyment and success abroad. By the late-1950s, Berlitz opened a center in Mexico and other Latin American locations soon followed. A Tokyo school was established in 1966, with other Asian centers to come.

During the 1960s, Berlitz launched into trade publishing, with a complete line of popular phrase books, dictionaries, travel guides, self-teaching recordings, and materials for children. A revolutionary intensive language program called Total Immersion (registered mark--'R") was also introduced.

Expansion was rapid in the 1980s, with the formal launching of specialty programs like Berlitz Study Abroad ("R"), Berlitz Jr. ("R"), Berlitz on Campus ("R"), and a new division for Berlitz Translation Services. The company was changed to Berlitz International, Inc. to reflect the broader range of products and services. The company went public in 1989.

Since a 67% purchase by the Japanese company, Benesse, Berlitz has been preparing for entrance into the 21st century with a corporate redesign, even more products, new technology in the classrooms, franchising into untapped markets, and synergies across all three business segments: instruction, publishing, and translation. 1997 brought the acquisition of ELS Educational Services, with 25 schools in the U.S., one in London, and more than 45 franchises abroad. After more than 120 years as a pioneering language leader, Berlitz is bigger and better than ever.

“We definitely have seen an increase in what we call our ‘survival’ language materials,” Ellen Adler, their vice president of publishing worldwide, says. “We’re very confident that the interest in foreign language learning is a trend that is growing. We also see more crossover of business and leisure interests being combined. Adler, a diver, continues, "I stayed at a diving club in Sinai, Egypt, and I was struck by how international the diving crowd is--I heard so many different languages."

The range of Berlitz offerings is typical of what's available to today's dive traveler. Whether you just want to learn the basics or everything of a foreign language, there are lots of options. Berlitz's 32-page catalog highlights: language reference materials (Berlitz Essentials, Berlitz Handbooks, Berlitz Bilingual Dictionaries, and Berltiz Basic and Intermediate Workbooks); travel-related language publications ideal for divers taking short trips (Berlitz European Menu Reader, Berlitz Business Phrase Books, Berlitz Phrase Books, and Berlitz Cassette Packs); and home study materials (the new Berlitz Today and Berlitz Think and Talk ("R") series, as well as the popular Berlitz Basic series for getting started). They also publish many travel guides and publications for children.

Along with all of these publications, Berlitz also offers a wide range of popular courses at more than 350 language centers in 50 countries. Their "Immersion" classes (see below) in host countries are now extremely popular as well, giving divers an opportunity to go diving and learn a language in the same trip.

Of course, Berlitz isn't the only game in town (or the world of languages). Many other excellent companies offer a wide array of products and services. Thankfully, bookstores are filled with phrasebooks, language tapes, and much more.

In a majority of dive destinations catering to English-speaking visitors, divers probably don't need to know much, if any, of the local language. However, for more far-flung places phrasebooks, visual translators, and other tools can really help on the boat, at the resorts, and elsewhere.

For divers on the go, the Lonely Planet series of small phrasebooks are ideal for dive boats and remote countries. Designed by travelers for travelers, Lonely Planet produces more than 45 pocket-sized phrasebooks will all the vital words and phrases you'll need, plus descriptions and explanations of local culture customs, menu decoders, and extensive dictionaries (and they fit it a small dive bag or suitcase pocket). Jen Darby of Caribbean Adventures/World Dive Adventures is a huge fan of the phrasebooks, saying, "When I travel to Papua New Guinea, I always take my Pidgin Phrasebook so I can have real conversations with the people I meet during the trip."

Lonely Planet's publisher of phrasebooks, Sally Steward, provides some practical steps to untie the tongues of divers above the surface. She says, "It's true--anyone can speak another language. Don't worry if you haven't studied languages before. Your biggest hurdle is overcoming the fear of saying aloud what may seem to you to be just a bunch of sounds."

Steward says that the best way to start overcoming your fear is to memorize a few key words, like "hello," "thank you," and "how much?" Learning some main question words (e.g., "where is?" or "how deep?") is another key to communicating on and off the boat. She adds, "Write some words and phrases down on a piece of paper and stick them around your home." Finally, don't be overly concerned if you feel you can't memorize all of the vocabulary. That's where a good, portable phrasebook will fill in the blanks.

Visual translators are another excellent addition to your dive bag. Several companies publish picture guides that enable travelers to point to images or icons to communicate their needs. Kwikpoint ("TM") International Translator is an excellent choice. Travelling divers simply point to universally-recognized color picture symbols to communicate about food, lodging, medical needs, emergencies, and other necessities. The laminated folded cards come in full 4"x9" ($7) and wallet ($4) sizes. Both can be purchased for $10.

Cynthia Newman, president of Waters Travel Service, the oldest established travel agency in Washington, DC, used Kwikpoint during a roadside emergency overseas. "We had two broken wheels and, without Kwikpoint's pictures indicating car trouble, I don't know how we could have gotten help," she says. "No one spoke English anywhere near where we damaged our car." Her agency now imprints its own name on the custom version of Kwikpoint and distributes it to clients travelling abroad. Kwikpoint is quite popular and sells very well, according to Rochelle Jaffe, owner of Travel Books Unlimited, one of the largest travel book stores in the nation.

For those who would like to learn to speak a few useful travel phrases, Jaffe recommends dual-language cassette tapes with phrasebooks. Two of their bestsellers are the Berlitz Cassette Packs, a 90-minute audiocassette with a categorical phrase book, and Living Language TRAVELTALK, a 90-minute cassette with a 32-page audio script. “You can listen to these tapes in the car--they have all the most practical phrases you will need,” Jaffe says.

For computer buffs or those who would like to master more of a given language, CD-ROMs are a fun way to learn a new language. The best disks offer vocabulary drills, games, and short conversations that take full advantage of this interactive medium. Users can see the written word, hear it, spell it and speak it (many disks offer pronunciation evaluation when used with a microphone).

The Learning Company offers an impressive array of foreign language software and programs. Their "For Everyone" series is a highly interactive software package that enables the user to practice simulated travel conversation with "live" on-screen character. Their "Learn to Speak" Series ("TM") is a complete interactive CD-ROM course that uses state-of-the-art technology, special learning techniques, and support materials to develop all-around fluency in speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

Finally, their "Berlitz Passport to 31 Languages" is ideal for divers who need to quickly acquire foreign language essentials before a trip. For each language, the product contains 2,500 words and 300 phrases, supplemented by practice exercises, a pronunciation and grammar guide, a printable online dictionary, and cultural information. It's an incredible resource. "The market for multi-language software has exploded in recent months and we're excited to extend our foreign language software expertise into this growing segment of the software industry," says Andy Young, their senior vice president of marketing. Like Berlitz, The Learning Company makes it easy for divers to communicate abroad.

Diver travellers short on time and funds can use the internet's many resources. Language tips are available online through the outstanding “Travlang” site at http://www.travlang.com. This mega-site not only offers travel service links, it also offers a plethora of links to language resources, translating software, online dictionaries, and dozens of links to language-specific tutorial sites--an eclectic group that includes Tamil, Croation, Slovak and American Sign Language.

For the serious dive traveler or language student, there is also the option of live instruction course. Berlitz offers group courses that cost around $300 for a four-week session of two-hour courses two days a week at one of their many language centers. There is even the enticing option of the Berlitz Study Abroad value-added vacation. Tailored to individual needs, the Study Abroad program allows students to stay with host families or on their own, and study either on a full- or a half-day schedule, for visits ranging in length from one to eight weeks. Program rates vary, but typically include tuition, materials, and accommodations with a host family that includes two meals a day.

Thus, from a simple phrasebook to carry aboard your dive boat to an immersion language class overseas, you can habla anything above the surface. Maybe someday soon Berlitz will offer language tapes for "fish-speak."

USEFUL LANGUAGE RESOURCES

--Berlitz can be reached through its Web site at http://www.berlitz.com or by calling (800) 923-7548.

--Kwikpoint can be ordered by sending the appropriate amount to Gaia Communications, PO Box 238, Alexandria, VA        22313-0238, or by calling (800) 958-2907 for bulk orders.

--Travel Books Unlimited, based in Silver Spring, MD, can be reached by calling  (800) 220-2665 or sending email to          travelbk@aol.com. The store accepts Visa, Mastercard, and American Express and will ship items within 24 hours.            More than 190 dialects are in-stock. Be sure to ask for a copy of their extensive catalog.

--The Learning Company is at 314 Erin Dr., Knoxville, TN 37919, (800) 726-5087.

--The "Travlang" internet site is at http://www.travlang.com

LONELY PLANET'S FIVE EASY STEPS TO GETTING STARTED:

1--Start with words or phrases you are already familiar with: mamma mia, Gesundheit, faux pas, and que sera, sera. This will help you get the courage to start speaking aloud.

2--Memorize a few key words and questions. These should be words you'll be saying again and again, like "hello," "thank you," and "how much?"

3--Learn at least one phrase that will be useful, but not essential, like "good morning" or "see you later." Having this extra phrase will enable you to move away from the basics and shows the locals you've tried to learn more of the language.

4--Write some words and phrases down on a piece of paper and stick them around where you'll see them often.

5--Don't be afraid to use a phrasebook during conversations.

"WICKED" LANGUAGES

Workman Publishing offers a fun look at languages in their "Wicked" series. Offered in many languages, these books offer many phrases you'll never find in the traditional phrasebooks, like:

--"Acaso huelo una enchilada vieja?" (Do I smell an old enchilada?).

--"Sue cochinito es el mas lindo, senorita." (Yours is the prettiest piglet, miss.)

--"El caion es muy rapido." (The bus is very fast.)

--"Pero preferiria una habitacion sin alacranes." (But I'd prefer a room without scorpions.)

--"Ese pulpo es extraordinariamente grande." (That is an unusually large octupus.)