Aug
13
BYKI language learning software for Business Spanish
Last month I wrote about the BYKI (Before You Know It) language learning software. I downloaded the free version but there’s also a deluxe version with more bells and whistles. Well it turns out that there’s also Spanish BYKI For Business that covers 2000+ words and phrases related to job titles, scheduling appointments and attending professional conferences. It also contains basic contract and legal terms and Spanish vocabulary related to human resources and employee benefits. I checked out the free version today and thought it was pretty good.
I like this software because it’s interactive and having this type of specialized business vocabulary in one place is a definite plus, particularly since many English terms used in business (such as “on-the-job training” and “additional paid in capital”) are phrases, not individual words you can look up in a standard dictionary. So from that standpoint, software like this could be a real timesaver for English-speaking business types who don’t have time to spare flipping through a dictionary or chasing down the correct translation of phrases in an online Spanish-English language forum. Also the software, because the vocabulary is so specific to different situations, is appropriate for beginners to advanced students of Spanish. Transparent Language, the maker of the software, has a pretty generous return policy for the paid version of the software which surprised me. If you can’t recall 100% of what you’ve learned, they say you can request a full refund.
You can get the free version by clicking on this little flashing graphic:
Or the deluxe ($69.95) version by clicking on the picture of this box: 
Hm, it’s impossible to remember everything for the full 100%, so that’s a bit weird statement. About BYKI; do they use loose words or phrases?
Yeah, Ramses, the guarantee seems rather bold but I guess that’s their way of showing how confident they are that their system works (or that people will like it enough not to request a refund.)
The way the software is set up, there are five different learning modes for each vocabulary category:
1: Review It
2: Recognize It
3: Know It
4: Produce It
5: Own It
By the time you reach the “Own It” stage and see the system score your results, it is clear to you which words you are recalling correctly and which ones you’re not. It’s like climbing a ladder. Once you’ve reached the top, there’s no doubt that you’ve arrived. (There’s a detailed explanation of what these five different levels consist of inside the software, but I think it’s pretty clear from their titles what they’re about.)
Regarding your other question about whether the categories are just individual words or actual phrases, well, it depends on the category. For example, with the free software, the vocabulary related to job titles, imports/exports, corporate finance, etc. only present the individual words in Spanish. But categories related to making telephone calls and making polite conversation, for example, have a wide selection of standard phrases, ready to use.
There is also audio of each word or phrase used so you hear the correct pronunciation.
Ramses,
I work at Transparent Language, Inc., the company that makes Byki. Remembering 100%, or “Perfect Recall” as we call it, is not something that happens in the usual course of events. However, Byki is specifically designed for that purpose. It has a process that leads you through a list of Spanish words, phrases and/or sentences, watching what you get correct or incorrect, and presenting different items to you for different learning tasks until you know the whole list perfectly.
Of course, the next day or week, that would not still be true, but Byki provides ways to refresh what you learn so as to keep your whole growing collection of learned items current and active.
We think that having a solid collection of useful words, phrases and other language chunks at your disposal is key to rapid and successful language learning.
That’s why we make the money back guarantee, so that you can see if we really do perform as we say. Or there’s a really quite nice free version of Byki, where you don’t have to pay anything in the first place. The Deluxe version (which costs money) has more content and more capability, but the Express version (which is free) is not just a trial or demo. It’s a solid piece of software in its own right, and it is not time limited, nor limited to just a certain number of uses or anything like that.
Best of success with your Spanish learning.
Michael Quinlan
President @ Transparent.com
I like the idea of the Perfect Recall guarantee. I would love to try this out, as some Business Spanish would certainly be beneficial. It seems unclear, though, what separates the different stages of learning the vocab/phrases/expressions:
1: Review It
2: Recognize It
3: Know It
4: Produce It
5: Own It
Nonetheless, it’s worth a try especially because it is interactive. Thanks, Eleena!
Hm, I might check it out. As I’ll tutor a class of businesspersons (either in training or already working) this software may come in handy. I’ll have a look and maybe recommend it to the school board.
Jeff,
As to your question as to what the different phases accomplish, in short…
Review It just let’s you look over and listen to each item.
Then you learn to come up with the English when you see the Target language:
- In Recognize It, you self report if you successfully remember the English when you see the Spanish.
- In Know It, you type the English when you see the Spanish, so Byki can see if you successfully remembered.
Then the other way — you learn to come up with the Spanish when you see the English:
- In Produce It, you self report if you successfully remember the Spanish when you see the English.
- In Know It, you type the Spanish when you see the English, so Byki can see if you successfully remembered.
Most of the learning events are in self-reporting modes, because it’s so fast (you just press Yes or No as to whether you successfully remembered). Typing solidifies and confirms your learning, but since it takes longer, it’s used no more than necessary. The goal is not only learning, but learning as efficiently as possible.
Byki focuses on the items and modes you have problems with until you can do both directions (Eng->Sp and Sp->Eng) on all items consistently. At that point you have Perfect Recall.
Michael Quinlan
President @ Transparent.com
Business Spanish is certainly needed in todays Workplaces. Language barriers are frustrating, costly and sometimes dangerous. In many occupations it’s an absolute necessity to be able to communicate with Hispanics who cannot speak English. There are so many different workplaces with as different terminology that it is impossible to cover all that in one product, nor is it necessary. Workplace Spanish Manuals and CD-ROMs cover many of those.