Gadget November 2 1999 issue
Allen Glogauer

Aha! So that's what the Xhosa-speaking recorded voice at the other end of Telkom's directory enquiry service is saying. "Wamkelekile" means welcome. OK, so I figured that much from the English portion of the recorded message. But I've had it confirmed and spelled out for me by "Speak Xhosa With Us", which sets out to teach one of South Africa's most widely spoken languages to beginners using multimedia. Let's see if we click with "Speak Xhosa With Us" as we run it through the Gadget Four Question User Test.

1. Is it ready to use?
If you'll allow me some poetic licence, Xos it is. Slap it into your CD ROM, run the setup file and you'll jump right into the isiXhosa setup program. Soon you'll be greeted with the opening music and vibrant title screens for "Thetha isiXhosa Nathi" - Xhosa for Beginners.

2. Is it easy to use?
Piece of cake. Navigating through the program is a breeze, and title screens are clear and bold. Lesson objectives are similarly precise. What makes things even simpler is the inclusion of a clear, illustrated workbook.

The course is divided into four units, each comprising five lessons. As each lesson progresses, you'll be presented with the grammar and parts of speech that you need. You'll also come across various exercises which, though not obligatory, test your progress. In Unit 1, Lesson 3, you'll get your first chance to record your pronunciation with your tutors. You'll need a simple microphone to do this, which is a pleasant bit of interactive fun.

One added feature might be nice: A bookmark so that, if you have to stop in the middle of a lesson, you can return to your place quickly.

3. Does it work as advertised?
There's a whole language to learning a language, and you'll be reminded that "concords" don't onlyhang out at airports. No need to get tense, though. The package is warm, unpretentious and appealing, using brightly coloured illustrations and a range of catchy music, in a variety of South AFrican traditional modes.

The cool thing about learning from a CD-ROM is that you can listen to a sound, a word, or a click of different teachers, whose voices add variety to the course, and who become quite familiar as you progress. It's a nice touch to introduce these as "fellow students" of the language. They appear throughout the course in short, conversational videos. My favourite is in lesson 18, where Russell gives some advice to Xhosa, whose heart goes boompety-boomp at the thought of Liyanda. So I'm a sucker for romance. So sue me.

4. Is it value for money?
Very much so. The package retails for R425, and includes a whopping amount of instruction. The workbook is an excellent added bonus, and concretises the learning you've done watching and listening too the CD. The developers, African Voices, can be proud of a fine educational product. I found their approach to be warm, colourful and importantly, not patronising or pretentious.

The only question I'm left with is: do Xola and Liyanda get it together?