This site is meant to replicate on the Internet a means of learning words and phrases in different languages. I have found the technique used in this site to be helpful in learning vocabulary for two reasons:
Note that this site is not meant to have dictionary capability, rather, words are mapped one-to-one between languages. Also, the standard 26 character alphabet is used when spelling words. The French tests use the indefinite article for nouns where the gender would not be given by using the definite article.
I would like to apologize to French, Spanish, and German speakers for choosing to use only the standard 26 characters. I did this as a means of ensuring maximum usability across keyboards and meant it in no way as a slight to your languages. Over the next few months (early 2002), tests launched from the french, german, and spanish main pages will be converted to use the extended characters. If you wish to use the tests the old way, you should launch the test from the english main page.
You may create your own tests with extended characters in the "Create your own test" section.
iMAC users should use Netscape Navigator as their browser for the packaged tests. Also the keyboard-only feature does not seem to work on the iMAC. Unfortunately it is difficult for me to diagnose iMAC problems as I do not own one.
Also, I would like to emphasize that this is essentially a personal site. I in no way advertise myself to be a language professional (I am not), rather someone who tries (struggles) to keep his vocabulary current. It is as a result of this struggle that I started this site. There is alot of quality software out there created by professionals that I would encourage you to investigate. That being said, I appreciate very much receiving suggested corrections to the tests.
If you would like to see the word lists, you can do so by clicking on View -> Page source in your browser.
I would like to thank those who have forwarded enhancement requests and have made suggestions for improvements. The "do not retest correct" and "keyboard only" features have been implemented as a result of such input. Thanks.
The "create your own test" utility has been recently added to allow users who wish to create their own tests to do so. These tests may be saved to your own PC (remember to end your filename with .htm or .html) for later use without requiring an Internet connection. This utility also allows the user to create tests using character sets beyond the standard 26 characters offered in the packaged tests along with a scorecard that tracks results of individual questions/answers within a session. Be assured that when a test is generated by yourself, you alone will have a copy of the test that you generated.
Finally, You may reproduce my tests with your own words, create your own tests through "create tests" , put them on your site, do whatever you wish to do with them. I ask only that you leave a comment at the top of your html indicating my initial authorship of the test engine.
Thanks for visiting my site, and I hope that you find it useful.
Rene