Busuu
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| URL | www.busuu.com |
|---|---|
| Slogan | The language learning community |
| Type of site | Social network service |
| Registration | Required (free) |
| Available language(s) | English, Spanish, French, German, others |
| Owner | Busuu Online S.L. |
| Created by | Bernhard Niesner, Co-Founder & Adrian Hilti, Co-Founder[1] |
| Launched | 16 May 2008 |
| Current status | beta - active |
busuu is a free online social network service that serves as a community language learning platform, where users can help each other to improve their language skills. [2] The website provides learning units for four different languages (English, Spanish, French, German) that can be added to the users' learning portfolio and keep track of their progress.
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Name origin
Busuu is a language spoken in Cameroon. Based on an ethnological study conducted in the eighties, apparently only eight people are able to speak this language. The ISO 639-3 code for Busuu is bju.
Concept
busuu is a Madrid based startup web 2.0 company for people interested in learning or improving their language skills. The site boasts a large online community of native speakers, taking a step further the traditional way of learning languages through multimedia software material or language exchange.
All members can correct other user's exercises or contact other speakers to ask for doubts or even start a videoconference. In addition to connecting to other users, there are learning units covering diverse topic areas, with phrases and vocabulary represented by images and sounds pronounced by professional voice artists speaking in their languages. Most of these activities can be used without necessarily participating in the “social network” aspect of the site.
busuu admits users that speak any languages, meaning that everyone in the community has the potential to learn any language as well.[3]
busuu is considered one of the top 10 startups in June 2008.[4]
Development
The busuu website is currently classified as a beta. All services are free.[5]
The site is based on the Drupal framework, and has been praised for its clean, crisp, fun colorful graphics and fast-loading attributes. busuu.com also features an easy-to-use interface with an interactive dashboard that changes as your language skills improve (called the busuu Language Garden).[6]
Learning units for four different languages are currently available, with interface support in these four languages (English, Spanish, French, German). New languages are planned to be added in the near future.
References
- ^ "About the founders". www.busuu.com. Retrieved on 2008-08-08.
- ^ "Learn a new language with busuu". www.lifehacker.com. Retrieved on 2008-09-19.
- ^ "busuu makes language learning almost simple". www.downloadsquad.com. Retrieved on 2008-09-11.
- ^ "This month - Top 10 KillerStartups". www.killerstartups.com. Retrieved on 2008-08-08.
- ^ "Busuu". www.bitelia.com. Retrieved on 2008-09-05.
- ^ "Busuu wants to be your language gardener". www.mashable.com. Retrieved on 2008-09-16.
External links
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