Foreign language communication system/device and learning aid

• US 6,024,571 A
• Filed: 04/24/1997
• Issued: 02/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Janet Elaine Renegar
• Original Assignee: Janet Elaine Renegar
• Inventors: Renegar, Janet Elaine
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirsch, Paul J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Priddy, Michael B.
• Application Number:
  US08/839,978
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 434/156, 434/157, 434/167, 283/46
• US Class Current: 434/157
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/08 Printed or written appliances, e.g. text books, bilingual letter assemblies, charts

Abstract

In a hand-held, paper-based translation system linguistic content is sequentially displayed to facilitate a step-by-step process for simple sentence-generation and customary conversational exchanges. The system includes literacy-based, phonetic pronunciation. The device, which houses translation data, provides rapid manual and visual accessing. A primary display surface (approximately 13 by 81/2 inches) folds horizontally and vertically, creating distinct quadrants. Tab-indexed sheets affixed to the primary surface provide display areas for expanded-content. Displays of first-language (L1) words/phrases, accompanied by second-language (L2) equivalents and transliterations are grouped, categorized and sequentially displayed according to their positions in a predetermined syntax. To formulate a sentence, the user begins in the upper-left quadrant, selects an L2 word from the Sentence Starters section and progresses to the upper-right quadrant (Action Words) for the L2 verb. The user completes the sentence with words from the lower-right quadrant (Support Words) and lower-left quadrant (A-Z lexicon). Commonly used phrases, questions and responses are displayed on the back of the upper section of the primary display surface. To access phrases, the user folds the upper section forward and down.

Claims

1. A translation and sentence generation system comprising a sentence starters section, a noun section, an action words section, a support words section and an expanded lexical data section, wherein the sections are arranged such that a user sequentially proceeds from the sentence starters section to the action words sections, to the support words section and to the expanded lexical data section when generating sentences, with a responses section positioned for reference prior to the sentence starters section or after the expanded lexical data section.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a predefined phrase section arranged such that the user views the predefined phrase section prior to or after viewing the noun and action words sections, wherein the predefined phrase section further comprises lists of commonly used expressions and lead-in phrases, and wherein each expression and phrase in each list has a first language entry, a second language equivalent of the first language entry and a transliteration of the second language equivalent.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the lists of commonly used expressions and lead-in phrases further comprise a first list of greetings, a second list of goodbyes, a third list of courtesy statements, a fourth list of forms of address, a fifth list of frequently asked questions and a sixth list of lead-in phrases commonly used in response to the frequently asked questions of the fifth list.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one pronunciation key included in at least one section, wherein the at least one pronunciation key further comprises a first row of first language vowels, a second row of second language equivalents to the first language vowels, a third row of transliterations of the second language equivalents, and a fourth row having a linguistic mnemonic sentence.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprises a list of verbs and infinitives in the action words section with multiple lists of verbs categorized according to tense, person and number, wherein each list is provided on a separate page, wherein each page further comprises a tab for indicating contents of the page, and wherein the tabs extending from the pages are staggered for facilitating user identification and selection.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the responses section further comprises a list of words and phrases commonly heard in response to questions, wherein the sentence starters section further comprises a question words subsection having a list of interrogatives and a subjects subsection having a list of words frequently used to begin sentences, wherein the action words section further comprises a list of verbs or infinitives, wherein the support words section further comprises a list of words and phrases of various parts of speech including adverbs, adjectives, prepositions, pronouns and conjunctions, wherein the expanded lexical data section further comprises a list of commonly used words and phrases, and wherein each word and phrase in each list has a first language entry, a second language equivalent of the first language entry and a transliteration of the second language equivalent, and wherein the words and phrases in the list in the expanded lexical data section are classified in categories, wherein the categories of words and phrases of expanded lexical data section are arranged in alphabetical order, and further comprising multiple letter-specific pages with the words and phrases on each page beginning with a particular letter, lettered tabs extending from each page for indicating contents of each page, and word tags extending from selected pages for indicating the categories, and wherein the lettered tabs are staggered and the word tags are staggered for facilitating user identification and selection.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a column wherein each first language entry is positioned at a left hand side of the column, the second language equivalent of the first language entry is positioned on a same line as the first language entry and to the right of the first language entry, and the transliteration of the second language equivalent is positioned directly beneath the second language equivalent.

8. An apparatus for language translation and sentence generation comprising a blank having a first panel, a second panel, a third panel and a fourth panel, with each panel being of generally the same configuration and dimension and having a front surface, a back surface and side edges, wherein the panels are interconnected such that in a closed orientation the first panel overlies the fourth panel to form a first panel combination, the second panel overlies the third panel to form a second panel combination, and the first combination overlies the second combination, and further comprising a predefined phrase directory provided on the back surface of the first panel and the back surface of the second panel, a sentence starters directory provided on the front surface of the first panel, an action words directory provided on the front surface of the second panel, a support words directory provided on the front surface of the third panel, and an expanded lexical data directory provided on the front surface of the fourth panel.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the blank is made of a semi-flexible material selected from the group consisting of paper, paperboard, card stock, vinyl, plastic, laminated paper and combinations thereof.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the predefined phrase directory further comprises lists of commonly used expressions and lead-in phrases, and wherein each expression and phrase in each list has a first language entry, a second language equivalent of the first language entry and a transliteration of the second language equivalent.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the lists of commonly used expressions and lead-in phrases further comprise a first list of greetings, a second list of goodbyes, a third list of courtesy statements, a fourth list of forms of address, a fifth list of frequently asked questions and a sixth list of lead-in phrases commonly used in response to the frequently asked questions of the fifth list, and wherein the first, second and third lists are provided on the back surface of the first panel and the fourth and fifth lists are provided on the back surface of the second panel.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the action words directory further comprises multiple sheets connected to and overlying at least a part of the front surface of the second panel, wherein the sheets include lists of verbs categorized according to tense, person and number, wherein tabs are connected to selected sheets for indicating contents of the sheets, and wherein the tabs extending from the sheets are staggered for facilitating user identification and selection.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the sheets are stacked and are connected along single edges to the front surface of the second sheet by a connector that allows the sheets to be rotated about the connected edges.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the expanded lexical data directory further comprises multiple sheets connected to and overlying at least a part of the front surface of the fourth panel classified in categories, wherein the sheets have provided thereon categories of words and phrases, wherein the words and phrases of each category are arranged in alphabetical order, lettered tabs extending from selected sheets for indicating contents of each page, and word tags extending from selected sheets for indicating the categories, and wherein the lettered tabs are staggered and the word tags are staggered for facilitating user identification and selection.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the sheets are stacked and are connected along single edges to the front surface of the second sheet by a connector that allows the sheets to be rotated about the connected edges.

16. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising at least one pronunciation key included in at least one directory, wherein the at least one pronunciation key further comprises a first row of first language vowels, a second row of second language equivalents to the first language vowels, a third row of transliterations of the second language equivalents, and a fourth row having a linguistic mnemonic sentence.

17. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the directories further comprise multiple entries arranged in columns, and wherein each entry further comprises a first language term, a second language equivalent of the first language term and a transliteration of the second language equivalent.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first language term of each entry is positioned at a left hand side of the column, the second language equivalent of the first language term is positioned on a same line as the first language term and to a right of the first language term, and the transliteration of the second language equivalent is positioned directly beneath the second language equivalent.

19. A method for translating and generating sentences comprising the steps of providing a translation system having a responses section, a sentence starter section, an action words section, a support words section, an expanded lexical data section and at least one pronunciation box, wherein the sections are arranged such that a user sequentially proceeds from the sentence starters section to the action words sections, to the support words section and to the expanded lexical data section when generating sentences and with the responses section positioned for reference prior to the sentence starters section or after the expanded lexical data section.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising a response section which comprises a list of words and phrases commonly heard in response to questions, wherein the sentence starters section further comprises a question words subsection having a list of interrogatives and a subjects subsection having a list of words frequently used to begin sentences, wherein the action words section further comprises a list of verbs or infinitives, wherein the support words section further comprises a list of words and phrases of various parts of speech including adverbs, adjectives, prepositions, pronouns and conjunctions, wherein the expanded lexical data section further comprises a list of commonly used words and phrases, and wherein each word and phrase in each list has a first language entry, a second language equivalent of the first language entry and a transliteration of the second language equivalent, pronouncing a sentence starter, wherein the pronouncing a sentence starter further comprises selecting a sentence starter from the sentence starters section, identifying a second language equivalent of the sentence starter, reviewing a transliteration of the second language equivalent of the sentence starter, reviewing vowel sounds as indicated in the pronunciation box, applying the vowel sounds to syllables of the transliteration, and formulating a pronunciation of the transliteration of the second language equivalent of the sentence starter, pronouncing an action word, wherein the pronouncing an action word further comprises selecting an action word from the action words section, identifying a second language equivalent of the action word, reviewing a transliteration of the second language equivalent of the action word, reviewing vowel sounds as indicated in the pronunciation box, applying the vowel sounds to syllables of the transliteration, and formulating a pronunciation of the transliteration for the second language equivalent of the action word, pronouncing at least one support word, wherein the pronouncing at least one support word further comprises selecting a support word from the support words section, identifying a second language equivalent of the support word, reviewing a transliteration of the second language equivalent of the support word, reviewing vowel sounds as indicated in the pronunciation box, applying the vowel sounds to syllables of the transliteration, and formulating a pronunciation of the transliteration for the second language equivalent of the support word, and pronouncing at least one entry from the lexical data section, wherein the pronouncing at least one entry from the lexical data section further comprises selecting an entry from the expanded lexical data section, identifying a second language equivalent of the entry, reviewing a transliteration of the second language equivalent of the entry, reviewing vowel sounds as indicated in the pronunciation box, applying the vowel sounds to syllables of the transliteration, and formulating a pronunciation of the transliteration for the second language equivalent of the entry, and wherein the action words section further comprises multiple pages, wherein the expanded lexical data section further comprises multiple pages, wherein pronouncing an action word further comprises reviewing tabs extending from the multiple pages of the action words section, selecting an appropriate tag of a desired page, and rotating the desired page along with all pages overlying the desired page, and wherein pronouncing at least one entry from the expanded lexical data section further comprises reviewing tabs extending from the multiple pages of the expanded lexical data section, selecting an appropriate tag of a desired page, and rotating the desired page along with all pages overlying the desired page.