Which is the easiest to learn for a person who only knows English?
2006-10-30 19:03:03 · 17 answers · asked by blackrose 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
Well, Flemish first of all isn't a language. Flemish refers to things that come from Flanders, a part of Belgium where Dutch is spoken.
Then as for German or Dutch, I am Dutch, and have taught Dutch at a university, and currently still teach German at a university. German is a MUCH more difficult language, if only because it uses a case system (nominative, accusative, etc), while Dutch doesn't use this.
There's a table developed by a guy who specializes in second langusge acquisition. (Might've been Krashen who made this) It shows how long it would take an 'average' learner to learn a variety of languages. This table shows Dutch and Italian as being in the easiest group. German I think is in the third, as one of the much harder.
So my conclusion, both on personal experience as a speaker and teacher of both languages, and more objectively in reference to that table, is to learn Dutch.
2006-10-30 19:13:48 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Now, Dutch and Flemish are almost identical, and just differ in a softer pronunciation of Flemish. Both are very guttural and harsh sounding!!! German, is the easiest to pronounce, or should I say the least difficult one, and it has a logical grammar. Still it is tough.
Besides, German is a world-language for science, technology and politics, while Dutch is only spoken in the Netherlands and in some tiny Caribbean Islands, and Flemish is only spoken in a part of Belgium. Besides, most of the Dutch and Flemish speakers have a good level of English, due to their education, and to the cultural influence of neighboring England. For instance, in the Netherlands, most of the sitcoms are in English with subtitles, and an increasing number of ads are just in straight English.
I would opt for German, which is the best one but still quite difficult, even if many words have common origins with English ones.
Cheers!
2006-10-30 19:12:23 · answer #2 · answered by F R 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
DutchGirl is correct that Flemish and Dutch are the same language. I learned something tonight!
German and Dutch are both closely related to English. I'd make my choice based on something other than ease of learning. Think, for example, about which culture you'd like to access. Are you particularly interested in getting to know native speakers of either of those languages? Or perhaps in visiting the regions where either of those languages are spoken?
As for the ease of learning, both German and Dutch are so closely related to English (and to each other) that I can't imagine that either one of them could be much more difficult than the other. All languages have some things that are easy and some things that are hard.
DutchGirl seems to have some knowledge of linguistics, but I'm not sure about the "which language is harder" information. I have heard of such classifications of languages, but never in connection with Krashen. So I'd be interested in seeing a source on that one.
2006-10-31 15:50:02 · answer #3 · answered by drshorty 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Im Dutch. I find English a lot easier, but that is mainly because since I was young a lot of television shows i watched were in English, and English was taught in Elementary school. At such a young age it is very easy to pick up a language. However, if I speak German and i dont know the right word, i do usually get by in German. I wouldnt speak it correctly, but Dutch is simular enough. (its like Spanish VS Italian)
2016-05-22 14:44:52 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dutch and Flemish are the same, with only a few differences in modern words. Grammar is difficult, because too many exeptions to the grammatic rules.
German is a difficult language, but at least the grammar can be learned through sticking to the rules of it.
2006-11-01 12:16:51 · answer #5 · answered by Endie vB 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
German
2006-10-30 19:52:30 · answer #6 · answered by slickrickdesigns 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
German
2006-10-30 19:10:29 · answer #7 · answered by Jim H 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
German would be the easiest.
BTW, the Flemish language doesn't exist; it's Dutch.
2006-10-30 19:11:00 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
I think German and Dutch is closest sounding to American( you do know Americans don't really speak English, we speak something similar. Flemish I don't know from. I think the three languages have the same root so they would probably similar.
2006-10-30 19:17:56 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Dutch definitely easier for English base speaker.
2006-10-30 19:23:59 · answer #10 · answered by It's Me! 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋