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2007-04-13 06:19:36 · 17 answers · asked by naruto_mcr 2 in Society & Culture Languages

17 answers

Before I answer the question what language is easier I'll start with ways that can make learning a new language a little less painful. Here are some ideas many second language learners don't normally realize.

FIRST: Completely eliminate idioms when you speak. We use a LOT of phrases that are not understood in other countries, and they use ones we don't understand. Examples: Get to first base. Flip the switch. Hitch a ride. Hit the road.
Put yourself in the place of a new learner of English and ask yourself if you would really understand the meaning of 'hit the road' when you heard it, or would you wonder why somebody is asking you to strike the pavement?
Even between England and North America, for example 'knock someone up'. In North America it means get someone pregnant. In England it means knock on their door. So you can see how embarrassing it might be should you stumble on an idiom that means something else.

SECOND: Realize that it is not ALWAYS a one-for-one word exchange when translating. Some languages can express an idea in as little as one word compared to a few, and vice-versa.
Hand in hand with this, understanding that the idea being expressed is what's important, not the way it's said. Just because the sentence wasn't constructed the way we would have said it doesn't make it wrong.

THIRD: Pronunciation can be improved by reciting the names of things you see as you walk about, and holding conversations with yourself in the absence of friends to practice with. (Warning! Don't do this in the vacinity of mental institutions.)

Not to understate it of course, but listen to and read as much as you possibly can, whenever you can. Immersion, immersion, IMMERSION!

LAST: I cheated. I learnt the worlds easiest language first and now I find I understand English better (my native tongue) and I'm in a better position to learn more languages. I've provided a link below to better explain this.

That language was ESPERANTO. It is designed such that you MUST understand sentence structure, which helps to understand other languages. Plus you end up with a multitude of Esperanto friends; oh the burdens we bear.

Now let's take a closer look at Esperanto.

I frequently make this statement and I live by it.
'If you can't learn Esperanto, you can't learn any language.'
It's completely regular and phonetic. With only 16 gramatical rules and no exceptions. (That's right, you read that correctly, NO EXCEPTIONS!) You only need to learn the respective rules and know that it won't change on you out of the blue.

Believe it or not, Esperanto represents the best chance for the survival of the multitude of dying languages since it's purpose is to provide an alternative to any one National tongue to the disadvantage of others.
Consider if you will, Esperanto is an easily learnt AUXILIARY language. This means that myself and that German, Japanese or Korean fellow over there needn't sink a lot of time and effort into learning each others mother tongues if they don't wish, where whose ever tongue we settle to communicate in will hold the advantage in any discussions; since the likelihood of having a mastery of the second language will be remote at best. Each partner has exerted a similar effort in order to communicate; a linguisticly neutral hand shake if you will. Yet we are still free to talk in our mother tongues when and where we choose.
Further, I am now in a position to visit just about every country in the world and with the help of my new found Esperanto speaking friend (2 million plus) learn of his / her culture and language. This second facet is possible because in learning Esperanto I now have a firmer grip on linguistic principles. I will provide a link below on the benefits of learning tertiary languages after Esperanto.
However, if it is Culture you desire, then you've no need to look much further than the Internet. In music there are Folk, Jazz, Opera, Rock, Hip Hop, Rap, childrens' songs, etc. In literature there is multinational translations plus original works. The yearly Esperanto Congresses are a play ground for young and old alike for interaction.
It's use is expanding exponentially. The last educated guess puts the number of functionally fluent speakers at 2 million plus and another 2,000 native speakers (those that were born to an Esperanto household; yes they exist).
Yet many feel threatened by it because they feel it is atempting to be the ONLY language spoken, which is NOT the case. It is simply a tool to allow those that might otherwise struggle to learn a new language, the option of expanding their horizons.
Finally, there is currently $600 million plus a year being spent on translation services at the UN, and a similar amount in the EU, because no one nationality wants to loose the prestige of owning one of the 'working' languages in each of those institutions. This a huge waste of resources that might otherwise go to feeding and housing those less fortunate. A single working language, easily learnt (less than a year to become fluent) would certainly go along way towards that goal. The Universal Esperanto Asociation (UEA) currently holds observer status (class B) at the UN and UNESCO. So there is some movement towards this goal.

Research and draw your own conclusions.

Ĝis!

2007-04-13 23:29:46 · answer #1 · answered by Jagg 5 · 0 0

Since 3 decades I `ve been dealing with this question. Today I am convinced there is not such a thing like a easy or a difficult language.

After having studied many different languages its my point of view that I tell apart languages which suit me and such which will not. e.g. so many years I did languages but I couldn`t find the right and proper access to them, regardless grammar, vocabulary and so. Others I am able to learn without any difficulty.

I mean languages we learn for 30% with the head and 70% with the heart. And there is no place for difficult or not.

2007-04-13 19:15:26 · answer #2 · answered by adi 1 · 0 0

English

2007-04-13 06:28:42 · answer #3 · answered by pamela13 1 · 0 0

Well if you're talking about a language other than English for a native speaker (of English) I would say that Dutch would be pretty easy. The sentence structure and pronunciation isn't too bad. You should be fluent with 6 months - 1 year.

2007-04-13 07:18:39 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

Probably English. It's simple for the most part and just about every word comes from another language, so no matter what you can speak, you'll likely find a word that's the same in English or very similar.
The hardest would probably be Chinese or Japanese because there are different dialects (it's just a tad confusing).

2007-04-13 06:40:55 · answer #5 · answered by Rei-chan 3 · 0 0

English is the easiest language to learn becauso of the roots it has.

2007-04-13 06:47:34 · answer #6 · answered by shkauclkl 2 · 0 0

I would have to say English since its a world wide known unversial language

2007-04-13 06:22:18 · answer #7 · answered by Dia 3 · 0 0

I took 4 years of Latin in high school and it wasn't too hard to learn. After learning Latin, learning other languages was pretty easy.

2007-04-13 06:22:37 · answer #8 · answered by fmxkrazyone 6 · 0 0

That totally depends on your own mother tongue. It's always easier to learn the language that resembles the most your mother tongue.

2007-04-13 08:53:00 · answer #9 · answered by duda 2 · 0 0

I learned Swedish at age 11 and I'm good at it but I found Spanish hard

2015-07-30 16:46:11 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

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