Is English A Difficult Language?

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10-27-2006, 05:06 AM
Goodfella

Quote:

Originally Posted by muhsin

Yes they find it so 'cuz they don't wanna learn! As far as you wanna learn, reading is an essential thing for you to do. Thus, Goodfella, what you was saying is sincerely, frankly baseless. Think another reason.

Oh, are you likes? Probably. So, better desist and imbibe good culture.

Who knows?:crash:
10-28-2006, 06:21 AM
muhsin

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goodfella

Who knows?:crash:

Don't you know? Do you really mean that? Or you're just kidding...so you must be dear.:idea:
10-28-2006, 06:23 AM
muhsin

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goodfella

Almost exactly same here in my country. How do you think these problems can be solved? Government? Students? Or both?:idea:

Both. But its more on us-student. Right?
10-28-2006, 11:07 AM
Taliesin

Well, the question does depend on some things.
First, for example, how related your mother tongue is to english or , how many linguistically similar constructions are there? English is simpler to learn for speakers of Indo-European languages, esp. germanic languages.(or those languages that have been greatly influenced by indoeuropean languages/germanic lanugages/english) Similar words and grammatical constructions. Similar language logic. When the tongue is based on a grammar system that is completely different from your own, it is harder to learn.
Trying to look at things from the universal perspective, there are things in each language that make the learning of it difficult. For example, the mutations in celtic tongues, articles in german, large number of cases in finno-ugric languages besides other things. Things that make a language difficult to learn are exceptions, things you simply have to memorize. The kinds of things that people who made up artificial languages tried to avoid to make learning them be simpler.
But such things in english - we have learned english for too long a time to see any of those difficult things in it. Perhaps the tenses and the usage of them? But is that difficult?
10-28-2006, 11:20 AM
Turk

English is hard as other foreign languages, English is easy as other foreign languages.
10-28-2006, 07:03 PM
Koa

Of course it's all relative but the English grammar is almost ridicolously easy. It's difficult to master it completely, but I never had big problems with it, and I wasn't exposed to it much since the TV where i'm from is all dubbed so no I hardly ever watched things in English - in fact it's still not always easy to understand spoken English adn I dont speak as well as I write, but it took me basically no effort to learn English, it came really natural and only at the high level I have some problem
10-28-2006, 07:18 PM
Sweet-Annie

I personally think that English is really an easy language to learn. There are almost no verbs, you don’t have a formal way or talking to someone and there is no gender. Plus, you can have a complete access thanks to the mass media.
10-30-2006, 07:09 AM
muhsin

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turk

English is hard as other foreign languages, English is easy as other foreign languages.

A bit contradicted post.
10-30-2006, 10:54 AM
Neovia

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nossa

I totally agree on this...
Reading can make you perfect in English...then you don't have to be a native english speaker OR to be even living in any of native speaking countries..

Maybe "perfect" (I doubt anyone can become perfect even in their own mother tongue) in written language, but one would never learn to speak nor listen spoken language just by reading. One would find many words that seem to be familiar on paper, odd when they are spoken. Espeacially in English, in which written and spoken language differ from each other.
10-31-2006, 04:19 AM
muhsin

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweet-Annie

I personally think that English is really an easy language to learn. There are almost no verbs, you don’t have a formal way or talking to someone and there is no gender. Plus, you can have a complete access thanks to the mass media.

I'm :confused: Sweet-Annie by your statement "you don't have a formal way or talking to someone....." What do you reallt mean here. I think English has a formal and informal way of speaking. To me this is another thing that can make the language difficult for some people to learn.
Moreover, English has approving, disapproving, old-fashioned, offensive, slang etc words. Undentifying each.....isn't that a big deal for its learners?
10-31-2006, 04:47 AM
platinum

question

Guys, tell me please how to place a question that will be seen and replied?
11-01-2006, 06:52 AM
Goodfella

Quote:

Originally Posted by platinum

Guys, tell me please how to place a question that will be seen and replied?

Write it in good contructed and plain language, isn't it? This will certainly hepl you make what you wanna say very palpable.:cold:
11-01-2006, 06:56 AM
Goodfella

Quote:

Originally Posted by muhsin

I'm :confused: Sweet-Annie by your statement "you don't have a formal way or talking to someone....." What do you reallt mean here. I think English has a formal and informal way of speaking. To me this is another thing that can make the language difficult for some people to learn.
Moreover, English has approving, disapproving, old-fashioned, offensive, slang etc words. Undentifying each.....isn't that a big deal for its learners?

Why are you always bringing too much wahala always dear?:redface:
11-01-2006, 07:04 AM
Goodfella

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koa

Of course it's all relative but the English grammar is almost ridicolously easy. It's difficult to master it completely, but I never had big problems with it, and I wasn't exposed to it much since the TV where i'm from is all dubbed so no I hardly ever watched things in English - in fact it's still not always easy to understand spoken English adn I dont speak as well as I write, but it took me basically no effort to learn English, it came really natural and only at the high level I have some problem

That's truly true. English grammar....kai its extremely a huge room I swear.
11-01-2006, 11:38 AM
Turk

Quote:

Originally Posted by geetanjali

Whatever it is, it is English that has brought us together here, English speakers outnumber the Englishmen & today some of the most beautiful pieces of writing are coming out of the pens from Africa & South-Asia. the Chinese are on the spree learning English before they host the Olympics 2008.
The Man Booker Prize of the year was bagged by a young Indian writer Kiran Desai for her novel 'The Inheretence of Loss'. undoubtdly English is here to stay & will some day become the mother tongue of the world.

Maybe before English, English imperialism brought you here. And i really don't believe if an Indian writes in English he can be considered as Indian writer. His blood can be Indian. But since his culture is English culture, he can't be consider as Indian writer.
11-03-2006, 10:59 PM
Sweet-Annie

muhsin: I think I didn't make myself clear on that one. It’s really hard to put in words a definition for that (if you don't know Spanish). So let me give you a definition I found on the internet.

"In most varieties of Spanish, there are two singular forms of the second person pronoun: Usted and tú. The former is a formal pronoun, used for social superiors and new acquaintances. The latter is familiar. 'Tutear' is a verb meaning 'to address someone as "tú"'. However, the meaning isn't purely linguistic: It indicates familiarity. Thus, 'Puedes tutearme' (You can address me as "tú"') is an invitation to familiarity. The connotation is similar to the English phrase 'to be on a first name basis with', but I can't think, off-hand, of an English term or phrase that describes personal relationships through linguistic usage in the same way."
11-05-2006, 07:33 AM
muhsin

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweet-Annie

muhsin: I think I didn't make myself clear on that one. It’s really hard to put in words a definition for that (if you don't know Spanish). So let me give you a definition I found on the internet.

"In most varieties of Spanish, there are two singular forms of the second person pronoun: Usted and tú. The former is a formal pronoun, used for social superiors and new acquaintances. The latter is familiar. 'Tutear' is a verb meaning 'to address someone as "tú"'. However, the meaning isn't purely linguistic: It indicates familiarity. Thus, 'Puedes tutearme' (You can address me as "tú"') is an invitation to familiarity. The connotation is similar to the English phrase 'to be on a first name basis with', but I can't think, off-hand, of an English term or phrase that describes personal relationships through linguistic usage in the same way."

Thanks for such clarifications.
11-07-2006, 05:29 AM
Goodfella

What's last word arrived here? It seems, from the measure I've taken that; there are two people that had fight here. Both two people had succeded in that fighting by wounding each other- so this thread showed.
What I simply meant above is that; some said English is simple and others said it's difficult. And moreover, each gorup had given a very tangible reason(s). To me, perssonally, English is.....:crash: :idea: isn't it? LOL!!!!!!!!!
11-13-2006, 04:51 PM
AliasX

Quote:

Originally Posted by muhsin

I think English has a formal and informal way of speaking. To me this is another thing that can make the language difficult for some people to learn.
Moreover, English has approving, disapproving, old-fashioned, offensive, slang etc words.

I’m not a native speaker, and this is definitely one of the problems I’ve encountered while studying English, but I’d like to know whether those words/phrases that have the abbreviation BrE (British English) next to them in a dictionary can be easily understood by Americans, and the other way round? Or you sometimes have difficulties? (I’m asking this only native speakers)
My question probably sounds stupid to you, but I would really appreciate the answer.
11-14-2006, 06:19 AM
Goodfella

Quote:

Originally Posted by AliasX

I’m not a native speaker, and this is definitely one of the problems I’ve encountered while studying English, but I’d like to know whether those words/phrases that have the abbreviation BrE (British English) next to them in a dictionary can be easily understood by Americans, and the other way round? Or you sometimes have difficulties? (I’m asking this only native speakers)
My question probably sounds stupid to you, but I would really appreciate the answer.

Its indicated below your user name that you're a new member. But, you need not to specify who you like to answer your question. Even the native speaker himself won't like know this answer.
To me (a person with infant-like English) it certainly will sound differ but well understood. More expecially that nowadays, AmE is widely spoken even in Great Britain eg in BBC programs etc. Isn't it my people?
11-14-2006, 06:22 AM
Goodfella

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweet-Annie

muhsin: I think I didn't make myself clear on that one. It’s really hard to put in words a definition for that (if you don't know Spanish). So let me give you a definition I found on the internet.

"In most varieties of Spanish, there are two singular forms of the second person pronoun: Usted and tú. The former is a formal pronoun, used for social superiors and new acquaintances. The latter is familiar. 'Tutear' is a verb meaning 'to address someone as "tú"'. However, the meaning isn't purely linguistic: It indicates familiarity. Thus, 'Puedes tutearme' (You can address me as "tú"') is an invitation to familiarity. The connotation is similar to the English phrase 'to be on a first name basis with', but I can't think, off-hand, of an English term or phrase that describes personal relationships through linguistic usage in the same way."

Your language (Spanish, eh?) it works just like my language.
11-14-2006, 06:58 PM
AliasX

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goodfella

Its indicated below your user name that you're a new member. But, you need not to specify who you like to answer your question. Even the native speaker himself won't like know this answer.

I know I don’t have to, but I just want to find out how things seem from their perspective. To me, it’s all the same if someone says, for instance, aubergine or eggplant, but to native speakers one of these two might sound strange. Or not. So that’s why I’m asking. Are those differencies important in real-life situations? Or when a dictionary says AmE it means the word is used MAINLY in AmE, but there’s no problem I use it in BrE? You've already answered this, but I'd also like to see what other people think...
11-15-2006, 06:30 AM
Goodfella

Quote:

Originally Posted by AliasX

I know I don’t have to, but I just want to find out how things seem from their perspective. To me, it’s all the same if someone says, for instance, aubergine or eggplant, but to native speakers one of these two might sound strange. Or not. So that’s why I’m asking. Are those differencies important in real-life situations? Or when a dictionary says AmE it means the word is used MAINLY in AmE, but there’s no problem I use it in BrE? You've already answered this, but I'd also like to see what other people think...

Okay. I now fathom what you were saying.I hope English natives will offer this help very anon.
11-22-2006, 09:49 AM
muhsin

Quote:

Originally Posted by AliasX

I know I don’t have to, but I just want to find out how things seem from their perspective. To me, it’s all the same if someone says, for instance, aubergine or eggplant, but to native speakers one of these two might sound strange. Or not. So that’s why I’m asking. Are those differencies important in real-life situations? Or when a dictionary says AmE it means the word is used MAINLY in AmE, but there’s no problem I use it in BrE? You've already answered this, but I'd also like to see what other people think...

Somebody here needs your response natives speakers of English! Where are you?
11-22-2006, 10:16 AM
higley

It can go either way. Sometimes a word is used mainly in American English or British English but can be understood in either, and sometimes it's specific just to one or the other. It really depends. In some cases the terms AmE or BrE refer to slang, which really wouldn't be understood by anyone outside the region it originated in, unless the slang spread in popularity.

In real life, speaking BrE to an American might bring a small bit of confusion, but that's easily corrected, I think.
11-22-2006, 10:21 AM
Goodfella

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goodfella

Its indicated below your user name that you're a new member. But, you need not to specify who you like to answer your question. Even the native speaker himself won't like know this answer.
To me (a person with infant-like English) it certainly will sound differ but well understood. More expecially that nowadays, AmE is widely spoken even in Great Britain eg in BBC programs etc. Isn't it my people?

Quote:

Originally Posted by higley

It can go either way. Sometimes a word is used mainly in American English or British English but can be understood in either, and sometimes it's specific just to one or the other. It really depends. In some cases the terms AmE or BrE refer to slang, which really wouldn't be understood by anyone outside the region it originated in, unless the slang spread in popularity.

In real life, speaking BrE to an American might bring a small bit of confusion, but that's easily corrected, I think.

I thank God that my forgoing thought is along the line as above reply made by higley manifest.
11-22-2006, 02:12 PM
AliasX

Quote:

Originally Posted by higley

In real life, speaking BrE to an American might bring a small bit of confusion, but that's easily corrected, I think.

That’s all I wanted to know, thanks :thumbs_up
11-22-2006, 06:53 PM
Dorian Gray

English is a very easy language to learn I think. I thought German, French and Spanish was more difficult.

(I'm a student English teacher)
11-22-2006, 07:56 PM
Evi

English seems a very easy language in the beginning, as we are "bombardised" by it as the majority of the films, songs and everything it is in English so we are getting used to it.
But in a higher lever of speach English isnt such an easy language. For me Italian, Spanish and generally the languages that are based on latin are much more easy to learn.

Evi
11-23-2006, 06:36 PM
Dorian Gray

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evi

For me Italian, Spanish and generally the languages that are based on latin are much more easy to learn.

Spanish and Italian are so similar. My mom lived in Italy for a year and spoke only Spanish when she moved there. She picked up Italian rather easily.

I only took Spanish for a year (French too) at secondary school and I'd love to take some courses sometime. I'm considering language travel.
11-25-2006, 11:29 AM
muhsin

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dorian Gray

English is a very easy language to learn I think. I thought German, French and Spanish was more difficult.

(I'm a student English teacher)

You said that because (maybe) you are not expose in learning other languages you enumerated. I don't quiet mean its (English) difficult rather, from what others said about other languages I learnt that.
11-25-2006, 11:32 AM
muhsin

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dorian Gray

Spanish and Italian are so similar. My mom lived in Italy for a year and spoke only Spanish when she moved there. She picked up Italian rather easily.

I only took Spanish for a year (French too) at secondary school and I'd love to take some courses sometime. I'm considering language travel.

Great dear. How many languages can you now speak and write. It sounds you can speak many. I wish I could do such.
11-25-2006, 11:35 AM
muhsin

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evi

English seems a very easy language in the beginning, as we are "bombardised" by it as the majority of the films, songs and everything it is in English so we are getting used to it.
But in a higher lever of speach English isnt such an easy language. For me Italian, Spanish and generally the languages that are based on latin are much more easy to learn.

Evi

I am very delighted having your contribution in this thread.
Pls. don't ask me for the reason.
11-27-2006, 07:09 AM
Goodfella

Quote:

Originally Posted by muhsin

I am very delighted having your contribution in this thread.
Pls. don't ask me for the reason.

Don't ask for reply? Right?
11-27-2006, 07:13 AM
Annamariah

I've studied two languages at school, English and Swedish. I think English is a lot easier than Swedish, but maybe it's just because I've heard English much more than Swedish. Music, movies, tv-series, advertisements - you can't possibly avoid English in Finland, and that makes learning it much easier than learning other languages.
11-27-2006, 07:28 AM
Goodfella

Great Annamariah, you are right by bringing such reasons as what make English easy to you.
11-27-2006, 04:30 PM
Ubiquitous Prat

Im currently learning Italian, i find some of it easy some hard. The hardest part is getting of the ground, learning the words that make the language flow.

As for English, obviously being English i find it diffcult;) I make spelling mistakes all the time. Lots of the words i use aint in the dictionary :D
11-28-2006, 09:18 AM
muhsin

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ubiquitous Prat

Im currently learning Italian, i find some of it easy some hard. The hardest part is getting of the ground, learning the words that make the language flow.

As for English, obviously being English i find it diffcult;) I make spelling mistakes all the time. Lots of the words i use aint in the dictionary :D

Speeling errors? How that's happening while you are an English? I'm suprise.
11-29-2006, 06:38 AM
Goodfella

Quote:

Originally Posted by muhsin

Speeling errors? How that's happening while you are an English? I'm suprise.

Who is above mistake?
11-29-2006, 06:38 AM
Goodfella

Quote:

Originally Posted by muhsin

Speeling errors? How that's happening while you are an English? I'm suprise.

Who is above mistake?:idea:

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