Is English A Difficult Language?

[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

[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.

[muhsin]

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

A bit contradicted post.

[Neovia]

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.

[muhsin]

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 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?

[platinum]

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

[Goodfella]

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.

[Goodfella]

I'm 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?

[Goodfella]

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.

[Turk]

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.

[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."

[muhsin]

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.

[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..... isn't it? LOL!!!!!!!!!

[AliasX]

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.

[Goodfella]

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?