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Thread: Is English A Difficult Language?

  1. #136
    malkavian manolia's Avatar
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    Hehe in modern greek wine is both called "κρασί" or "οίνος" (ring any bells ).
    "Οίνος" is the ancient type of the word and "κρασί" is a more recent one. We use both words. For the word "white" we have two or three ways of saying it "λευκό", "άσπρο" and there is another one that slips my mind now.
    In many cases we use both the ancient type or more recent ones .
    Through the darkness of future past
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  2. #137
    Haribol Acharya blazeofglory's Avatar
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    Of course this is a difficult language indeed, despite that it has international importance

    “Those who seek to satisfy the mind of man by hampering it with ceremonies and music and affecting charity and devotion have lost their original nature””

    “If water derives lucidity from stillness, how much more the faculties of the mind! The mind of the sage, being in repose, becomes the mirror of the universe, the speculum of all creation.

  3. #138
    Registered User Etienne's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by manolia View Post
    Hehe in modern greek wine is both called "κρασί" or "οίνος" (ring any bells ).
    "Οίνος" is the ancient type of the word and "κρασί" is a more recent one. We use both words. For the word "white" we have two or three ways of saying it "λευκό", "άσπρο" and there is another one that slips my mind now.
    In many cases we use both the ancient type or more recent ones .
    Ohh... that's quite interesting actually! I'll probably end up learning modern greek someday as I plan to go back there, such an amazing country and there's so many things to see and do! I wish I could live there a bit someday...

    I wish I could get some greek oranges here, all we get is Florida ones and they're so bad...

  4. #139
    malkavian manolia's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Etienne View Post
    Ohh... that's quite interesting actually! I'll probably end up learning modern greek someday as I plan to go back there, such an amazing country and there's so many things to see and do! I wish I could live there a bit someday...

    I wish I could get some greek oranges here, all we get is Florida ones and they're so bad...
    Hehe i'll send you some oranges if you like..have so many of them, don't know what to do with them

    One more thing, even the recent words i mentioned come from ancient greek roots. There is no such thing as a modern greek word . If you ever need any help with it i'll be glad to assist you Now let's stop since we are monopolisisng the thread and that isn't good Feel free to pm me
    Through the darkness of future past
    the magician longs to see
    one chance out between two worlds
    'Fire walk with me.'


    Twin Peaks

  5. #140
    Rather Bewildered brainstrain's Avatar
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    The English language itself is quite hard to learn, mainly because of the bizarre way we spell things =P. There are so many irregular plural forms and such, I know that if I was not a native speaker I would probably never be able to learn it.

    Kudos to those of you who have learned it! It's no small feat.
    "...thought is the arrow of time, memory never fades."

  6. #141
    Registered User Fowles27's Avatar
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    As a person using English as a second language, I don't think English is a particluarly difficult language to learn, at least grammarwise.

    Well, the verbs tend to be somewhat irregular but not that bad, and genders are simple. My one quibble is, however, the match between spelling and pronunciation. It's a torture...

  7. #142
    Voice of Chaos & Anarchy
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fowles27 View Post
    Well, the verbs tend to be somewhat irregular but not that bad, and genders are simple. My one quibble is, however, the match between spelling and pronunciation. It's a torture...
    All spelling in English follows pronunciation of the word at some point in the history of the language. Unfortunately, there have been several sets of rules for spelling and the pronunciations have also changed. It isn't just people who learn English as a second language who have trouble with it.

  8. #143
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    Quote Originally Posted by PeterL View Post
    All spelling in English follows pronunciation of the word at some point in the history of the language. Unfortunately, there have been several sets of rules for spelling and the pronunciations have also changed. It isn't just people who learn English as a second language who have trouble with it.
    Well, as for the rules of pronounciation, I have seen some in my phonetics classes, but of course there are always exceptions. However, a lot of researchers are trying to find new rules which would include a larger amount of words.

  9. #144
    Registered User Viola Kent's Avatar
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    English is a difficult language to learn depending of the native language of speaker. but comparing with other latin languages it's quite easy. I'm portuguese and it's easier to learn english than french and spanisf and last ones are very similar to my own but the verb terminations are all diferent from each other what doesn't happen in english.

  10. #145
    Registered User Fowles27's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by PeterL View Post
    All spelling in English follows pronunciation of the word at some point in the history of the language. Unfortunately, there have been several sets of rules for spelling and the pronunciations have also changed. It isn't just people who learn English as a second language who have trouble with it.

    Agree. As a language with many origins, English was perhaps bound to be a "mess." Also I think English is particularly open when it comes to new words. So its flimsy barrier to entry has made English messier, as well as stronger and elastic.

  11. #146
    Registered User muhsin's Avatar
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    Lightbulb

    Wish I had written this thread in form of poll thread. Why...because I almost count the number of those saying it's difficult are about out-number those saying it is not.
    The source of any bad writing is the desire to be something more than a person of sense--the straining to be thought a genius. If people would say what they have to say in plain terms, how much eloquent they would be.
    -S.T COLERIDGE

  12. #147
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    I take the same opinion with mushin.What troubling me now is that, there seems to be much more new things when I learn English longer. every time thinking about this,I almost collapse.I even wonder whether English is worth keeping me learning or not.It my be easy for those to be a fluent English speaker, who have many opportunities to use it.However,it is really hard for others who have few chances to use it.Unfortunately,I am one of the latter.Please,please,tell me what can I do?Should I give up?

  13. #148
    Pewter Pots! eyemaker's Avatar
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    For me English isn't hard that much...Inculcate "practice" in your mind. Try to practice and practice orally or by writting. It needs more concentration and eagerness to be an efficient speaker...Develop an earnest heart..

  14. #149
    Ludmila607
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    To chose a Languaje it is to chose a world...
    some one said.I think English it is quite English...I mean.THey are straight to the point, reasoning,utilitarist, realistic.
    The English has short words, and verbs, and not to many ambiguity.Like a formula, most of the words seem protocolar...once you learn the formula you learn the idiom.
    I like it.I like English English and Scotish English sounds funny.
    Latin idioms as Italian, spanish or French sounds more expressive.
    Chosing a languaje is chosing a world!

  15. #150
    Registered User muhsin's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tsingtao View Post
    I take the same opinion with mushin.What troubling me now is that, there seems to be much more new things when I learn English longer. every time thinking about this,I almost collapse.I even wonder whether English is worth keeping me learning or not.It my be easy for those to be a fluent English speaker, who have many opportunities to use it.However,it is really hard for others who have few chances to use it.Unfortunately,I am one of the latter.Please,please,tell me what can I do?Should I give up?
    Is that really my opinion? Hmm....

    Quote Originally Posted by Etienne View Post
    Actually, English is far from being "one of the most difficult language".
    Then describe how it is.
    The source of any bad writing is the desire to be something more than a person of sense--the straining to be thought a genius. If people would say what they have to say in plain terms, how much eloquent they would be.
    -S.T COLERIDGE

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