The hardest languages to learn for an English speaker.

[Mai72]

I can say living in Korea that Hangul is a very difficult language for English speakers. Reading the alphabet took me a few days. Speaking is another matter. I was there for 2 years and I was able to speak very basic conversation. It's a very difficult language to master.

This guy is amazing. His name is Adam Bradshaw. He was able to learn Thai in 2 years! He just hasn't learned it. He's mastered the language.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYecs3Brhbc&list=PL75EB02A2F1FE41DD

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

Written-wise Japanese. Three writing systems one of them thousands of characters. It's a bitch.

 

[Mai72]

Written-wise Japanese. Three writing systems one of them thousands of characters. It's a bitch.

Is Japanese written language harder then Chinese written language?

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

Is Japanese written language harder then Chinese written language?

Japan has their own shit and then stole the Chinese stuff and added that on top of it.

 

[Albatross]

Here is another polyglot who speaks ..oh about 50 languages

 

[Mai72]

Here is another polyglot who speaks ..oh about 50 languages

He's amazing! If I was going to learn and master I would pick 1-2 tops. I don't have the desire to learn 50 different languages.

:hmm:

 

[Imp]

English, Spanish, Arabic, and Mandarin should probably set you up for world domination.

 

[Albatross]

He's amazing! If I was going to learn and master I would pick 1-2 tops. I don't have the desire to learn 50 different languages.

:hmm:

Do you speak Korean?(your name..)
Korean is really easy, I learned the alphabet in a few hours,long live that Korean king which imposed Hangul.

 

[mizzou]

All of them.

English is so simple, it makes us stupid. It's a combination of the best parts of many languages.

Ask yourself, why do all musical artists love to sing in english? Because it's the easiest to express yourself and do so musically.

 

[sdifox]

Why didn't they include North Korea fo the Korean native speaker count?

 

[Imp]

Why didn't they include North Korea fo the Korean native speaker count?

Bad census data?

 

[Mai72]

Do you speak Korean?(your name..)
Korean is really easy, I learned the alphabet in a few hours,long live that Korean king which imposed Hangul.

I just picked the name because I didn't know what to pick when I signed up. I guess I should have put a little more effort into my user name. :hmm:

I can speak very basic Korean. The alphabet is super easy. I could read store signs, etc. The hardest part was trying to speak it.

 

[raildogg]

Does learning another language make on more "cultured" and "sophisticated"?

 

[brianmanahan]

English is so simple

if its so simple, then why does bought, dough, rough and through all sound different?

 

[brianmanahan]

Does learning another language make on more "cultured" and "sophisticated"?

oh "definitely"

 

[sdifox]

if its so simple, then why does bought, dough, rough and through all sound different?

Stupid <> complicated.

 

[raildogg]

oh "definitely"

That's quite easy then.

 

[brianmanahan]

Stupid <> complicated.

the difference between there their and they're is quite complicated imho

 

[Mai72]

Does learning another language make on more "cultured" and "sophisticated"?

Europeans on average speak 3 languages. In Asia, there is a huge push to get people to speak English. Why are Americans so resistant when it comes to learning new languages? I hate it when I hear "You're in America. Speak English!" That's rude and it shows ignorance. When you learn a new language you need to have an open attitude to learning.

I think learning a new language definitely makes one more cultured. Why wouldn't it? To fully learn and master a new language you are investing in that culture. You're learning how they do things within their culture. When I arrived in South Korea the first thing that struck me was just how different they perceive things. What might be the norm in America, is the opposite in South Korea.

 

[Mai72]

The funny thing about the Asian culture is that they don't understand sarcasm.

I've gotten in trouble a few times in Korea whenever I was joking around.

 

[Imp]

The funny thing about the Asian culture is that they don't understand sarcasm.

I've gotten in trouble a few times in Korea whenever I was joking around.

I don't know if that's a cultural thing... But I've made similar observations.

On the other hand, my sarcasm falls flat on the faces of good old Americano-types all the time too.

 

[Mai72]

I don't know if that's a cultural thing... But I've made similar observations.

On the other hand, my sarcasm falls flat on the faces of good old Americano-types all the time too.

Yea. To be honest my sarcasm is bit rough. Some people have short fuses.

 

[raildogg]

Europeans on average speak 3 languages. In Asia, there is a huge push to get people to speak English. Why are Americans so resistant when it comes to learning new languages? I hate it when I hear "You're in America. Speak English!" That's rude and it shows ignorance. When you learn a new language you need to have an open attitude to learning.

I think learning a new language definitely makes one more cultured. Why wouldn't it? To fully learn and master a new language you are investing in that culture. You're learning how they do things within their culture. When I arrived in South Korea the first thing that struck me was just how different they perceive things. What might be the norm in America, is the opposite in South Korea.

Well, I think it takes quite a bit to have an "open attitude" than just to learn a language. One can learn a language for a variety of motives and they may have nothing to do with being open (or accepting).

The word cultured means "characterized by refined taste and manners and good education." (Google) I'm not quite sure if I would go that far either. And besides, what does a good education mean? Having many degrees? I'm sorry to be so difficult, Korea74.

I know 3 (2 fluently) languages myself so I have nothing against other people knowing other languages but its a stretch to say that they're somehow higher up the so-called cultural ladder. But this is not what this thread is about so I will end my comments right here.

Appreciate your response.

 

[n7]

Here is another polyglot who speaks ..oh about 50 languages

Fascinating!

 

[tommo123]

Europeans on average speak 3 languages. In Asia, there is a huge push to get people to speak English. Why are Americans so resistant when it comes to learning new languages? I hate it when I hear "You're in America. Speak English!" That's rude and it shows ignorance. When you learn a new language you need to have an open attitude to learning.

I think learning a new language definitely makes one more cultured. Why wouldn't it? To fully learn and master a new language you are investing in that culture. You're learning how they do things within their culture. When I arrived in South Korea the first thing that struck me was just how different they perceive things. What might be the norm in America, is the opposite in South Korea.

i dont fully agree. i do think that people should learn more languages (know 2 and learning a 3rd myself) but also agree that when you go to a country then you should learn the language. so when in britain/america i have no problem with the natives going "you should speak english" as they're right.

same as when i went to cuba i studied some spanish for a month before hand. didn't learn that much but could have very basic conversations in broken spanish. same with when i studied french for a bit. people should make the effort (if there's time)