English is the hardest language to learn

Eric

I see you gave me your username on Langcafe. I haven't forgotten, I will give you the link to the other forum.

I think as for the difficulties English and German speakers have learning each other's languages, it is without doubt easier for most German speakers to learn English AT FIRST than vice versa. In general they can get to a level where they can get by in English much more quickly, because the basic structure of English is much simpler. Most people who only know English will initially struggle with some of the complex grammatical concepts in German. I'm sure you know what I'm referring to, case, adjective endings etc plus the pain of learning gender and various plurals. It's much easier to string together a basic English sentence without making a complete hash of it.

However I don't believe it is easier for a German speaker to master English than vice versa. Once English speakers get their heads round German grammar then they can start to progress rapidly. German speakers, on the other hand, as I said, tend to progress rapidly with English at first, but then that progress seems to slow down. The structure of English is not obviously complex like German, but it does contain subtle complexities, which tend to trip them up and which they can find difficult to iron out. I have heard German speakers, who have been learning English for years, continue to misuse the tenses, or structure a sentence with an indirect object incorrectly. For example it's not uncommon to hear something like 'I suggested him my idea'. That's because English uses a somewhat chaotic system of sometimes using the preposition 'to' and sometimes word order to express the indirect object. Sometimes you can use either, sometimes only one or the other, depending on which verb it is. There isn't really a system, it's somewhat random and you simply have to learn it. German, on the other hand, almost always uses the dative case, so once you have understood how to use this, you are unlikely to get it wrong.

Maybe I was a bit harsh on Chris, but he did invite corrections and it bugs me when people are arrogant enough to claim they speak English perfectly. Even I would not claim to speak it perfectly.

English is the hardest language because of its pronunciation system -- it is just so irregular that I detest it to the core. In addition, learning how to master primary and secondary stress makes it a pain language to learn.

I also don´t think of myself as a Perfect English Speaker.

As a mater of fact I only said that because of the post that Brian made in response to mine, at first I stated that I learned the language completely which is a fact, perfecting it is just the result of utilising it on a daily basis.

¨Perfection is a goal we aim to obtain but never really accomplish¨

I admit that I acted in a childish way... but I was only trying to demonstrate my english abilities, I appologize if my posts were a bit out of line, and as most users that were drawn to this discussion I feel that the true idea is to make this a healthy way of exchanging thoughts related to everyones language learning experiences...

Entering this forum my intention was to share my point of view which I exposed completely in all of my posts without any bad intention. and at the same time I appreciate the opportunity that you gave me.

Since I have no intention of learning the german language any time soon... and realising that this is the direction that the forum has had since it began, I sign out.
Wishing everyody good luck
And happy postings.

All of you German speakers who supposedly are fluent are not fluent at all, but grammatically incapable of ever rivaling a true native speaker. Why must you all be so cocky? English is not easy, don't pretend that it is. I am a native speaker and it is a very difficult language to learn; it has billions of words and new ones that are created on a very regular basis. Just over hundreds of years, English has molded itself from a German based and very guttural language to an intricate web of complex language. And don't bother using large English words if you cannot use them properly! It makes you sound ridiculous to us. Stick to short sentences until you truly understand the language, and then you can move on. The best way is to do a full English immersion. Otherwise, you are cheating yourself by learning bad English in Germany. Please learn better English or don't learn it at all.

English please: I think that you should give reading the posts a try before you comment. We are not Germans. Care to comment on this one Guest?

Maybe we can all just be a little more humble and nice?

Guest : « However I don't believe it is easier for a German speaker to master English than vice versa. Once English speakers get their heads round German grammar then they can start to progress rapidly. German speakers, on the other hand, as I said, tend to progress rapidly with English at first, but then that progress seems to slow down. »

Je pense que c'est une erreur de croire que deux langues qui se distinguent par leur richesse morphologique vont, par simple symétrie, se différencier en sens inverse quant à leur niveau de "complexité" syntaxique. Je connais l'allemand et l'anglais, et puis affirmer que la langue de Goethe regorge de construction subtiles ou déroutantes qui *s'ajoutent* au bloc morphologique.




Guest : « That's because English uses a somewhat chaotic system of sometimes using the preposition 'to' and sometimes word order to express the indirect object. Sometimes you can use either, sometimes only one or the other, depending on which verb it is. There isn't really a system, it's somewhat random and you simply have to learn it. German, on the other hand, almost always uses the dative case, so once you have understood how to use this, you are unlikely to get it wrong. »

Le système casuel de l'allemand est, quand on y songe, avant tout un système de *marquage* et non une assurance contre les risques de subtilité syntaxique, lesquels subsistent dans *toutes* les langues.

L'utlisation des prépositions allemandes est au moins aussi "complexe" que dans le cas des prépositions anglaises.



Guest : « I have heard German speakers, who have been learning English for years, continue to misuse the tenses, or structure a sentence with an indirect object incorrectly. »

On peut en dire autant des anglophones (du moins pour le français).



English please : « All of you ☼ speakers who ☼ are ☼ are not ☼ at all, but ☼ ☼ of ever ☼ a true ☼ speaker. Why must you all be so ☼? English is not ☼, don't ☼ that it is. I am a ☼ speaker and it is a ☼ ☼ ☼ to learn; it has ☼ of words and new ones that are ☼ on a ☼ ☼ ☼. ☼ over hundreds of years, English has ☼ itself from a ☼ ☼ and ☼ ☼ ☼ to an ☼ web of ☼ ☼. And don't ☼ ☼ ☼ English words if you cannot ☼ ☼ ☼! It makes you ☼ ☼ to us. Stick to short ☼ ☼ you ☼ ☼ the ☼, and then you can ☼ on. The best way is to do a full English ☼. Otherwise, you are ☼ yourself by learning bad English in ☼. ☼ learn better English or don't learn it at all. »

In medias res stat ueritas...

Greg

If I understand your French correctly (which I quite possibly don't), I wasn't suggesting that German speakers initially progress rapidly with English, then slow down and ultimately can never learn it fluently, while English speakers struggle at first, then at some point understand all the grammar and then make leaps and bounds towards total fluency. I was just saying that speakers of these languages are likely to experience different rates of progress. As I said German speakers are likely to experience the most rapid burst of progress at the beginning, and English speakers after a period of learning. This was my experience anyway. Once I understood the grammatical structure of German I was able to improve rapidly. That does not mean I was anywhere near fluency. I wasn't suggesting that German speakers continue to make mistakes in English, while English speakers are likely to reach a level in German where they no longer do. I'm sure an English speaker is just as likely to continue making mistakes with regard to gender, adjective endings etc, especially when speaking, as German speakers are to get the tenses wrong.

My point was really that ultimatley I don't think it is much easier for a German to reach native level in English than vice versa. However I concede it probably still is a bit easier due to the complex morphology of German.

Eric

I think English Please might be referring to the posts at the beginning of the thread.

Eric

I left you a private message on Langcafe. However it basically says that I think I need to get the creator of the site to give you access. I have emailed her to ask her.

I am an american and I think that don't know english would have a hard time especially when reading because there are words that sound the same but they are spelled differently. (Example "two" "too" and "to") I give props to those that can learn the language.

Are you sure you're American?

Ok haven't read the previous posts but WTF???

The title of this thread is absolutely preposterous.What makes it even more
funny is that it is written by a German guy.Now I'm not an expert,but I think *everyone* knows English is perhaps one of the easiest languages to learn ESPECIALLY FOR GERMAN PEOPLE!

Come on you must be kidding me,it's practically the same grammar,the
same phrases and in some cases the same words.

IMO if you know one of the following well,English,French,German you can
easily get adjusted to the other two (from my experience)

Now if you want some really difficult languages (not obscure ones mind you) you can try Greek or even worse Japanese.Now THAT'S a challenge!

<< Now if you want some really difficult languages (not obscure ones mind you) you can try Greek or even worse Japanese.Now THAT'S a challenge! >>

I've heard bad things about learning Irish Gaelic. Isn't Lithuanian supposed to be difficult? Navaho, too? (For all of these, we assume the learners are coming from unrelated languages -- Chinese, Japanese, or Korean, for example.)

<<I've heard bad things about learning Irish Gaelic. Isn't Lithuanian supposed to be difficult? Navaho, too? >>

I've heard that, for an American student, the Navajo language is the most difficult language on earth to learn.

It is tonal (like Chinese) but, in addition, various lengths of pauses between various syllables mean different things. In other words, an "x" amount of time between syllables "y" and "z" has a different meaning than an "x + w" length. Imagine trying to master that!