sayadon
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Masrawi
Posts: 18
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Post by sayadon on Jan 16, 2007 22:40:12 GMT -5
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JWX2787JQYI wonder why click languages aren't classified as difficult languages for Europeans. Every classification I've seen includes Chinese, Japanese, and Arabic as the most difficult, but doesn't even classify Bantu B and Khoi-San languages. I imagine learning Xhosa or Zulu would be very frustrating because of click consonants.
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Post by Funk Monk on Jan 17, 2007 11:39:32 GMT -5
I think it's because it's unlikely that anyone is going to bother learning those languages, contrary to the other "popular" ones you mentioned...
By the way, check these comments:
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Post by imaginarypallies on Jan 17, 2007 13:51:22 GMT -5
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JWX2787JQYI wonder why click languages aren't classified as difficult languages for Europeans. Every classification I've seen includes Chinese, Japanese, and Arabic as the most difficult, but doesn't even classify Bantu B and Khoi-San languages. I imagine learning Xhosa or Zulu would be very frustrating because of click consonants. i hardly doubt Japanese and Arabic are in the same catagory as chineese chineese is friggin imposible 5-9 tones! 1000000000000 diff Symbols to write with oy vey |
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sayadon
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Masrawi
Posts: 18
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Post by sayadon on Jan 17, 2007 23:05:21 GMT -5
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JWX2787JQYI wonder why click languages aren't classified as difficult languages for Europeans. Every classification I've seen includes Chinese, Japanese, and Arabic as the most difficult, but doesn't even classify Bantu B and Khoi-San languages. I imagine learning Xhosa or Zulu would be very frustrating because of click consonants. i hardly doubt Japanese and Arabic are in the same catagory as chineese chineese is friggin imposible 5-9 tones! 1000000000000 diff Symbols to write with oy vey I agree it sounds ridiculous, but that's the classification I've seen everywhere the question was asked. For example check: www.mtholyoke.edu/~eagerchm/tutorial/attitudes.htmlI agree with you that Chinese is nearly impossible. But surprisingly, some students of Chinese languages say the difficulty is hyped. I've heard, for example that tones aren't as horrible as people think and that you get them quickly by imitation. I haven't heard any mitigating factors for the writing system though. But Chinese does have very intuitive grammar (very similar to English) going for it. Something that inflectional Arabic and agglutinative Japanese don't have. P.S. I think Mandarin has only 4 tones. And Japanese does use Kanji for writing (even South Koreans do sometimes). |
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sayadon
New Member
Masrawi
Posts: 18
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Post by sayadon on Jan 17, 2007 23:06:55 GMT -5
I think it's because it's unlikely that anyone is going to bother learning those languages, contrary to the other "popular" ones you mentioned... By the way, check these comments: Why is there a disproportionate number of bigots on youtube? I don't bother to read the comments anymore. Try watching any of the million or so racist Kramer videos to see why. |
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Post by whateva on Jan 19, 2007 18:20:33 GMT -5
I agree it sounds ridiculous, but that's the classification I've seen everywhere the question was asked. For example check: www.mtholyoke.edu/~eagerchm/tutorial/attitudes.htmlI agree with you that Chinese is nearly impossible. But surprisingly, some students of Chinese languages say the difficulty is hyped. I've heard, for example that tones aren't as horrible as people think and that you get them quickly by imitation. I haven't heard any mitigating factors for the writing system though. But Chinese does have very intuitive grammar (very similar to English) going for it. Something that inflectional Arabic and agglutinative Japanese don't have. P.S. I think Mandarin has only 4 tones. And Japanese does use Kanji for writing (even South Koreans do sometimes). I've delved into mandarin a(very little) bit and as far as the spoken language goes I'd say it's easier than French. The development that English is going through from "hello gentleman, how are you doing today?" to "wasup homie?" has been carried thorugh in Chinese a long time ago so grammar is very easy. You very quickly become able to understand when people speak mandarin. Hard part of course is pronounciation due to the tones(there are five the fifth of which is neutral) but I think that's mostly a question of listening to it a lot. Obviously this means it's not too accesible if your are a busy person. But for the person who has time and dedication he should no doubt be able to learn it. The written language though... whoa... |
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Post by imaginarypallies on Jan 21, 2007 2:03:19 GMT -5
i hardly doubt Japanese and Arabic are in the same catagory as chineese chineese is friggin imposible 5-9 tones! 1000000000000 diff Symbols to write with oy vey I agree it sounds ridiculous, but that's the classification I've seen everywhere the question was asked. For example check: www.mtholyoke.edu/~eagerchm/tutorial/attitudes.htmlI agree with you that Chinese is nearly impossible. But surprisingly, some students of Chinese languages say the difficulty is hyped. I've heard, for example that tones aren't as horrible as people think and that you get them quickly by imitation. I haven't heard any mitigating factors for the writing system though. But Chinese does have very intuitive grammar (very similar to English) going for it. Something that inflectional Arabic and agglutinative Japanese don't have. P.S. I think Mandarin has only 4 tones. And Japanese does use Kanji for writing (even South Koreans do sometimes). Yes Mandarin has 4, However knowing only Mandarin you will find yourself lost among many Chinese Americans who know only Cantonese and English, Yes the older ones will know Mandarin but sometimes not even a Hundred percent. I live in Flushing NY i have a pretty good idea of this. |
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Post by imaginarypallies on Jan 21, 2007 2:06:45 GMT -5
That chart is insane in putting Russian as Easier than Hebrew, Hebrew has been Simplified both Grammatically and phonologically on purpose. It's insanely easy and typically takes 6 months to become Fluent for new Olim.
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menk
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Posts: 12
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Post by menk on Jan 21, 2007 9:45:33 GMT -5
ha ha the chick is a cutie. 'finitoo!'
Japanese is easier at first, limited characters, none of the wierd phonemes or intonations like in chinese (theres less sounds than english).
It gets tough because as you progres, you start replacing words with chinese characters (kanji) which function as a sort of shorthand/abbreviation. You go to japan, the newspapers, everything, are filled with it. Plus the whole formal/informal modes of speech.
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