Problem
I am writing a book on English so I looked at articles on languages and quotations on languages for the front cover.
The Gorilla
The gorilla Koko learned to understand 2,000 words in American sign language and use 1,000 words. Surely I can do as well as a gorilla, which can't even speak (because of the design of its mouth). And I'm complaining how difficult it is to roll my r in Spanish!
The Most Speakers
How easy is it to learn English for foreigners and how many speakers are there worldwide.?
Answers
It turns out that the two most widely spoken languages in the world are Mandarin then Spanish, followed by English.
Learning Multiple Languages
Up pops a video by somebody who had learned nine languages. How easy would it be for me to learn nine languages? I already speak two, only two, English and French. I started making a last.
My top six are:
English
French
German
Spanish
Italian
Portuguese.
What about the last three?
The Easiest and hardest Languages
Chinese and Japanese I rate as too hard to read. Korean is supposed to be easy with fewer signs, which mimic the movements of the mouth. But nothing is sticking. I can't remember one word of Korean.
Easy Malay and Indonesian
Living part of the year in Singapore, Mandarin would be an obvious choice. However, Malay is much easier. Many English words are in the vocabulary. Malay uses the Latin alphabet. Words are written the way they sound, easy to recognize, say and pronounce. Malay also doubles with Indonesian, many words identical, like English and American.
Alphabets
I have tried (on Duolingo) and ruled out Russian, Korean, Hebrew and Greek. I learn words but they don't stick. I struggle with Cyrillic (Russian) alphabet, and the Greek, and the Hebrew. Greek is marginally possible.
Usefulness
The fact that Portuguese is spoken in Brazil is only useful if I want to go there. I could use it in Macau and Madeira.
Dutch is similar to German, and so is Danish or Swedish. Which country would I drive through on holiday in Europe? Probably Holland, the nearest part of the Netherland, and adjacent Flanders in Belgium.
Priorities
Maybe I should leave worrying about the last three languages and just concentrate on the first four, German, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese. After that, Romanian is close to Italian.
Success
Let's stick to my magic six. From two languages to six is a big leap. I am reading every multi-lingual sign I see. Washing instructions. Biscuit ingredients and chocolate bars. Six languages is a good start.
what is the easiest language to learn
https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/7-reasons-to-learn-languages-from-a-guy-who-speaks-9
https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/language-quotes-01
http://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/how-many-english-words-from-foreign.html
http://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/learn-ten-portuguese-words-from.html
http://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/polyglot-poem-by-angela-lansbury.html
http://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/how-to-remember-23-portuguese-words-or.html
http://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/port-and-portuguese-wine-labels-and.
http://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/how-to-ask-for-food-and-drink-in.
http://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/learn-your-first-ten-words-in.
http://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/how-do-you-say-please-in-portuguese-is.
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer author and speaker. See my other posts on languages. Please share links to your favourite posts.
I am writing a book on English so I looked at articles on languages and quotations on languages for the front cover.
The Gorilla
The gorilla Koko learned to understand 2,000 words in American sign language and use 1,000 words. Surely I can do as well as a gorilla, which can't even speak (because of the design of its mouth). And I'm complaining how difficult it is to roll my r in Spanish!
The Most Speakers
How easy is it to learn English for foreigners and how many speakers are there worldwide.?
Answers
It turns out that the two most widely spoken languages in the world are Mandarin then Spanish, followed by English.
Learning Multiple Languages
Up pops a video by somebody who had learned nine languages. How easy would it be for me to learn nine languages? I already speak two, only two, English and French. I started making a last.
My top six are:
English
French
German
Spanish
Italian
Portuguese.
What about the last three?
The Easiest and hardest Languages
Chinese and Japanese I rate as too hard to read. Korean is supposed to be easy with fewer signs, which mimic the movements of the mouth. But nothing is sticking. I can't remember one word of Korean.
Easy Malay and Indonesian
Living part of the year in Singapore, Mandarin would be an obvious choice. However, Malay is much easier. Many English words are in the vocabulary. Malay uses the Latin alphabet. Words are written the way they sound, easy to recognize, say and pronounce. Malay also doubles with Indonesian, many words identical, like English and American.
Alphabets
I have tried (on Duolingo) and ruled out Russian, Korean, Hebrew and Greek. I learn words but they don't stick. I struggle with Cyrillic (Russian) alphabet, and the Greek, and the Hebrew. Greek is marginally possible.
Usefulness
The fact that Portuguese is spoken in Brazil is only useful if I want to go there. I could use it in Macau and Madeira.
Dutch is similar to German, and so is Danish or Swedish. Which country would I drive through on holiday in Europe? Probably Holland, the nearest part of the Netherland, and adjacent Flanders in Belgium.
Priorities
Maybe I should leave worrying about the last three languages and just concentrate on the first four, German, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese. After that, Romanian is close to Italian.
Success
Let's stick to my magic six. From two languages to six is a big leap. I am reading every multi-lingual sign I see. Washing instructions. Biscuit ingredients and chocolate bars. Six languages is a good start.
what is the easiest language to learn
https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/7-reasons-to-learn-languages-from-a-guy-who-speaks-9
https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/language-quotes-01
http://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/how-many-english-words-from-foreign.html
http://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/learn-ten-portuguese-words-from.html
http://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/polyglot-poem-by-angela-lansbury.html
http://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/how-to-remember-23-portuguese-words-or.html
http://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/port-and-portuguese-wine-labels-and.
http://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/how-to-ask-for-food-and-drink-in.
http://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/learn-your-first-ten-words-in.
http://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/how-do-you-say-please-in-portuguese-is.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer author and speaker. See my other posts on languages. Please share links to your favourite posts.
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