FW: Level of Difficulty of Russian

[Jules Levin]

I can't resist putting in my two cents on the easiest language for an
English speaker.  In 65-66 I studied Baltic linguistics in Oslo, Norway,
and Norwegian is bez somnenija the easiest language.  I'm picking up
Italian now by visiting there every summer, and while close to
Norwegian--no cigar.  And Norwegian is not only easy to pick up, it is fun
to pick up.  2 examples:  "hard boiled egg" in Norwegian is "hard kokt
egg", and when the US lunar lander landed successfully, the headline was:
"prikkfri landing".  Not only easy to remember, but fun to figure out what
"prikk" means in Norwegian.  And the irregularities often echo English; the
past tense of "ta" 'to take', is "tok", pronounced [tu:k].
Jules Levin

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                http://members.home.net/lists/seelangs/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------