Simplicity of English

[Paul Frank]

From: Salikoko Mufwene <mufw at MIDWAY.UCHICAGO.EDU>

> I am afraid this discussion on the simplicity of language is proceeding on
> some
> assumptions that are disputable, including the following:
>
> 1) the starting point for everybody learning Chinese, Japanese, English,
> French, etc. as a second language is the same. How come? I think that
> difficulties in acquiring a second or umpteenth language vary depending on
> one's linguistic background. I doubt that a Korean-speaker learning
Japanese
> has the same kinds of problems as an English-speaker doing the same, or
that a
> Thai-speaker and an English-speaker learning Chinese have the same kinds
of
> difficulties.

> Etc, etc.  So, I think that the question of which language is more
> complex/difficult to acquire--and in what respect?--may not be answered in
the
> way this debate is proceeding.
> Sali.

It goes without saying that one's first language has a bearing on one's
ability to learn a second language. Dutch is easier for an English speaker
than for a Quechua speaker, just as Quechua is easier for an Aymara speaker
than for a Dutch speaker. The point I made earlier is that acquiring a basic
knowledge of Chinese is comparatively easy for speakers of all languages, be
they inflected or not, be they Sino-Tibetan or not, for the simple reason
that Chinese grammar is comparatively simple and uninflected, despite (or
perhaps because of ) its strict word order - which by pure coincidence is
similar to English word order. Jim said that English is an easy language to
learn badly. The same is true of Chinese. I would say that Japanese is a
difficult language to learn badly or well. Being Korean helps, but not that
much. Whether we like it or not, English is the closest thing to a global
language. But the fact remains that the vast majority of educated people in
the world, to say nothing of uneducated people, don't speak English. I live
near Geneva, Switzerland. A good friend of mine is a medical doctor in
Geneva. He does not speak any English. In fact, most university-educated
people I know in Geneva don't speak English. This is partly because they all
had to study German in school (with remarkably little success).

Paul
________________________________________
Paul Frank
Business, financial and legal translation
>From Chinese, German, French,  Spanish,
Italian, Dutch and Portuguese into English
Thollon-les-Memises, 74500 Evian, France
paulfrank at wanadoo.fr or franktranslation at aol.com