The #1 easiest language to learn? (140)

69 Name: Anonymous Linguist : 2007-07-04 13:40 ID:7/p5H/gr

>>64

I disagree.

I think languages are much easier the fewer manipulations one has to do to the dictionary words to get the point across.

To make a sentence in Ancient Latin, you'd have to do all of the following (consciously or unconsciously) to make a sentence:

1.) Choose the words. So if I need to say "Go to the Market on Third Street and buy me a loaf of bread," I need to find the dictionary Latin equivilent of each of those words.
2.) I need to put the verbs in their proper form (In both cases, I need the command form)
3.) Put all the Nouns in their proper declension.
4.) Decline the adjectives to match the Nouns as required.
5.) Add the particles where needed.
6.) Put together the final sentence.

6 steps per sentence. Obviously with practice, it gets easier, but even a native must go through the steps unconsciously.

I could make the language harder by adding steps. For example, if the language mutates based on the consonents that come before the word (see: Welsh and Irish), then that would be step 7.

I could make things easier too. Drop the requirement for tense and declining of nouns and adjectives, and it's easier. I need only 3 steps to make a sentence.

The system with the fewest steps is easier to learn and get comfortable in.

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