Today we are introducing you to some of the most difficult languages in the world to learn for English native speakers- which one of these languages would you like to give a go?
Japanese
Linguists around the world confirm that Japanese is the hardest language to learn for English native speakers. Not only is the language and the writing difficult to learn- the cultural difference is huge and very difficult for Westerners to adjust to. Japanese belongs to its own language family and shares practically no vocabulary with English apart from a few loan words- also Japanese hasn’t got an alphabet, the writing system consists of characters from Chinese plus two different syllables. If you meet a native English speaker that has learnt Japanese to perfection, give him/her a pat on the back!
Korean
Learning Korean will give even real linguistic enthusiasts a hard time. It is spoken by about 80 million people in South and North Korea, China, and around the world. Its seen as a language isolate, meaning you can’t place it in any language family! The writing system is totally unique in the world or languages, as it combines the principles of an alphabet and syllables.
Georgian
If there was a prize to be won for the most beautiful looking alphabet, it would certainly go to the Georgian language, spoken only by about 4 million people. Additionally to a very unfamiliar grammatical structure, the sounds are almost impossible to form for native English speakers. The Georgians are not used to foreigners learning their language, so if you make an effort to learn it, they will be all too happy!
Gomera Silbo
This beautiful ancient language is currently celebrating a revival- the whistle language Silbo, spoken on one of the smallest islands of the Canaries, La Gomera.
In this method of communication, the Spanish language is replaced by two whistled vowels. It has the ability to travel up to two miles (3.2km), much further and with less effort than shouting. Its origin is unclear, but it is known that when the first European settlers arrived on La Gomera in the 15th Century, the inhabitants of the island – of North African origin – communicated with whistles. These whistles reproduced their indigenous language. If you want to hear it for yourself, take a trip to the island and with a bit of luck, you might be able to hear some of this fascinating whistled language.
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