Saturday 9 July 2016

And the easiest language to acquire is . . .

What's the easiest language to acquire? 

That's a trick question, because EVERY language is easy to acquire.

Every normal child has learned their mother tongue by the age of 4 or 5 despite starting out with nothing! No dictionary, no grammar rules, no prior language, not even the ability to use their vocal apparatus nor an understanding how to decode the noise of their environment into words.

Learning to speak is not an excruciating experience for an ordinary human being.

But sure, if you turn acquiring  language into a ‘learning’ exercise complete with a timetable, lists of tasks, compulsory exercises, expectations, tests and the like, then any language becomes difficult.

Diving into water is difficult if you do it the wrong way. I would imagine that falling onto the finest, fluffiest goose down feels awfully painful if you hit it at a high enough speed. Walking is unpleasant in a deep sea diving suit. Breathing is difficult if you do it through a straw.

Learning to speak another language is not at all difficult for an ordinary person if you do it the normal way.

And what is that ‘normal’ way?

Hint: It doesn’t involve study.



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