English is regarded as one of the most difficult languages to learn. We’ll take a look at some of the most common reasons why learning English can be challenging. In this article, we will outline some of the reasons why English is hard to learn.
Contents
Families of Languages:
There are approximately 6,000 languages spoken worldwide today. Languages are typically viewed as families within the scientific field. They are distinct family trees that have grown out of one another.
Since English is a Germanic language, learning it would be easier if your native tongue was similar to Dutch or German.
However, if you speak Japanese, it would be difficult to learn English. which shares very little with the Germanic or Romance languages. resulting in a distinct sound and appearance. If English is close to your first language, learning it can be easier.
Related post: English Homework Help
Some Things Are Nonsensical:
Statements that are illogical and inconsistent are frequently found in the English language. For instance, many words appear to be confusing to non-native speakers.
For instance, what is the connection between the terms “pine” and “apple” and pineapple?
There are also instances in which nouns become verbs, which is absurd. Preachers, on the other hand, taught while teachers taught. It is already difficult to explain to native English speakers.
Therefore, just imagine how challenging it would be for English learners to comprehend these contradictions.
Rules and Exceptions:
Like any other language, the English language is full of rules. Whether they use it to help spell or are grammatical. Many of them exist. They can also be altered, disproven, or shown to be incorrect in numerous ways.
For instance, students of English were instructed to use “I” before “E,” except “C,” for the majority of English words, including “friend” and “believe.” But there are exceptions, like “science” and “weirdness.”
There are several hard-to-understand rules regarding sentence order. Because they sound right, native speakers know how to order those words naturally.
People who are trying to learn the language may find it to be a nightmare. Sometimes rules don’t work. especially when applying the same rule to a new word using previously established knowledge.
Writing Rules
When it comes to punctuation rules, even native English speakers make mistakes. The most challenging aspect of writing for them is the stylistic aspect.
Writing Instructions in English, including how to use hyphens in compound nouns and the modern Oxford comma. There is always new information to acquire. Out of all the language skills, this one calls for the most concentration.
It’s also important to mention the peculiar form of the English pronoun “I.” I” is the only English pronoun that is written in capital letters, regardless of its form, when we examine all other pronouns.
Words Order:
If you can speak English well, you can immediately tell the order of the words. Students also struggle to tell the difference between right and wrong orders.
Why the words are arranged in such a way that they sound right is unclear. You can say “an interesting small cup,” but that doesn’t sound right.
It is grammatically correct, but the way it sounds tells you how it might work. Native speakers, for instance, intuitively comprehend the language’s complexity.
English Has a Mixed Vocabulary:
Specifics aside, Germanic is the origin of 26% of English vocabulary. Almost 30% are French, and 30% are Latin in origin.
English has a diverse vocabulary, so learning it will likely be easier for French speakers because they understand a lot of the vocabulary. The same is true for speakers of Dutch and German.
Perplexing Spelling:
English is difficult to learn in particular ways. The confusing spelling scheme of English is one possible explanation of why it confuses even native speakers.
The words “dough,” “tough,” and “bough,” for instance, all have the same spelling but differ in pronunciation.
The spelling with the “-ough” comes from Middle English, Chaucer’s native country. where the pronunciation was reflected in the spelling.
Over time, many of these pronunciations have changed. However, the spelling remained unchanged.
Confusing Idioms:
Another difficult topic to learn is idioms. Idioms are found in every language. They should not be taken literally. For instance, the expression “she died” means “she kicked the bucket.” The meaning of the unit as a whole is all you need to know.
Two more examples are “She jumped down my throat” and “He hit the roof.” The exact phrase does not convey the literal meaning. Additionally, words like “all of a sudden” that a language learner cannot comprehend are included in idioms.
There are tens of thousands of these in English. There are idioms in every language. The length, assortment, and unusualness of English expressions describe them. Non-native English speakers often struggle to comprehend English idioms.
It’s Difficult to Use Plurals and Tenses:
This is because there are so many tenses to keep track of. An English learner may have difficulty distinguishing between future perfect and future tense.
Not only is it challenging to learn to memorize the text’s grammar rules, but also when the speaker of an English conversation refers to the future.
In addition, there are numerous variants of how plurals are used in English. This is incorrect when it comes to words like “mouse” and “ox,” where a non-native speaker learns to add “s” to create a plural.
Related Posts