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Ask-A-Linguist - Message details
Subject: Learning foreign languages from another language family
Question:
I am a teacher and have had basic classes in teaching ESL students. I took these classes a few years ago.

I recall from a lecture in class - or perhaps from a reading in a text or our required reading materials - that different language families can require varying amounts of time for learning. In other words, from a general and overall population standpoint, the time it for native English speakers to learn another northern European or Celtic language takes the least time for us (native English speakers); Romance languages the next level of time; the mid-eastern languages a third level of time; and the Asian languages the longest amount of time. And, then, it's the reverse for the Asians to learn mid-eastern; Romance; northern European inc. English, etc.

Is my memory of this theory close to reality or current research theory or have I recalled incorrectly?

I know that individual differences can also be very important in learning another language - and many exceptions to the general population time rule can apply and do everyday.

If you could also refer me to the archives for articles related to the time it takes to learn languages from different language families, please provide me with the proper search terminology. Thank you!

Reply:
I concur with my colleagues that although there is some truth behind this, that
mental attitude and personal history will trump any sort of ranking.

For instance, I would say that in the U.S. Spanish is a little "easier" than maybe in
the U.K because the U.S. is next to Latin America and most Americans have more
exposure to Spanish culture. Similarly, I suspect a child exposed to Chinese culture
(e.g. living in Chinatown) will have an easier time than a child who was not.

On the other hand, if a person decides a language it "hard", then it will be. Hence
many Americans struggle with Spanish, French and German even though they are
"easy."

Reply From: Elizabeth J Pyatt    click here to access email
Date: Oct-04-2009
Other Replies:
  1. Re: Learning foreign languages from another language family Nancy J. Frishberg    (Oct-04-2009)
  2. Re: Learning foreign languages from another language family James L Fidelholtz    (Oct-04-2009)
  3. Re: Learning foreign languages from another language family Robert A Papen    (Oct-04-2009)
  4. Re: Learning foreign languages from another language family Anthea Fraser Gupta    (Oct-04-2009)
  5. Re: Learning foreign languages from another language family Joseph F Foster    (Oct-04-2009)
  6. Re: Learning foreign languages from another language family John M. Lawler    (Oct-05-2009)
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Page Updated: 26-Nov-2009

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