There are many theories about the origins of English. Some say it’s from Latin, some say it was a combination of Germanic and Celtic languages. But whatever its origins, the fact remains that we can all speak and understand it. With the aid of this infographic, you can learn more about how your favorite language came to be.
The English language is a complex, rich, and nuanced language. It requires an incredible amount of practice to speak and understand properly. And yet we are constantly bombarded with information in English, so it can be easy to forget the effort it takes to learn it. Here’s a breakdown of why learning English is hard, and how you can get better at speaking the language.
There are many theories about the origins of English. Some say it’s from Latin, some say it was a combination of Germanic and Celtic languages. But whatever its origins, the fact remains that we can all speak and understand it. With the aid of this infographic, you can learn more about how your favorite language came to be.
The English language is a complex, rich, and nuanced language. It requires an incredible amount of practice to speak and understand properly. And yet we are constantly bombarded with information in English, so it can be easy to forget the effort it takes to learn it. Here’s a breakdown of why learning English is hard, and how you can get better at speaking the language.
Is English Easy To Learn?
“English is a very easy language to learn, the hardest part being learning grammar and getting familiar with the various phases of English speech.”
This statement sounds so logical – doesn’t it? How can you not think “oh yes, English?” when this sentence pops up! But in reality, that’s all simply wrong. We’ve put together a list here of why it IS difficult to learn English.
Here are 5 Reasons Why Learning To Speak And Understand English Is Difficult.
- Why Learn To Speak And Understand UK English? Some people ask what’s best to learn – and the answer is always “the language you speak right now.” If you are young, there might not be anything better than working on your neighborhood slang or just learning some basic phrases for when walking down the street. However, if we’re talking about long-term success in your career or business endeavors then either A Levels ( or the equivalent) in another language OR a university degree. English is compulsory for entry to all British universities, so you can skip this question entirely.
- First of all it’s NOT only your mother tongue that defines what “the right way” is to speak and sentence structures; I would argue that people learn their languages as they progress through life, leading them on an evolving path rather than following some sort of rigid grammar rules laid down once upon a time. So in many ways, English is a very easy language to learn so long as your confidence levels and fluency increase over time. STRIKING IT VIBRANT If you have no choice but to speak every sentence out loud for people who hear something wrong – or at least try (naturally it’s difficult!) then doing that slowly increases the chances of making mistakes. It also helps if you really decide to make English your mother tongue and talk, read, listen and watch English all the time.
- The second reason why you should learn more English outside of school is that with some practice, it does get easier. A lot easier – to such an extent that learning a new language becomes much quicker in your daily life than one which is not so spoken as frequently and naturally like other languages or dialects, especially when you’ve already taken the time to adapt speaking/working around them often. You might need another person’s help at work but if they don’t speak your language, you’ll find there are other ways to get things done.
- The major difference between learning a thousand new words and fluently partaking in natural conversations is that the former requires time and effort but can be dropped off relatively quickly if it turns out not to suit – while the latter actually becomes useful as soon as we use it consistently. Would I suggest attempting something so difficult? Absolutely not, especially since rules of grammar ( the hard way) are usually overrated and not needed many people to achieve fluency – but even then it takes time to master speaking rather than reading. In my opinion, this is one of the best benefits offered by learning English outside school.
- For some, it may seem a small matter to learn English outside school but I would say that large portions of the world lack a decent level of conversational English and therefore weakening their knowledge significantly will have severe implications. You see, if you live in an area where only few people speak your language or do not ask for directions because they are ignorant about them (see map above), there is no way to help someone who has just broken something – any misunderstanding can lead to an accident or worse.
- How does it feel? My English so far is basic conversational and has helped me overcome many situations where I could not have done by myself, most notably when my shyness would have hindered speaking in public as a foreigner – something that would take more time if starting from scratch. See also speaking English.
All in all, I have learned English by going through a learning method that is not recommended by most schools, teachers or books. I did not spend my time on the language but rather in learning how to communicate with people and asking questions – an approach that has proven itself over time and allowed me to improve my language skills without getting stuck on memorizing grammar rules.
There are many ways to learn a language, it all depends on your goals and preferences. You May Like is English hard to learn.