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Most difficult IE Language?

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69 messages over 9 pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ... 7 ... 8 9 Next >>
Derian
Triglot
Senior Member
PolandRegistered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 5340 days ago
227 posts - 464 votes 
Speaks: Polish*, English, German
Studies: Spanish, Russian, Czech, French, Mandarin, Japanese

 
 Message 49 of 69
29 June 2010 at 2:57pm | IP Logged 
Stelingo wrote:
Euphorion wrote:
In my opinion Polish is harder than Czech. Pronunciation is more difficult, the verbal system is slightly more complex,


Well in my opinion, its exactly the other way round - Czech is much more difficult than Polish. It has exactly all the stuff you just mentioned

Guys, this shouldn't be a matter of opinion. Go consult grammar books on both languages and figure out which grammar is more complex. There's only one valid answer.

Edited by Derian on 29 June 2010 at 9:20pm
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Euphorion
Hexaglot
Senior Member
Czech Republic
Joined 5372 days ago
106 posts - 147 votes 
Speaks: Slovak*, Czech, EnglishC2, GermanC1, SpanishC2, French

 
 Message 50 of 69
29 June 2010 at 7:47pm | IP Logged 
Derian wrote:
Euphorion wrote:
In my opinion Polish is harder than Czech. Pronunciation is more difficult, the verbal system is slightly more complex,


Well in my opinion, its exactly the other way round - Czech is much more difficult than Polish. It has exactly all the stuff you just mentioned

Guys, this shouldn't be a matter of opinion. Go consult grammar books on both languages and figure out which grammar is more complex. There's only one valid answer.[/QUOTE]

Thats exactly what I did, Derian, I consulted grammar books on both languages and the one valid answer is: Czech is much more difficult. And not only a little. It is MUCH more difficult than Polish.
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Derian
Triglot
Senior Member
PolandRegistered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 5340 days ago
227 posts - 464 votes 
Speaks: Polish*, English, German
Studies: Spanish, Russian, Czech, French, Mandarin, Japanese

 
 Message 51 of 69
29 June 2010 at 9:31pm | IP Logged 
Euphorion wrote:
And not only a little. It is MUCH more difficult than Polish.
Woah! This really takes your credibility away.
And in my modest experience with Czech, I've always encountered numerous simplifications as regards grammar and pretty much nothing else.
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trance0
Pentaglot
Groupie
Slovenia
Joined 5782 days ago
52 posts - 78 votes 
Speaks: Slovenian*, English, German, Croatian, Serbian

 
 Message 52 of 69
30 June 2010 at 6:29am | IP Logged 
I have to say this whole debate is becoming a bit ridiculous. What makes some people think that languages with complex grammar are closer to perfection or that grammatically 'simpler' languages are more primitive? This is all so subjective that I fail to see the point of this discussion.
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Splog
Diglot
Senior Member
Czech Republic
anthonylauder.c
Joined 5701 days ago
1062 posts - 3263 votes 
Speaks: English*, Czech
Studies: Mandarin

 
 Message 53 of 69
30 June 2010 at 8:45am | IP Logged 
Derian wrote:
Euphorion wrote:
And not only a little. It is MUCH more difficult than Polish.
Woah! This really takes your credibility away.
And in my modest experience with Czech, I've always encountered numerous simplifications as regards grammar and pretty much nothing else.


I have studied Czech for many years, and Polish for about a year. They are of similar complexity.
1 person has voted this message useful



Euphorion
Hexaglot
Senior Member
Czech Republic
Joined 5372 days ago
106 posts - 147 votes 
Speaks: Slovak*, Czech, EnglishC2, GermanC1, SpanishC2, French

 
 Message 54 of 69
30 June 2010 at 9:20am | IP Logged 
trance0 wrote:
I have to say this whole debate is becoming a bit ridiculous. What makes some people think that languages with complex grammar are closer to perfection or that grammatically 'simpler' languages are more primitive? This is all so subjective that I fail to see the point of this discussion.


Who said that that languages with complex grammar are closer to perfection or that grammatically 'simpler' languages are more primitive?
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ChristopherB
Triglot
Senior Member
New Zealand
Joined 6348 days ago
851 posts - 1074 votes 
2 sounds
Speaks: English*, German, French

 
 Message 55 of 69
30 June 2010 at 9:59am | IP Logged 
Euphorion wrote:
Who said that that languages with complex grammar are closer to perfection or that grammatically 'simpler' languages are more primitive?


I think that comment was in reference to the comment on the previous page:

Euphorion wrote:
As I stated elsewhere, "Czech is the Rolls Royce of the Slavonic languages, and a star player in the Indo-European linguistic league. Czech is so rich, precise and, unfortunately, also complicated that a foreigner trying to learn the language may be driven to suicide. Either because he or she never manages to learn it, or because of the utter depression that follows when the foreigner realizes how primitive his or her own mother tongue is." (Terje B. Englund)


That aside...

What about the Baltic languages as Iversen mentioned. I don't much mention of them in this thread. Supposedly Lithuanian has preserved certain older, Proto-Indo-European features such as an extensive set of declensions that may or may not be worse than the alleged monstrosity that is Czech grammar. I understand Latvian has simplified slightly more. Either way, it seems Lithuanian would certainly be a candidate, along with Slavic and Celtic languages as already mentioned. Too bad so few of us have much knowledge of all three families!

Edited by ChristopherB on 30 June 2010 at 9:59am
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Captain Haddock
Diglot
Senior Member
Japan
kanjicabinet.tumblr.
Joined 6800 days ago
2282 posts - 2814 votes 
Speaks: English*, Japanese
Studies: French, Korean, Ancient Greek

 
 Message 56 of 69
30 June 2010 at 2:20pm | IP Logged 
Quote:
Either because he or she never manages to learn it, or because of the utter depression that follows when the
foreigner realizes how primitive his or her own mother tongue is.


Ancient Greek seems to have this effect as well.


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