Learning a language can be an arduous task, but it’s worth it. Not only will you be able to communicate with people from different countries, but it will also provide you with a new perspective on the world.
It can be difficult to learn a new language, but it can also be very rewarding. The most difficult languages to learn are usually the ones that require a lot of effort. In this article, we will discuss the 4 hardest languages to learn.
What are the 4 hardest languages to learn?
The 4 hardest languages to learn are the following:
- Chinese
- Arabic
- Hungarian
- Japanese
What is a Language?
There are many different languages in the world, but what exactly is a language? Language is the ability to communicate ideas and thoughts in a way that other people can understand.
Language is also a form of communication and can be used to express feelings, thoughts, and opinions. Language can be spoken, written, or signed.
Language is a system of sounds and symbols that are used to make sense of a given situation. There are many different languages in the world, but there are more than six thousand languages in use today.
Language is a very important part of the human brain and an essential part of our daily lives. Language is a cultural phenomenon that distinguishes human beings from other animals.
What is the study of Language?
The study of language is called linguistics. Linguistics is the scientific study of language and its use. Linguists study how language works, how it has changed, and why it changes.
They explore the origins of language, the structure of language, and how languages relate to each other. Linguists often focus on areas such as syntax, phonology, morphology, semantics, and pragmatics.
Linguistics is a field that is very broad and can be applied to many different areas of study. The major branches of linguistics are the following:
- Phonology — the study of sound and its production, perception, and meaning.
- Psycholinguistics — the study of how meaning is constructed and conveyed in language.
- Sociolinguistics — the study of how language is used in society.
- Historical Linguistics — the study of how languages change over time.
- Computational Linguistics — the study of language in the context of computational systems, such as natural language processing and machine translation.
- Applied Linguistics — the application of linguistic theory to practical problems in the areas of language teaching, language acquisition, translation, and multilingualism.
- Phonetics — the study of the sounds of human speech.
- Syntax — the way in which words are put together to form phrases and sentences.
- Semantics — the study of meaning in language
- Morphology — the study of the forms and structures of words.
- Pragmatics — the study of how language is used in social contexts.
- Comparative Linguistics — the study of linguistic patterns in different languages.
- Stylistics — the study of the use of language in literature, art, and other forms of communication.
Why are new languages hard to learn?
Language is a complicated thing. It is a system of communication that requires a lot of practice and patience to fully master. For instance, learning a new language takes time and effort to create new ways of thinking, which is why it can be difficult to learn.
You have to break down the language in order to understand it, which can take time. The good news is that there are many ways to make language learning easier, such as using apps and websites to learn vocabulary, using flashcards and games to help memorize grammar rules, and practicing speaking with native speakers.
New languages are also challenging because they force you to learn new words, new grammar rules, and understand new meanings. Lastly, learning a new language is very difficult because they challenge your brain to construct a new framework and time to practice and actually use the language.
With that being said, below are the 4 hardest languages to learn.
Mandarin
Mandarin is a language spoken by billions of people around the world. It is the official language of China and Taiwan, but it is also widely spoken in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
Mandarin is considered to be one of the most difficult languages to learn due to its complicated grammar and pronunciation. Although it is not as popular as other languages like Spanish or French, it has a very rich history and is one of the most influential languages in the world.
Mandarin can be difficult to learn because of its character, grammar, and tonality. Learning Mandarin Chinese is a challenge. To learn this language you must also memorize the characters.
It is not only a challenge to learn, but also to memorize them because there are a lot of them. Also, the grammar of Mandarin is very different from English grammar. For example, Mandarin uses verb conjugations instead of tenses.
Lastly, the tonal nature of Mandarin is a very interesting topic. Mandarin is a tonal language which means that the pitch of your voice changes the meaning of the words you are saying
Arabic
Arabic is the language spoken by over 300 million people in the Middle East. It is also spoken in countries including Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Egypt.
The word “Arabic” comes from the word “Aramaic,” which is the language that Jesus spoke when he was in the region. Arabic is a Semitic language, which means it has a lot of similarities with Hebrew and Aramaic.
Arabic is also a very gender-neutral language, so there are no gendered pronouns or words. The language itself is incredibly rich and beautiful, with many intricate meanings and sounds.
Arabic is very hard to learn because of several reasons; For starters, there are dozens of different varieties of Arabic, which is one of the reasons why it is so interesting as well as hard to learn. There are many dialects and accents that each region;
Arabic is a language that has no vowels in its alphabet. The lack of vowels makes it difficult to pronounce many words and to understand the meaning of some words;
Arabic has a unique sound system. Some of the sounds used in Arabic don’t exist in other languages. For example, the sound of “ayn” which is used to represent the letter “a” in Arabic, doesn’t exist in English;
Lastly, Arabic has a dual form of words in addition to the singular and plural forms. The dual form of words is used when referring to things like “the two of us” or “the two of them.” The plural form is used when referring to more than two things, such as “the three of us” or “the three of them.”
Hungarian
Hungarian is a Uralic language that is spoken in Hungary and parts of Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Ukraine, and by ethnic Hungarians living outside of Hungary.
Hungarian is related to Finnish, Estonian, and Turkish. Its predecessor was Old Hungarian, which was spoken from the 8th century AD to the 16th century AD.
Hungarian is a left-branching language; its word order is verb-subject-object. Hungarian is written in an alphabet with 33 letters. The grammar rules in Hungarian are some of the most difficult you’ll come across.
There are many exceptions and irregularities that can confuse even native speakers. Hungarian has some of the most difficult grammar rules you’ll come across.
There are hundreds of irregular verbs and nouns, many of which don’t have any form of an ending. Also, the Hungarian language is one of the few languages in the world that dictates the tense and possession instead of word order.
Japanese
Japanese is a language that is spoken by more than 130 million people around the world. The Japanese language is a complex and unique language, but it is also very beautiful.
The Japanese language has many different tones, which can be difficult to learn. The Japanese language also includes honorifics, which are used when addressing people in an older form of the language.
The Japanese language is hard to learn because it is written in three separate writing systems:
- Hiragana
- Katakana
- Kanji
Hiragana is a phonetic syllabary that is used primarily for native Japanese words. Katakana is also a phonetic syllabary but it is used primarily for foreign loanwords and grammatical elements.
Kanji are logographic characters that are used for native Japanese words and foreign loanwords. The three writing systems do not mix and each has its own unique sound and meaning.
In Japan, the writing system is based on the principle of pictographs and ideograms. There are thousands of characters that are used in the written language, which makes it difficult for foreigners to learn.
There are approximately 50,000 kanji characters in the Japanese language. These characters are used to write words, and they are often used as mnemonics for remembering words.
Conclusion
Learning a new language is a challenging and rewarding experience. There are many grammar rules and patterns to learn, which can be difficult. With that being said, it is also one of the most fulfilling things you can do. Learning a new language not only helps you to expand your horizons but also helps you develop your brain. Thus, being aware of the time and effort you need to input in conquering a new language is as important as learning the language itself
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): What are the 4 hardest languages to learn?
What is the oldest language on earth?
It is believed that the oldest dead language is the Sumerian language.
Which is the sweetest language in the world?
Bengali is voted the sweetest language in the world by UNESCO.
How many languages are dead?
There are currently 573 known extinct languages
Reference
Katzner, K., & Miller, K. (2002). The languages of the world. Routledge.
Ruhlen, M. (1975). A Guide to the Languages of the World.
10 Most Difficult Languages in the World! | Leverage Edu. Retrieved from https://leverageedu.com/blog/most-difficult-languages/
15 of the Hardest Languages for English Speakers to Learn. Retrieved from https://www.berlitz.com/blog/hardest-languages-to-learn-english-speakers
Top 10 Hardest Languages To Learn – A Detailed Overview – TLD. Retrieved from https://thelanguagedoctors.org/top-10-hardest-languages-to-learn/
