L004 – Most Difficult Language

Have you ever thought what is the most difficult language to learn in the world? There are many tests and research conducted to find out the ‘hardest language’, but it depends on several factors, especially one’s native language. Basically, the closer the grammatical structure and writing system is to your native language, the easier it is for you to acquire the language. In this case we are talking about second language acquisition, where proficiency in the first (native) language is assumed.

How about first language acquisition? Which language is the hardest to learn as a native? According to a study, Korean is the hardest language for toddlers to master, due to a linguistic component called ‘long distance dependencies’. (I’ve no idea what it means…)

Language exposure is very important for young children as it determines their potential to acquire full proficiency in a language. Studies have shown that the critical cut-off point is around 6 to 8 years, after which it is not possible for one to attain full native-like fluency if the language is not introduced by that time. Thus if a child is not exposed to a language within this window period, the child will never be as fluent in the language as his/her native one, especially in grammatical constructions. The later language will then be classified under second language (L2), behind the native (L1).

This would mean, in other to acquire more languages with native proficiency, you will have to start inculcating multiple languages simultaneously during early childhood. Some sources estimate that a child has the ability to learn up to 4 languages simultaneously, something which normal adults will not be able to accomplish.

While near-native fluency can be achieved for L2 (after many years of learning and experience), there will be sufficient errors to set it apart from L1. Having more than one L1 is not difficult, as long as the child is sufficiently exposed to the languages before the age of 6-8. Such critical period analysis is useful for places with bilingual education system, like Singapore, where a balance must be achieved between English and Mother Tongue.

Now we return to the question of the hardest L2. According to a test called ‘Defense Language Aptitude Battery’, conducted for US military linguist trainees to measure their foreign language potential, the languages are classified into different categories corresponding to their difficulty. Note that these standards are judged based on native English speakers.

Category I (easiest) – eg. French, Italian, Spanish
Category II – eg. German, Indonesian
Category III – eg. Greek, Russian, Thai, Vietnamese
Category IV (hardest) – eg. Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean

The list of Cat IV languages may not be surprising. Many Westerners have deemed Chinese to be the hardest language to learn thanks to its 4 tones and the traditional logographic writing system, despite the simple grammar. Japanese has also been dubbed the hardest language, due to the three distinct writing systems, existence of speech levels and the difference between written and spoken form. Korean has a complex grammatical system that many learners find it hard to grasp.

No matter how difficult a language is, as long as there is devotion and determination, mastering to a near-native proficiency is not impossible though.