Thread: "Английский язык -- самый трудный в мире".

Originally Posted by Basil77

Are you joking? My guess - less than 5%. In big cities maybe 5-7% in the best case. I know English better than most of my aquaitances, but still, when I watch an American movie without subtitles/dubbing I understand less rhan 50% .

Really? But you write it really well! Maybe people think it's just more trouble than it's worth? Or - just lack of opportunity to practice?

Some people on the forum have good/bad days with English.

I am reading a British-American guidebook on Russia, Ukraine and Belarus and one of the things they do for every chapter, is make snidy comments about local peoples ability to speak English, the standard of translated menus in various restaurants, museums etc. If they see this as a problem, they should mention it once, and then stop banging on about it. It's rather arrogant and presumptious. There is lots of other irritating things about this book too.

Originally Posted by Basil77

AFAIK Finnish is also related to Hungarian and also to the languages of Finno-Ugric minorities in Russia.

Thanks! I was thinking of one particular people that I heard of in the 1990s but I couldn't remember the name. From your article, it was the Maris. Witch people! There was lots of interest in these Russian "Finno-Ugric" people in Finland while I studied there - lots of TV features and articles about them. I remember watching a really interesting programs on Mari El and the Maris.

Originally Posted by Hanna

Really? But you write it really well! Maybe people think it's just more trouble than it's worth? Or - just lack of opportunity to practice?

I can write something understandable in English only thanks to this forum, when I came here 4 years ago I couldn't write a simple sentence without constantly refering with on-line translator. And yes, the lack of opportunity to practice is the main reason I think, at least in my case: I never spoke to a native English speaker in my life and have very little listening practice due to the lack of free time.

Originally Posted by Basil77

I can write something understandable in English only thanks to this forum, when I came here 4 years ago I couldn't write a simple sentence without constantly refering with on-line translator. And yes, the lack of opportunity to practice is the main reason I think, at least in my case: I never spoke to a native English speaker in my life and have very little listening practice due to the lack of free time.

Basil77, that is very comforting. Although I have a masters in English literature, my Russian grammar remains awful! I continue to read (when I have time), which helps, but I must admit the English discussions are so interesting that I often stray over here.

My Russian mother had no trouble with English grammar, but she thought English spelling was rough. Although, why, through the years, she should find it tough always puzzled me .

I visited Estonia this past summer, and would like to add that to the list of difficult languages (see Finnish, above). Lovely people, though, both the Estonians and the ethnic Russians!

I've heard that Vietnamese has 24 cases, would like to add it to the list of difficult languages! English isn't so bad!!

Извините! Этот ветка [thread?] русского языка. Я перевожу
в скором времени!

Originally Posted by Winifred

Basil77, that is very comforting. Although I have a masters in English literature, my Russian grammar remains awful! I continue to read (when I have time), which helps, but I must admit the English discussions are so interesting that I often stray over here.

My Russian mother had no trouble with English grammar, but she thought English spelling was rough. Although, why, through the years, she should find it tough always puzzled me .

I visited Estonia this past summer, and would like to add that to the list of difficult languages (see Finnish, above). Lovely people, though, both the Estonians and the ethnic Russians!

I've heard that Vietnamese has 24 cases, would like to add it to the list of difficult languages! English isn't so bad!!

Originally Posted by Winifred

Basil77, that is very comforting. Although I have a masters in English literature, my Russian grammar remains awful! I continue to read (when I have time), which helps, but I must admit the English discussions are so interesting that I often stray over here.

My Russian mother had no trouble with English grammar, but she thought English spelling was rough. Although, why, through the years, she should find it tough always puzzled me .

I visited Estonia this past summer, and would like to add that to the list of difficult languages (see Finnish, above). Lovely people, though, both the Estonians and the ethnic Russians!

I've heard that Vietnamese has 24 cases, would like to add it to the list of difficult languages! English isn't so bad!!

Originally Posted by Winifred

Извините! Этот ветка [thread?] русского языка. Я перевожу
в скором времени!

Ok, here goes!

Basil77, это очень утешительно. Хотя у меня есть мастера в английской литературе, моя русская грамматика остается ужасно! Я продолжаю читать (когда есть время), который помогает, но я должна признать, английский дискуссии - так интересно, что я часто приходят сюда.

Моя мать русская не была ни проблем с английской грамматики, но она думала, что английское написание было трудно.

Although, why, through the years, she should find it tough always puzzled me . (Эта фраза –шутка; "ou" произносится по-разному каждый раз) (This sentence is a joke; "ou" is pronounced differently each time)

Я посетила Эстонию этим летом, и хотела бы добавить, что в список сложных языков (см. финский, выше). Прекрасние люди, и эстонцы и русские!

Я слышала,что вьетнамский язык имеет 24 падежей и хотела бы сказать, что в список сложных языков, тоже. Английский язык не так трудно!