[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by kirakira

I don't know why you believe in this myth Nyororin, why would a language be LESS expressive if it is easier (in certain aspects)? Japanese doesn't have plurals, so is it less expressive? English doesn't use Chinese characters yet it is able to express abstract ideas. Chinese doesn't even have tenses yet it works pretty well. While most thing you say makes sense, you are totally off the mark on this one.

A myth? No. In order for a language to be "easier" than another language, it would have to be less expressive in the end. There are languages which are easier for one group to acquire than another (European languages are easier for an already European language speaker to pick up, for example...) However, this is NOT a rating of the actual language itself.

Note that you even put in certain aspects. You`re doing your best not to rate language as a whole.

I have never even once said that one language is easier than another. In fact, I have been fighting to point out that one language is NOT easier than another - and that as English is no less expressive than Japanese it is really an insult to it to be called "easier".

Considering one language "easier" and therefore superior to another is complete and utter stupidity - and that is what I have been trying to point out.

So I think you are way off on the complexity thing. You can't possibly say all languages have the same level of complexity with a straight face. Even if you are native, language complexity will affect you, just not as much as when you are learning from scratch when you are much older.

You`re saying that I said something I did not. I have never said that all languages are of equal complexity. Please re-read.

I can say that English and Japanese do not differ in complexity with a completely straight face - and as a linguist on top of that. There are actually few languages that can be considered more or less complex, but yes, they exist.
You yourself point out that languages have strong points and weak points. I have never said that English is less expressive than Japanese - but have pointed out that saying a language is easier to acquire as a first language will carry that meaning. English is NOT less expressive than Japanese, therefore it is a serious disservice to imply that it is.

I find it personally shocking that someone can honestly say and believe that if English were more present in Japan it would be "easier" to learn for all the children than Japanese. That is pure arrogance, and a leap straight on to the English superiority bandwagon, whether the person saying it believes it or not.

Saying that English is a much easier language, and basing that on the number of characters used to write the language is silly. Saying that English has a simpler writing system would be accurate - but the simplicity/complexity of a writing system has very very little to do with the level of the language itself or the acquisition of it as a first language.

You say that Chinese is difficult - Can you say with a straight face that if there were more English media in China, everyone would switch over to "easier" English because their native language is too much of a pain? And that they should do so because English so better and easier?
I seriously hope not.