Re: Culture clash

On Thu, 06 Sep 2007 12:24:46 +1000, Ben Finney wrote:

Cindy <leftlateraldecubitus@xxxxxxxxx> writes:

I have been submerged in an English speaking culture for decades;
however, the more I know English, the more I am convinced that the
English language is far from the Japanese language. I should be
speaking like native people most of times, but it is so unnatural
sometimes.

I'm very much of the opinion that the spoken Japanese language is much
easier for a native English speaker to learn after childhood, than
vice versa.

Vice versa?

Are you suggesting that:
The spoken Japanese language is much easier for a native English speaker to
learn after childhood, than it is for a native English speaker to learn
during childhood.

Or are you suggesting that:
The spoken Japanese language is much easier for a native English speaker to
learn after childhood, than it is for a native Japanese speaker to learn
the spoken English language after childhood.

If the former, I would say that languages are more easily acquired during
childhood including Japanese. If the latter, a greater percentage of
native Japanese speakers learn English after childhood than native English
speakers learn Japanese. Moreover, on the average the native Japanese
speakers acquire a greater proficiency with English than the native
Egnglish speakers acquire with Japanese. Of course, these are both
quantitative assessments and you may be correct that native English
speakers have a greater predisposition toward acquiring Japanese than
native Japanese speakers have with respect toward acquiring English (if
this is your intent).

Or are you suggesting something else?

Phil Yff
.

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