Should one believe the myth that Spanish can be difficult to learn for English speakers.
Language learning, like Spanish, might be frustrating, particularly as you find yourself hammering away grammar rules, pronunciations, and a never-ending list of new vocabulary full of Spanish words.
And of course, that’s true of many other languages such as French and German. Moreover, some Spanish learners, that might be studying Spanish in their summer holidays in Tarifa, get flustered by the absurdly long and unusual grammar structure.
However, in my opinion, learning Spanish and any other language, might be hard. On the other hand, it all comes down to perseverance and passion.
Let’s look at it from another point of view. If you are a native English speaker, there is a strong chance that you took learning the language for granted. You had to learn it, in order to communicate with those around you, so you did. As a result, you are fluent in a really complicated language. English has many inconsistencies that leave non-native English students scratching their heads in confusion.
Spanish is one example of a language that is in many ways easier to learn than English. Let me explain why. There is a standardized form to study and learn SpanishThis has been done to simplify the language rules. It also made the spelling of words, in particular, more uniform and predictable. Spanish has been modernized and new spelling rules has been introduced by “La academia Real de la Lengua Española”. These rules are now taught in schools everywhere in Spain, and in language schools in Tarifa and other tourists destinations.
How does this affect you as a Spanish learner? across Spanish speaking towns and countries, every Spanish word has one official spelling. No matter where you are in the world, you should be able to understand most Spanish-speakers and they, in return, will understand you.
However, there is no homogenized version of English. These days, American English spelling rules may dominate the language in many places, especially in South America. Anyone who has tried to change their dictionary in Microsoft Word from U.S. to British English, has experienced the above.
Depending on whether you are learning British or American English, English is also confusing, as many words have different meanings. Therefore, it is incredibly handy to be learning a language that has one homogenized version, as Spanish does. You don’t need to worry so much about native speakers not understanding you.
The rules for spelling in Spanish are far clearer than those in English. The purpose of Spanish spelling is to act as a guideline for how to pronounce words. Once you’ve learned the standard pronunciation rules, you will be able to say any word correctly in Spanish. Likewise, when you hear a word spoken, you’ll be able to write it down. There are only a few exceptions to this.
English does not tend to strictly follow any standard rules with regards to spelling or pronunciation.
Any person learning English could believe that he/she is making progress in the language, only to have his/her confidence shattered when a new rule appeared, completely contradicting what they had previously learned.
Achieving fluency in Spanish is a question of learning the rules and sticking to them. However in English, the many exceptions you encounter are just as important as the rules themselves.
Moreover, when you study Spanish in Tarifa you will find that is an easier language to learn than English and it has nothing to do with spelling or grammar. Instead, it relates to the characteristics of the people who speak it.
If you are about to study Spanish, in Tarifa or another touristic destination, you will find that Spanish people don’t beat about the bush – they are blunt, upfront and get straight to the point. It is a trait that any person studying Spanish will find refreshing.
Assume that at some point you will find yourself having a conversation with a native Spanish speaker. Let’s say that over the course of the talk, you unintentionally use a word that sounds like a swear word.
A Spaniard would probably be quick to pull you up on your mistake. You may feel slightly put off at the time to get used to their direct way of addressing people. Overall, they will be doing you a favour, as I daresay the surprise of being corrected will stop you from making the same mistake again!