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From: Peter Bromfield <peter@ren.er.usgs.gov>
Subject: Re: "Race" Classifications in Linguistics (was Languages: Hard, Harder, Hardest)
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Date: Fri, 26 Jul 1996 13:28:03 GMT
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Damsel Plum wrote:
> 
> In <31F7B279.1F5C@gold.tc.umn.edu> "Karl M. Bunday"
> <bunda002@gold.tc.umn.edu> writes:
> >
> >Peter Bromfield wrote, in reply to another participant:
> >
> >> >>I recall reading "somewhere" that Arabic was considered to be the
> most>> >>difficult language for a non-native speaker to learn. I seem
> to recall>> >>there was particular attention paid to pronounciation (as
> opposed to>> >>structural aspects such as grammar).
> 
> When I started studying Arabic I thought I was in hell.  The writing
> system and the phonology were the most difficult aspects for me.  >While
> the grammar is logical , it isn't negligibly easy like Chinese.  I
> would say it was the most difficult of the 20 or so languages I have
> studied.  I would imagine it would be easier for someone who already
> knew the Arabic script or a Semitic language.
> 
> >> I've never had much of a problem with the other guttorals. Daad and
> >>DHaa' took the most practice. From my experiences, I think from a
> >>racial point of view,  black Africans and people of African descent
> >>tend to have less of a problem with the guttoral letters than white
> >>people.
> 
> I wonder whether a Dutch speaker would find them difficult.

I'm sure the Dutch would have no problems with the Arabic khaa. As for
the other letters, I have no idea.

> 
> >> But Khaa', and ghayn is easy for French and German people. Correct
> >>me if I am wrong, European languages are more dental and nasel than
> >>they are guttoral, and the Afro-Asiatic languages tend to be more
> >>guttoral and dental than nasel.
> 
> Italian is hardly nasal and Dutch is rather gutteral. 

On second thought, i'm begining to realise that my hypothesis doesn't
hold much water.

-Peter

> Speaking of
> African phonetics, do click sounds and implosives occuring outside of
> (Bantu) African languages?
> 
> >> Because cascasian people have narrower nasel canals,
> 
> Hey, I know some big-nose whiteys!  Hehehe.
> 
> Damsel Plum
