How to learn two languages at the same time

[HashiriKata]

Is it hard to learn the languages which sentence structure is subject-object-verb (S-O-V)?

Not necessarily. You'll get used to it.

Why is the sentence structure of Korean and Japanese language S-O-V?

It just is.

(But if this is not good enough as an answer, please try for yourself and tell me)

Why is the sentence structure of English and Chinese languages S-V-O?

[nnt]

It just is.

Let it be

Science has progressed from the day HOWs questions have replaced WHYs questions

[nipponman]

Why is the sentence structure of Korean and Japanese language S-O-V?

Actually, the idea that Japanese is a s-o-v language is a misnomer. Japanese has no subject order and words can appear in any order, including in the order where the verb comes before the subject*.

Examples:

僕が学校で野球を遣る。

学校で僕が野球を遣る。

野球を僕が学校で遣る。

野球を学校で僕が遣る。

All of these sentences have a slightly different feel, emphasizing a seperate element. But the meaning is the same. *Also, there are situations where you can put the verb before the subject (in highly colloquial speech only)

描き上げよ、絵を。

Here the object is added as an afterthough, not really a set sentence order, but it can happen.

nipponman

[HashiriKata]

Actually, the idea that Japanese is a s-o-v language is a misnomer. Japanese has no subject order and words can appear in any order, including in the order where the verb comes before the subject*.

Very true, nipponman! And in the same way, characterising humans as a creature that moves on two legs is also a "misnomer", because humans sometimes move on four!

[nipponman]

Very true, nipponman! And in the same way, characterising humans as a creature that moves on two legs is also a "misnomer", because humans sometimes move on four!

But changing the order in the sentence is actually quite common.

[HashiriKata]

But changing the order in the sentence is actually quite common.

In that case, we should learn to distinguish between "having no word-order" and "having flexible word-order" then?

[nipponman]

What do you mean? If there is no set word order that can be considered correct, then there is no word order...right? Am I missing something?

[HashiriKata]

Am I missing something?

I suppose you are. What about try google for "Japanese word-order"? I'm sure it'll give you something to start with.

Good luck!

[nipponman]

These sites just repeat the same thing that was said here. This is a good basic approach, but when you become more advanced, you'll need to realize (among other things) that Japanese doesn't have a set sentence order.

[HashiriKata]

when you become more advanced, you'll need to realize (among other things) that Japanese doesn't have a set sentence order.

I see now the point you've been trying to assert (and it doesn't seem to have much to do with the language after all !)

[nipponman]

This is actually more of a general 'you', and is not directed at you. But if the shoe fits...

[Celso Pin]

NNT put as interests Languages and is an IT professional and write things like:

"Learning Hán/Việt is like learning Latin in Europe, or Hieroglyphs in Egypt or relativity theory in Physics: it has the same usefulness/uselessness ."

I dont know about hieroglyphs or Hán/Viêt... but Latin, as far all we know, is the science language... from where you think comes terms like Computer, Delete, Enter, Insert etc???? just to talk about IT...

[nnt]

but Latin, as far all we know, is the science language... where you think comes terms like Computer, Delete, Enter, Insert etc???? just to talk about IT...

Pax vobiscum!

We all know English (and Maths to a lesser degree) is the present day language of science. Not many scientific papers are actually published in latin as in the days of Newton...

[Celso Pin]

the technical terms come????

Computer = Computare = calculate

Delete = Delire = erase (just two common examples... we can write 5 books about this...)

off course papers are written in english... with words originate from Latin... Latin is the scholars language... even though not spoken... fix it on the radicals (or roots if you prefer)

then... it is not possible to compare Latin with hierogliphs... tell me one modern word that come from these wonderful egiptian language...

sorry for my poor englis:mrgreen:

[nnt]

Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas:mrgreen:

[Celso Pin]

or like Cicero prefers

Quousque tandem abutere patientia mea.

[nnt]

Ad vitam eternam.

Vade in pace.

[Quest]

Also, can some Cantonese speakers please tell me if Cantonese really have 9 tones, or just 6 tones in practice? Would knowing just the basic 6 tones be adequate for speaking Cantonese?

Pazu's example:

三碗細牛腩麵 (the first 6 tones) 1 2 3 4 5 6

執隻襪 (the last 3 tones, with t,p,k endings: p,k,t in this case) 1p 3k 6t

Also, the first tone (level-level) has a level-fall variant.

6 major tones, 3 minor tones and one or two tone variants.

[HashiriKata]

Thanks Quest! I'll digest the info slowly and I hopefully may discover something interesting (the interdependency between the 3 minor tones and k,p,t).

[yuet_sien]

How difficult will it be to learn Vietnamese, after learning Mandarin for 1 year?

I want to keep up my Mandarin, but I think I have to learn Vietnamese aswell. Going to move to Vietnam next year, for I dunno how long. I am Dutch Chinese who speak a little Cantonese, and doing my second semester here in BJ.

Will my Mandarin (and Cantonese speaking) be helpful to learn Vietnamese or more confusing?