Entries Tagged 'Latvian Language' ↓

This is purely a matter of opinion and/or for those who have had experience. For someone who is a native English speaker, what would you say is the hardest to learn out of these European languages.

Finnish
Hungarian
Russian
Latvian
Greek
Also, I'd like to add Icelandic to that list. I've heard Icelandic is very difficult. If anyone has anything else to add please do.

Finnish and Hungarian are going to be the most difficult since these two languages are totally unrelated to English. There are no similarities, no helpful sound changes, nothing similar at all.

Russian and Greek are difficult because of the different alphabets that they employ and, along with Latvian, more complex case and gender systems. But these languages are related to English and if you know a few Indo-European sound shifts you can pick up vocabulary and some grammar.

LATER EDIT: Icelandic, like Russian, Greek and Latvian is also an Indo-European language, but even more than that it is a Germanic language, which means it is more closely related to English than any of the other languages on your list. There will be even more vocabulary and grammar that is familiar to you. Icelandic, like the other Germanic languages, has had a great deal of grammatical simplification going on so that Russian, Greek, and Latvian will be much harder than Icelandic.

Learn Latvian Colors Free with Byki at http://www.byki.com Byki is a free language learning program for Latvian

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Technorati Tags: bulls, byki, Colors, free, language, Latvian, learn, software, with

The Russian speaking population of Latvia, could face big fines if their Latvian language skills aren’t satisfactory. Parliament is set to consider a draft bill that would force people to undergo tests. Russians, which make up thirty percent of the country’s population, claim they are being discriminated against.

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Technorati Tags: discrimination, language, Latvia, population, Riga, Russian, speaking, tests

This is parody aboaut tutorials me playing harmonica + beatbox

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Technorati Tags: "atis, "beatbox, "ekonomiska, +, Harmonica", krize", slakters", tutorial

Russia Today: December 10, 2008
http://www.russiatoday.com/news/news/34511
Words could cost you dear in Latvia
Latvia is preparing to double the so-called language fine for using a non-state language in the workplace. Offenders caught speaking a foreign tongue in any office or business will soon have to pay the equivalent of $100.

While the rules would appear to be aimed at reducing the use of Russian in Latvia, they could in theory be used against people using English, French, German or any other foreign language.

Amendments to the legislation were passed on December 9 with final voting on the bill scheduled for later this month.

At the moment, language violators can escape with just a warning. But when the new regulations come into force, a fine will be the only option.

The current fine of 25 lats ($50) is rising to 50 lats ($100)

Meanwhile, the penalty for speaking a non-state language without proper translation at public events is rising from 100 to 200 lats ($200 to $400).

The Latvian Employers Confederation and the country’s Human Rights Bureau oppose the amendments. They say the new rules will result in imposing penalties, for example, on people giving human rights advice in Russian.

Only two languages - Latvian and Livonian - are recognised as state languages.

According to the 2000 census, 94 per cent of the Latvian population can speak Russian. Almost 40 per cent consider Russian their native tongue.

http://www.russiatoday.com/features/news/33442

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Technorati Tags: language, Latvia, russia

A film about Aukura. Currently available only in latvian language.

Duration : 0:4:57

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Latvia is preparing to double the so-called language fine for using a non-state language in the workplace. Offenders caught speaking a foreign tongue in any office or business will soon have to pay the equivalent of $100.

While the rules would appear to be aimed at reducing the use of Russian in Latvia, they could in theory be used against people using English, French, German or any other foreign language.

Amendments to the legislation were passed on December 9 with final voting on the bill scheduled for later this month.

At the moment, language violators can escape with just a warning. But when the new regulations come into force, a fine will be the only option.

The current fine of 25 lats ($50) is rising to 50 lats ($100)

Meanwhile, the penalty for speaking a non-state language without proper translation at public events is rising from 100 to 200 lats ($200 to $400).

The Latvian Employers Confederation and the country’s Human Rights Bureau oppose the amendments. They say the new rules will result in imposing penalties, for example, on people giving human rights advice in Russian.

Only two languages - Latvian and Livonian - are recognised as state languages.

According to the 2000 census, 94 per cent of the Latvian population can speak Russian. Almost 40 per cent consider Russian their native tongue.

Duration : 0:0:48

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Technorati Tags: Baltic, bigotry, discrimination, human, Latvia, rights, russia, slav, slavic

A film about Aukura. Currently available only in latvian language.

Duration : 0:6:13

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Harry Potter And the order of phoenix on latvian language

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Latvian Language Lesons part 1

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Technorati Tags: 08122008