To all English-language learners: I hereby apologize on behalf of my language.
Yes, English is fun to learn, and many rewards come with mastering it. But it requires determination to overcome the challenges it presents. The spelling is illogical, the grammar rules have many exceptions, and usage is wildly inconsistent. Even native speakers struggle with the demands of speaking English correctly, and only a small percentage of Americans can write a single page that is not filled with grammar and spelling errors.
In the 18th century, Benjamin Franklin proposed a system of phonetic spelling that would have eliminated the inconsistencies, ambiguities, and illogic of the English language. He even commissioned a foundry to create a typeface for his reformed alphabet. Other linguists, such as Noah Webster, who created America’s most popular dictionary, supported Franklin’s ideas. But just like Benjamin Franklin’s proposal to abolish slavery during the creation of the U.S. Constitution, America ignored another one of his great ideas. An opportunity to impose some logic on our language was lost, and English remained a muddy language, with the mud only growing thicker over the centuries.
Learners of the Korean language are blessed with hangeul, a writing system so logical and scientific that it can be learned in a day. A beginning learner may not yet know the meanings of Korean words, but they can almost instantly read and write them correctly. Pronunciation is also fairly consistent, and there are only a few rules one has to learn about pronunciation exceptions. 15th-century King Sejong and his team of scholars met the king’s goal of creating a written language that would simplify and democratize reading for the entire nation, regardless of income or educational level.
I am an eternal student of Korean and Japanese, but I have accepted that I will remain forever illiterate in Japanese. I may be able to hold a conversation in Japanese, but I will never be able to read and write it. Unless I live two lifetimes, I will not have time for the thousands of days it would require to learn Japan’s 2,000 characters, with their multiple strokes and meanings holding my brain hostage for years.
Mao, with all his bad ideas, had one good idea. That was to logically alphabetize the Chinese languages and eliminate the ancient writing system for everyone but the scholars of the language. But even with all his autocratic power, he had no more success with this proposal than Benjamin Franklin had with his similar one. People hold on tight to their illogical languages and resist any changes to them, even if those changes could bring wider understanding.
King Sejong also faced resistance to hangeul from many elitist scholars of his time. That undemocratic resistance continued over the centuries, but it could not stop the momentum created by the king’s determination to disseminate hangeul throughout Korea. And now, thanks to King Sejong, we can all easily be literate in Korean. Because of this, most Korean-language learners, like myself, can read and write at a much higher level than we can converse. I still sound like a child when I speak Korean (actually, I sound like a rude and unintelligent child). But that will improve over time through conversation practice with generous and patient native speakers.
Likewise, many native English speakers like myself are happy to converse with those learning our language. So do not give up on your study of English. It is a language that, because of its many complex layers, lends itself well to beautiful poetry and literature, which you will be rewarded with as your understanding improves. And it is the international language of science, art, diplomacy, and pop culture. I encourage you to continue your study of English. Please accept the apology from my entire country and all English-speaking countries for the difficulty of our language, and keep experiencing the joy of reading Robert Frost and singing along to Michael Jackson songs.
