The article speaks about Latin, but so conveniently leaves out Sanskrit, ostensibly the mother of languages when you consider structure and logic. I mean, not even a mention, c'mon!!<p>By the way Sankrit itself means "perfect language" roughly.
> <i>“Ghoti,” as wordsmiths have noted, could be pronounced “fish”: gh as in “cough”, o as in “women” and ti as in “motion”.</i><p>Pet issue: 'ghoti' can never be pronounced 'fish' using English rules, because 'g(h)' is never 'f' at the start of a word; only with the preceding vowels does it sound like this, and even then only as an exception to another rule.
The U.S. Foreign Service Institute's School of Language Studies publishes this list of languages:<p><a href="https://www.state.gov/m/fsi/sls/orgoverview/languages/" rel="nofollow">https://www.state.gov/m/fsi/sls/orgoverview/languages/</a><p>They break languages (note: that they teach) into four categories:<p>* Category I: Languages closely related to English.<p>* Category II: Languages that take a little longer to master than Category I languages.<p>* Category III: Languages with significant linguistic and/or cultural differences from English.<p>* Category IV: Languages which are exceptionally difficult for native English speakers.
<i>a</i> lie and <i>the</i> truth is pretty easy. Lies are plural, truth is singular.<p>On the other hand, convincing a foreigner whose native language doesn't have articles, that articles are necessary... that is challenge.