I'd argue English isn't that easy to learn for people from other language families. I bet an Uyghur would have an easier time learning Turkish than English.
The advantage of already knowing a genetically related language should not be over-stated. Each language has as I see it its own mix of "fords", "mines", and "dry land" — the "dry land" are the pure similarities, the "mines" are mainly things like false friends or other ways one could over-apply one's first language in a way that could go poorly if one isn't "watching one's step", and the "fords" are the points where the languages are very dissimilar and this forces one to slow down and get a little uncomfortable.
So English is still broadly easier for Norwegians than for Uyghurs, but that advantage isn't nearly as big as some people seem to think it is. English and Norwegian have diverged plenty, and have plenty of false friends, so depending on the individual learner's interests or needs or personality, the amount of time spent "demining" English might even make Turkish seem a little easier by comparison, at least in an ideal world where there is equal access to resources for every language in every other language.
I'd argue English isn't that easy to learn for people from other language families. I bet an Uyghur would have an easier time learning Turkish than English.
i dunno, it doesnt seem particularly hard for hungarians, which is a different family. but yeah, close relatives are easier.
The advantage of already knowing a genetically related language should not be over-stated. Each language has as I see it its own mix of "fords", "mines", and "dry land" — the "dry land" are the pure similarities, the "mines" are mainly things like false friends or other ways one could over-apply one's first language in a way that could go poorly if one isn't "watching one's step", and the "fords" are the points where the languages are very dissimilar and this forces one to slow down and get a little uncomfortable.
So English is still broadly easier for Norwegians than for Uyghurs, but that advantage isn't nearly as big as some people seem to think it is. English and Norwegian have diverged plenty, and have plenty of false friends, so depending on the individual learner's interests or needs or personality, the amount of time spent "demining" English might even make Turkish seem a little easier by comparison, at least in an ideal world where there is equal access to resources for every language in every other language.