Myanmar is some of the few places that have an enriching experience for language learners. With over 100 distinct ethnic groups and a multitude of languages spoken throughout the country, Myanmar is a linguistic treasure trove for language enthusiasts. Additionally, Myanmar’s warm hospitality fosters a supportive atmosphere for language learners to confidently practice their skills. Anyone can try learning a language using an app nowadays.
However, there are many comments on Reddit forums wondering why there’s no Burmese on Duolingo. In this blog, we will look at some reasons why this might be, what the alternatives, such as Ling, are, and the benefits of learning Burmese.
The Burmese Language Overview
Where Is Burmese Spoken?
Roughly 33 million people speak Burmese as a first language, the great majority of whom are natives of Myanmar or Burma. Also, there is a sizeable minority speaks it in Thailand, India, and Bangladesh.
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Is It Difficult To Learn Burmese?
The difficulty level is not high. It might be confusing to listen to the news when there are distinct styles for formal and informal situations. It’s considered that at least 1100 hours are required to achieve a basic level of fluency in spoken and written Burmese.
Duolingo Review
Duolingo is an incredibly popular language-learning tool that makes studying foreign languages enjoyable and engaging. The gamified format keeps students interested with short, digestible courses that can be practiced daily. The app’s difficulty level is well-suited for beginners and seasoned language learners.
Reading, writing, listening, and speaking are all emphasized. The variety of activities offered by Duolingo, such as translating, speaking, and matching, keeps students interested and engaged.
However, some users may also view the extensive use of repetition and the lack of explanations for grammatical rules as flawed. Considering that the Burmese language course is not included, this app may not be the best option for you.
Why Is There No Burmese On Duolingo?
- Myanmar (formerly called Burma) has had some political problems in recent years. It is in the news for the wrong reasons, and although that shouldn’t affect a decision to put a language into the incubator, it ultimately probably, does.
- Duolingo is committed to languages going extinct as opposed to more minor languages that are still widely spoken.
- Related to point #1. Investment and tourism have dropped off in the country because of political problems.
- Duolingo chiefly focuses on language giants like English and Spanish. There is some interesting data about this. 53% of all Duolingo users study English solely. Current migration patterns are not from well-developed countries to less well-developed countries but the opposite. Even in countries like the U.S., most Duolingo users are learning English because those Duolingo users are not native speakers and have traveled from Central America.
- The Foreign Service Institute (FSI) has made a list to show how long it takes to learn a specific language for an English speaker. In that list, Burmese is in the Group of Category III languages, meaning it is estimated to take at least 1100 hours to reach general proficiency in speaking and reading.
| Category I | Category II | Category II | Category III | Category III | Category III | Category IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 575-600 hours to learn | 750 hours to learn | 900 hours to learn | 1100 hours to learn | 1100 hours to learn(Cont) | 1100 hours to learn (Cont) | 2200 hours to learn (Cont) |
| Afrikaans | German | Indonesian | Albanian | Hungarian | Slovak | Arabic |
| Danish | Malaysian | Armenian | Icelandic | Slovenian | Cantonese | |
| Dutch | Swahili | Bengali | Finnish | Tagalog | Mandarin | |
| French | Bosnian | Khmer | Thai | Korean | ||
| Italian | Bulgarian | Lao | Turkish | Japanese | ||
| Norweigan | Burmese | Latvian | Ukrainian | |||
| Portuguese | Croatian | Lithuanian | Urdu | |||
| Romanian | Czech | Macedonian | Uzbek | |||
| Spanish | Estonian | Mongolian | Vietnamese | |||
| Swedish | Finnish | Nepali | Zulu | |||
| Georgian | Persian | |||||
| Greek | Polish | |||||
| Hebrew | Russian | |||||
| Hindi | Serbian |
Why Should You Learn Burmese?
Economics
Although Myanmar is having political problems at the moment, it has gone through similar problems in the past and rebounded. A particularly lucrative market is if you’re an English teacher who wants to work in the country. The cost of living is so cheap, and the salary is so high that you could save $500 a month. Of course, speaking Burmese only makes this whole process easier.
Culture
It goes without saying that the best way to learn the language is through culture.
Sidenote: A fascinating case of this Korean. Deference is built into the language, which is a problem if you work together on a complex task like flying an airplane. Korean Air had the worst safety record in the 1980s, and it wasn’t down to a problem with the planes.
The flight attendants were intimidated by the pilots because they’d been taught to be different from people above them in the social hierarchy(as reflected in Korean honorifics). So when there was a problem with the plane, they were too cautious about raising it with the captain resulting in numerous crashes. Now Korean Air has an excellent record because the crew communicates with each other using English.
You also see the role hierarchy plays in Burmese culture, where there is a culture of ancestor worship.
Burmese Is Cool!
Sorry, there’s no other way to put it. When you see the Burmese script written down, it looks like something you would find on a secret alien colony on Mars.
In all seriousness, the Burmese language is beautiful. It is a Brahmic script derived from either Kadamba or Pallava. The writing has been in use for at least 1000 years, with the earliest example found in 1035.
The Burmese people have always held a special place in my heart because of the George Orwell novel ‘Burmese Days.’ One day, it is a dream of mine to go to the country and follow the route that he took as Emma Larkin did in her book ‘finding Orwell in Burma.’
What Are The Alternatives To Duolingo?
My first go-to, when I’m learning a foreign language, is usually Youtube. It provides an excellent introduction to a language and gives you a sense of whether or not you want to continue learning. But, unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find many high-quality Burmese resources there.
However, there is a very good cultural guide by a woman called Neya, an Australian ex-pat living in Myanmar. She has 20k+ subscribers and posts frequent videos about her life in the country.
Which Other Apps Teach Burmese?
A handful of apps do cover Burmese, and two are worth knowing about. uTalk builds its Burmese course around interactive practice and native-speaker audio, which suits you if you want to drill words and short phrases. Bluebird Languages leans on listening, pairing each Burmese sentence with its English translation so vocabulary builds up as you go.
For a fuller comparison, see our roundup of the best Burmese language apps.
Frequently Asked Questions About Burmese And Duolingo
Is There Burmese On Duolingo?
No. Duolingo’s own course list carries no Burmese course, for English speakers or from any other language. The app concentrates on widely studied languages, so Burmese learners need to look elsewhere.
How Long Does It Take To Learn Burmese?
The Foreign Service Institute puts Burmese in Category III, which it estimates at around 1100 hours of study to reach general proficiency in speaking and reading. That is the same bracket as Thai, Khmer and Lao.
How Many People Speak Burmese?
Roughly 33 million people speak Burmese as a first language, most of them in Myanmar. Smaller communities of speakers live in Thailand, India and Bangladesh.
Which Apps Teach Burmese Instead Of Duolingo?
uTalk covers Burmese with interactive practice and native-speaker audio, and Bluebird Languages pairs Burmese sentences with English translations for listening practice. Ling teaches the Burmese script and reading alongside speaking.
Learn Burmese With Ling
Ling is unquestionably the best app out there for learning Burmese. It has hundreds of hours of content at an affordable price. Firstly you can learn the Burmese script and then practice reading in your target language (with instructions in your native language).
The gamification elements of the app ensure you never get bored and keep coming back for more. In addition, you can compare yourself to others for extra motivation.
Come on over and start learning the Burmese language with a 7-day free trial.
To learn a new language is to possess a second soul!
