These things assume that language learning abilities are roughly universal, and that languages within the same vague groups are roughly as hard as one-another.

German, for instance, turns out to be a lot harder than Spanish, which I'd learned when I was younger. I've been in Germany for 7.5 years, have had girlfriends I only spoke German to, speak German with most of my friends ... and I still struggle with getting the grammar right.

Once again I find Tim's take on things horribly over-simplifying. It seems that he makes rather audacious points by redefining words (e.g. "work", "fluency") and then drawing a bunch of conclusions based on those redefinitions.

I agree on the "language learning abilities" comment. For some people, learning a second (or more) language is easy; for others it's hard.

> German, for instance, turns out to be a lot harder than Spanish, which I'd learned when I was younger

I'd guess it's the "learned when I was younger" part that made the difference.

I studied German when I was younger (middle school/high school), and Italian a bit later (college), and Italian is definitely easier (though no language is easy).

The difference was Spanish at 14, German at 21. From a language learning perspective 14 is already past the age where there's much innate.

I currently live in Barcelona. I began studying Spanish in January of this year (having never learned previously and it is my first foreign language). I spent 1 hour per day religiously practising basic Spanish until I moved here in March. From April to June (3 full months) I took Spanish lessons 4 hours per day 5 days per week. I participate in inter-cambios regularly. I have now been here for 8 months.

I would like to tell you that you are most certainly wrong. Although I can have a simple conversation in a social context I have a lot of trouble understanding the fluid discussions of native speakers. I have met many people who have moved here and are attempting to learn the language and can attest to the fact no one learns in 3 months. 12 months is closer to reality and even then the level will be extremely basic.

Spanish is the bad example. All the western European languages are heavily co-evolved and share roots.

I think that's precisely his point.

That's grand, but "learn any language that has millennia of development in common with your native language in three months" doesn't have much of a ring to it.