Small languages that can be learned quickly that have a limited number of ways to perform an action (like iterative loops) make for a more straightforward learn

Small languages that can be learned quickly that have a limited number of ways to perform an action (like iterative loops) make for a more straightforward learning experience than the giant languages that are popular today. I think explicit strict typing (e.g. Pascal) also helps. The more subtle and flexible the type system, the harder it is to learn the language's model of abstraction (examples: C pointers or OOP class hierarchies or polymorphism). I agree about the value of simplicity, such as learning Pascal in a terminal-based interface. That interface is minimalist in the extreme (no GUI to complicate things), and the language's design and type system have a crystalline clarity that undercomplicate learning how to think like a computer. It's like learning to use a hammer vs Windows.