This is an ickle collection of tutorials on using Python for doing interesting stuff with (human!) languages. They are posted initially on Hacklog, the Blogamundo developer blog, and then moved here, where they are endlessly tweaked to remove embarrassing errors improve clarity. In theory they should be doable by folks with no programming background, or just a little.
These tutorials are very hands-on, and I won't explain every little bit as I go. Some things will qualify as something to worry about later, just follow the instructions as if you grokked them, and nod your head sagely. Grasshopper.
Our fundamental task: count each of the letters of the an alphabet. You'll learn about lists, dictionaries, and Python's for statement.