Smallest learning curve language to work with CSV files

Python definitely has a small learning curve, and works with csv files well

There are many tools for the job, but yes, Python is perhaps the best these days. There is a special module for dealing with csv files. Check the official docs.

Python is an excellent choice. The csv module makes reading and writing CSV files easy (even Microsoft's, uh, "idiosyncratic" version) and Python syntax is a breeze to pick up.

I'd actually recommend against Perl, if you're coming to it fresh. While Perl is certainly powerful and fast, it's often cryptic to the point of incomprehensible to the uninitiated.

What kind of calculation you have to do? Maybe R would be an alternative?

EDIT: just to give a few basic examples

# Basic usage
data <- read.csv("myfile.csv")

# Pipe-separated values
data <- read.csv("myfile.csv", sep="|")

# File with header (columns will be named as header) 
data <- read.csv("myfile.csv", header=TRUE)

# Skip the first 5 lines of the file
data <- read.csv("myfile.csv", skip=5)

# Read only 100 lines
data <- read.csv("myfile.csv", nrows=100)