I've given this question lots of thought over the years. I really started loving programming when I found Garry Kitchen's GameMaker. It wasn't very elegant, but it was damn fun.
I'd push him toward PHP.
The goal isn't to make him a great programmer with an amazing language. The goal is to get him doing fun stuff fast, so that he sticks around.
When things are fun, kids stick around.
I'm guessing that many readers here got hooked on a language, not because it was a functional language, but because you could accomplish things quickly.
Introduce him to PHP and work with him on coming up with a very specific project he wants to hammer out. Then you can sit down and walk him through the various phases of putting it together.
I'd push him toward PHP.
The goal isn't to make him a great programmer with an amazing language. The goal is to get him doing fun stuff fast, so that he sticks around.
When things are fun, kids stick around.
I'm guessing that many readers here got hooked on a language, not because it was a functional language, but because you could accomplish things quickly.
Introduce him to PHP and work with him on coming up with a very specific project he wants to hammer out. Then you can sit down and walk him through the various phases of putting it together.