Are there languages that make it easier to understand secure coding principles?

Question

I'm interested in expanding my knowledge of security issues: things like buffer overflows, format string vulnerabilities, etc. I'd like to be able to go through a language and understand its security implications and pitfalls to get a better understanding of secure coding practices in general.

Are there certain languages that are more conducive to a learning experiment like this? Are there languages, due to abstractions or complexity, I should avoid? Where should I start?