Can you master a second language as skillful as your native language?
By studentabe
@studentabe (109)
Belgium
July 31, 2009 5:06am CST
If you begin to learn a second language much later than the time you start to learn your native language, say 12 years old or after you bocome an adult, can you master it as skillful as your native language?
I started to learn English in primary school in my country. However, I feel no matter how I study hard, I can never master it as my native language.
1 person likes this
3 responses
@sophie_dfuss (2365)
• Philippines
3 Aug 09
Hello from the Philippines 
I can speak three languages, Tagalog (my native language), Enlgish and Spanish. I have started studying English since primary school and I excel most of my school subjects especially in English and Science. I am worse in Math. I am both very fluent in my native language and English as my second language. I used to work for international companies owned by some British and Americans, they said that I have a very good soft spoken Enlgish. My boyfriend is also a Belgian. Your country is multi-lingual, most Belgians can speak Flemish (native language), French, Dutch and German. I can understand a bit of those languages except Flemish even before I met my Belgian bf. A person can't master English if he/she is fluent with two other languages. Nobody is perfect, you can't have it all.
I can speak three languages, Tagalog (my native language), Enlgish and Spanish. I have started studying English since primary school and I excel most of my school subjects especially in English and Science. I am worse in Math. I am both very fluent in my native language and English as my second language. I used to work for international companies owned by some British and Americans, they said that I have a very good soft spoken Enlgish. My boyfriend is also a Belgian. Your country is multi-lingual, most Belgians can speak Flemish (native language), French, Dutch and German. I can understand a bit of those languages except Flemish even before I met my Belgian bf. A person can't master English if he/she is fluent with two other languages. Nobody is perfect, you can't have it all. @studentabe (109)
• Belgium
4 Aug 09
HI,I am studying abroad in Belgium instead of a Belgian.I am also an Asian.
Flemish and Dutch are the same language, just a little different in accent.
@maximax8 (31053)
• United Kingdom
5 Aug 09
I hope that you are enjoying your studies in Belgium. I foolishly spoke French to the Flemish people. They prefer to talk in English. I did try to learn Dutch when I lived in the Netherlands. However the Dutch are the masters of foreign languages. They spoke to me in English after I addressed them in Dutch.
@studentabe (109)
• Belgium
5 Aug 09
Dank u!
Yes, people in Flemish and Nederlands speak English well.However, when they speak English, there are much accent of Dutch. Sometimes I feel it is a little difficult to catch comparing with standard English accent.
@maximax8 (31053)
• United Kingdom
5 Aug 09
English is my native language. I learned French from the age 11 until 16 years old. I still remember it really well and like to speak it when I have the chance on my travels. I do that in French speaking places and when I meet a French traveler. Where I stayed in Cape Town there was an older French visitor. He didn't speak any English so I chatted in French to him a bit. Inspired by my trip to Central America I am currently learning Spanish which is delightful. I wish I had learned it earlier in my life. The younger a language learner is the better I feel. I don't think I will be able to ever speak it as well as my mother tongue. I will introduce Spanish to my younger children from the age of 3.
@studentabe (109)
• Belgium
5 Aug 09
I am trying to learn some Dutch and French now. However, I feel them much difficult than English. I can't master them as English just as I can't master English as my native language.
