For those that speak a second language

@sprite1950 (30452)
Corsham, England
November 21, 2019 2:16am CST
It's always fascinated me when I speak to someone who comes from another country but speaks English well. I can only manage a little pigeon French, just enough to get by if I visit France but I don't actually think in French, I have to translate it slowly from English to French and hope the person I am speaking to understands. I can't understand a fast conversation either. For those of you who speak more than one language, do you actually think in that language and how is that possible? Do you just switch your thought process from one language to another?
17 people like this
19 responses
@WorDazza (15830)
• Manchester, England
21 Nov 19
I have a friend who is French. She and her son are able to switch between French and English almost in mid-sentence. It's most impressive.
4 people like this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
21 Nov 19
I would love to be like that. I have to really think about it when I want to say something in French apart from those standard sentences I learned at school, "Je m'appelle Linda, etc.
1 person likes this
@WorDazza (15830)
• Manchester, England
21 Nov 19
@sprite1950 I think you can only get to that point by living in an environment where the language is spoken. I'm the same as you. I have a smattering of French, Spanish and Greek and I have to translate from English in my head so it takes a while to form a coherent sentence.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
21 Nov 19
@WorDazza I remember when my friend first moved to France with her French husband. She used a word which roughly translated equals the 'c' word in English when speaking to her mother in law. Luckily the family thought it was funny!
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90721)
• Philippines
21 Nov 19
Of course, you think in the second language , when you are speakibg it. I am happy i cam write and speak innour second language . . .English.
4 people like this
@SIMPLYD (90721)
• Philippines
25 Nov 19
@sprite1950 Maybe you have no one to talk French with, so you forgot it.
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
21 Nov 19
I would love to be able to speak another language well but when I was young they only taught French and I haf forgotten a lot of it.
@mlgen1037 (29886)
• Manila, Philippines
21 Nov 19
Hi RebelAnn! How are you? I hope you still remember me. Nice to see you here again.
1 person likes this
@Torunn (8607)
• Norway
21 Nov 19
If I'm somewhere where I'd talk English or German most of the time I usually switch when I'm talking it, so I'm thinking it that language too. Not always though, I can switch between 3 languages pretty fast but then I don't always switch what I'm thinking in.
3 people like this
@Torunn (8607)
• Norway
21 Nov 19
@sprite1950 I can handle 3 languages. I tried to do the same in Icelandic class on Iceland (switching between Norwegian, English and German) and that didn't turn out well for my Icelandic learning.
3 people like this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
21 Nov 19
@Torunn Still pretty impressive
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
21 Nov 19
That sounds so complicated! Language is such a fascinating subject.
2 people like this
@hereandthere (45645)
• Philippines
21 Nov 19
my sibling and i were all born and raised here in the capital. we grew up with both english and tagalog so we're used to taglish every day. it's everywhere - print, tv, radio, signages, packaging, etc. however, we also have a regional dialect from the province where our parents came from so sometimes, when talking to my mother, aunts, uncles, or visitors from there, we would mix all three because, one, even if they've been here 30, 40, 50 years, their default language among themselves is their dialect and, two, some words in their dialect has no equivalent in tagalog. actually, some filipinos know 2 dialects if their parents came from different provinces.
3 people like this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
21 Nov 19
That's amazing. I'm surprised you can all understand each other. Although Scotland is part of the UK I can't understand a broad Scottish accent. It's embarrassing to keep saying "Pardon".
2 people like this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
21 Nov 19
@hereandthere It seems really complicated. I used to work with an Indian lady and she spoke Hindi while her husband spoke punjabi. Apparently they are completely different.
2 people like this
• Philippines
21 Nov 19
@sprite1950 sometimes i have to ask them to pause and explain stuff when the conversation is getting really animated. we have many dialects, so for an ilocano in northern luzon to be able to converse with an ilonggo in the south (visayan region), they'd have to use a mix of english and tagalog.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (472004)
• Switzerland
21 Nov 19
Yes, I think in the language I am speaking (or typing), if you translate it the phrase will never be fully correct. I switch my brain to the language I am using and I hate when I am typing in English and my husband talks in French or Italian near me.
3 people like this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
21 Nov 19
@LadyDuck It must be really annoying but it made me laugh! Do you tell him off?
2 people like this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
22 Nov 19
@LadyDuck I think that is really very impressive
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (472004)
• Switzerland
22 Nov 19
@sprite1950 YES, I tell him, I am writing in English, please stop talking. We often mix French and Italian while we talk at home, we had so much the habit to French, we have forgot some Italian words.
1 person likes this
@Janet357 (75646)
21 Nov 19
yes. the good thing about being bilingual or multilingual is they can keep a secret in front of some people. my mother-in-law is trilingual and when there is something she wants to say to someone that only she and that someone can understand, she speaks mandarin.
3 people like this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
21 Nov 19
Yes that's true but I tell my friend off if she speaks in Romanian in case she is talking about me!. She doesn't mind.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
21 Nov 19
a lot of chinoys (filipino chinese) do that. but i thought most of them spoke fookien because mandarin is difficult
1 person likes this
@Janet357 (75646)
21 Nov 19
@hereandthere also according to my grandma on my father's side,.that is unethical
1 person likes this
@msdivkar (23359)
• India
21 Nov 19
Interesting topic. I for one had my primary education,Std.1 to 4, in Marathi almost similar to my mother tongue Konkani. Rest of my education to engineering degree has been in English but still I cant say that I am thinking in English it is still thinking in Konkani/Marathi and translating to English. Many in present generation have their full education in English with their mother tongue just as a second language. I don't know how these people are going to think for the thought process to be perfect has to be in your mother tongue. These people are neither this side or that side.
3 people like this
@msdivkar (23359)
• India
21 Nov 19
@sprite1950 I feel it is difficult to master a foreign language as can a local do. The language is transferred to an individual genetically.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
21 Nov 19
@msdivkar That's true but some people do seem to be gifted when it comes to learning languages.
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
21 Nov 19
I think if you learn two languages side by side when you are young it becomes automatic. I have a Romanian friend who has two boys. When they were tiny they would mix Romanian and English up but now they are older they know the difference and speak Romanian at home and English outside. Language is a fascinating subject.
2 people like this
• United States
21 Nov 19
I will be interested to read here. I only speak smatterings of two other languages myself and that is only because of direct family.
3 people like this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
21 Nov 19
Lots of people here speak several languages. I wish I spoke another fluently.
1 person likes this
@Alexandoy (65308)
• Cainta, Philippines
21 Nov 19
English is more than our second language because there are times and places that English is the major language like in big offices particularly in meetings.
2 people like this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
21 Nov 19
So when you are thinking to yourself Alex do you think in English?
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
21 Nov 19
@Alexandoy The brain is so complex. I can't imagine what it must be like to be able to think in more than one language.
2 people like this
@Alexandoy (65308)
• Cainta, Philippines
21 Nov 19
@sprite1950 I cannot say because my thinking seems to have no language. But I understand your question like when I am thinking about what to post here, yeah, I think in English.
2 people like this
@lovebuglena (44717)
• Staten Island, New York
22 Nov 19
My native language is Russian so I find myself thinking in Russian often enough. As I moved to the US when I was nine, I am fluent in English. When I talk I can actually talk in both languages easily.
3 people like this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
22 Nov 19
That's amazing. My partner speaks Russian and he can write it too but it looks really weird to me.
2 people like this
@thelme55 (77168)
• Germany
21 Nov 19
I just switch my thoughts in the language I am speaking to another language. I am already used to it. Sometimes, my brain get confused.
2 people like this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
22 Nov 19
@thelme55 It is and it must be fun sometimes too.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
22 Nov 19
I can't imagine how weird that would be but you're very clever
2 people like this
@thelme55 (77168)
• Germany
22 Nov 19
@sprite1950 it is sometimes weird especially if I was talking to a German and suddenly my friend called and I answered her in Bisayan language but my friend couldn't understand Bisayan, only Tagalog. Then my friend told me she didn't get it and so I switched into German or in Tagalog language. She can speak German, too. Crazy, isn't it? Thank you.
1 person likes this
@Hannihar (130213)
• Israel
21 Nov 19
@sprite1950 Sometimes I have thought in Hebrew and I guess it is to believe in the language you want to speak. It is like getting into character. Sometimes I cannot speak any language. English is my Mother Tongue but there are times I cannot think of how to spell something in English or explain it in Hebrew.
2 people like this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
21 Nov 19
Yes I've heard that sometimes you cannot literally translate from one language to another because the words or expression you are thinking about do not exist in a second language.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
21 Nov 19
@Hannihar I find language fascinating. I really wish I could speak another one fluently.
1 person likes this
@Hannihar (130213)
• Israel
21 Nov 19
@sprite1950 You are right that translating from English to Hebrew is not exact. There are times I cannot figure out what a word is in English or cannot remember how to spell words in English and cannot think of words what they mean in Hebrew.
1 person likes this
@mlgen1037 (29886)
• Manila, Philippines
21 Nov 19
Besides our native language, we were taught to speak English at a young age. My husband can speak other languages too. I only know a few words from other languages. I find it awesome how other people can easily speak other languages. I'm astounded.
2 people like this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
21 Nov 19
Me too! Some people are gifted when it comes to languages but I'm definitely not.
2 people like this
@mlgen1037 (29886)
• Manila, Philippines
21 Nov 19
@sprite1950 I think it's fine. But I remember my husband telling me that if a person is multilingual, they're intelligent. I still believe we're smart.
2 people like this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
21 Nov 19
@mlgen1037 I'm sure you are
2 people like this
@florelway (23286)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
21 Nov 19
I speak and write in English but my thinking is as a Filipino because it's my blood and I am exposed to the Filipino culture.
3 people like this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
21 Nov 19
That's amazing.Most Filipinos speak and write very well. I just wondered how you are able to switch from one language to another in your thoughts.
3 people like this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
21 Nov 19
@florelway I mean when you are thinking something to yourself, do you think in Filipino or in English.
3 people like this
@florelway (23286)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
21 Nov 19
@sprite1950 English is the medium of instructions in most schools and this is also the business language. I cannot fully understand what you mean when you say in Thoughts.
3 people like this
@dodo19 (47336)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
21 Nov 19
I am fluent in English and French. I grew speaking both languages, I tend to think more in English, but there are times when I will speak in French.
2 people like this
@dodo19 (47336)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
21 Nov 19
@sprite1950 It really is nice. I can't complain. It does have its advantages.
2 people like this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
21 Nov 19
Nice to be bilingual. I wish I was.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
22 Nov 19
@dodo19 Do you visit other countries so that you can practice your languages?
1 person likes this
• West Haven, Connecticut
21 Nov 19
I speak English, Spanish and Italian and they all have their own voice in my head jajajajaj
2 people like this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
21 Nov 19
Wow that's impressive. I would love to be like you.
2 people like this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
21 Nov 19
@BACONSTRIPSXXX Yes we pick up languages more easily before the age of 10 years.
2 people like this
• West Haven, Connecticut
21 Nov 19
@sprite1950 well my dads hispanic and my moms Italian and I was raised in New York so I have those three languages in my head since I was a toddler lol
2 people like this
@nela13 (58720)
• Portugal
23 Nov 19
I think in English every time I speak or write in English. I speak a little Spanish and German too but French I can only say a few things.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
23 Nov 19
I can't imagine thinking in another language. It must be strange.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
24 Nov 19
@nela13 How clever you are!
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@nela13 (58720)
• Portugal
23 Nov 19
@sprite1950 It isn't, it is natural after some years speaking the language.
1 person likes this
@kasmakarim (1932)
• Indonesia
21 Nov 19
Well, I speak 4 language
2 people like this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
21 Nov 19
@kasmakarim 5? That's amazing!
@thelme55 (77168)
• Germany
22 Nov 19
@kasmakarim what languages are they?
1 person likes this
• Indonesia
21 Nov 19
Oh, 5 language
2 people like this
• United States
21 Nov 19
I can only speak English. I wish I knew multiple languages, it's always amazing to me!
2 people like this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
21 Nov 19
Same as me. I'm always impressed by people who can speak more than one language.
1 person likes this