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Post by attilathehun513 on Jul 17, 2009 23:54:16 GMT -5
For anyone who speaks more than one language (besides English), what language do you speak in your head by 2nd nature? I speak Mandrain as my first language followed by English (which I am most competent at) and some French. However, I think in English in my head even though Mandrain is my native tongue. I suppose I am so competent at speaking and writing in English that Mandrain has now become my secondary language.
I think this is a pretty engaging topic, so let's start our discussion on what language you think in your head by default!
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Post by moralhazard on Jul 28, 2009 2:06:47 GMT -5
I will go learn a second language now so that I can better reply to your post. It will also give me the opportunity to hear other voices in my head!
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Post by moralhazard on Jul 28, 2009 2:11:04 GMT -5
Hey Attila,
In your case wouldn't it also depend on where you live now? Scenario - If you were born in China and then moved to Australia, assuming you now have to communicate in English, then wouldn't this change your default language from Mandarin over to English? Not automatically of course.
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quiapo
Junior Member
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Post by quiapo on Jul 28, 2009 20:58:14 GMT -5
I have always thought in the first language I learned, Spanish, though most of my education is in English (some of it in England and USA), and I live in Australia. I wonder if it is that easy to change your default language, despite where you live.
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Post by TeeHee on Jul 29, 2009 14:29:48 GMT -5
If anyone were to read into my mind, they'd be confused as hell because I think in multiple languages at the same time. Not necessarily all 4 of them simultaneously, but at least 2 of them at the same time, and this alternates depending on the environment.
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Post by jefe on Jul 30, 2009 2:41:20 GMT -5
I agree that it is not just one language at a time -- it depends what you are doing and how you were trained. When I am doing analysis for project planning, for example, I will think mostly in English as I am educated in English. I count from 1-10 almost always in Cantonese (eg, items in a group), even when I was living in the USA and using English all the time. Depending on what I am doing, it could any of a dozen languages, but I think I still *think* in English about 70% of the time. In your case wouldn't it also depend on where you live now? Scenario - If you were born in China and then moved to Australia, assuming you now have to communicate in English, then wouldn't this change your default language from Mandarin over to English? Not automatically of course. Sorry, it doesn't work like that. You don't think in different languages simply because you move somewhere. In the example given above, assume that you were born in China, but spoke both English and Chinese at home and educated in English with some Chinese. You might still think in 70% English, 30% Chinese, but use them 50/50. This would not change simply by moving to Australia. Even if you switched to 98% use of English, it could take 10 years for you to switch from 70/30 just to 75/25 as far as "thinking" English. |
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Yingy
Junior Member
Snozzberries? Who ever heard of a snozzberry?
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Post by Yingy on Jul 30, 2009 15:27:26 GMT -5
I mostly think in english but it's all giant mess in my head because I have a habit speaking a mixture of english and mandarin to my mom and some friends so I think the same way and most times I'm not even aware of it.
If I'm super mad about something I will think in spanish or mandarin not sure why...
My husbands first language is french english second but he said he mostly thinks in english but when it comes to numbers, counting and directional stuff it's always in french.
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Post by Kalvien on Aug 4, 2009 18:38:43 GMT -5
I think in Indonesia, but I sometime think in english to ensure I dont lose my english, since it's my 2nd language
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Post by mingzayni88 on Aug 5, 2009 12:42:31 GMT -5
I just think in English, I'm so boring.  |
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fei
Full Member
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Post by fei on Aug 13, 2009 8:29:49 GMT -5
I speak alot of languge, some time i do get the grammer mixed up. And sometime when i get the word mixed up? when my friend speak in chinese i would reply her in thai???
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Szymon Von Zalyn
Full Member
50% Polish of Prussian descent, 25% Italian, 25% kalmyk, but 100% English.
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Post by Szymon Von Zalyn on Sept 6, 2009 4:21:24 GMT -5
English, I am boring too!
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Post by toyomansi on Sept 16, 2009 18:35:36 GMT -5
even when I'm a native norwegian speaker, I have had the tendency to do most of my thinking in english for many years...  must be because of american pop culture lol... also nowadays most friends I'm with are international students, so often I go through days only speaking english (not bad for a person who has never even been to an english speaking country, huh?....) |
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Post by Pocky Monster on Sept 16, 2009 19:18:41 GMT -5
I think in English, sweet talk in Thai and curse in Laotian.  |
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era
New Member
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Post by era on Oct 25, 2009 11:21:49 GMT -5
...with me it is 80% English,10% Mandarin, 5% French and 5% Dutch  |
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must be because of american pop culture lol... also nowadays most friends I'm with are international students, so often I go through days only speaking english 
