#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,387 Posted October 30, 2012 Posted October 30, 2012 I'm Dutch so naturally that is my first language. But as most Dutch people of my generation and those younger, I was raised with an excellent command of the English language. I didn't learn it at school, but simply by watching tv with subtitles. In my adult life though, i think I've written far... far more in English then I ever have in Dutch. I've spoken English every day for over 5 years at home. The thing is though, part of my inner monologue is in English, has been since my teens. How do other non native English speakers have English incorporated in their lives?
alicebrallice 134 Posted October 30, 2012 Posted October 30, 2012 school is far, far from the biggest source of my english knowledge. I have tv, movies, online gaming (played a lot of cs as a kid) and books to thank.how do I have english incorporated in my life? well, except for the obvious, I'm at a point (and have been for some time) where I don't like watching movies/tv with swedish subtitles and I hardy ever buy books translated to swedish. when I'm home we also tend to speak english to each other from time to time, which is pretty fun.
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,387 Posted October 30, 2012 Author Posted October 30, 2012 I do remember that in 2006, my first time in Ubeda with my friend Rubén, the mental requirements of speaking English for a week were quite hard. It just wore me out (combined with the long nights, but not the booze, didn't drink yet).In subsequent years it became much better, and I was able to converse meaningfully in English without batting an eye...even after 5 or 6 vodka/orange.I do notice that in really meaningful discussions, I tend to use a lot more words in English then I would in Dutch. Overcompensating perhaps, or trying to make sure I explain things well. That hasn't always had the desired effect.I've noticed this in co-workers from foreign descent trying to explain something in Dutch, they often overcompensate by saying redundant things.I'm more long-winded in English then in Dutch, by far (shut up!)school is far, far from the biggest source of my english knowledge.I never ever payed attention in English class...ever. I knew everything. The downside is that I have no theoretical understanding of spelling or grammatical rules when it comes to English.
Brónach 1,330 Posted October 31, 2012 Posted October 31, 2012 The basics I learnt at school. My main source of knowledge of English comes from the Internet, reading, seeing English language films and TV without dubbing, etc Forums like this are also a good place to practice because you can see how many natives actually use the language and learn their idioms and expressions.Also when I was 14, my mother, who studied translation and now teaches English, was aware that school wasn't the correct environment to learn a language, so she told me to go to classes of English for a few years so I could practice.However for the last two years, even if my use of written English has increased, I've barely spoken it, and my pronunciation isn't up to par (the inherently complex pronunciation of English doesn't help either.) I want to make my spoken expression and my accent better.
BLUMENKOHL 1,110 Posted October 31, 2012 Posted October 31, 2012 I spreche Deutsch, English, 和 MandarinEnglish I guess could be considered my native parent's tongue, but I learned English and German at the same time.
Quintus 6,497 Posted October 31, 2012 Posted October 31, 2012 Bloody foreigners, coming over here and using our words.
alicebrallice 134 Posted October 31, 2012 Posted October 31, 2012 I do remember that in 2006, my first time in Ubeda with my friend Rubén, the mental requirements of speaking English for a week were quite hard. It just wore me out (combined with the long nights, but not the booze, didn't drink yet).haha yeah, I know what that's like. there were a lot of "ummmmm"s and "errrrr"s during the first days of my visit in london. no flow at all! takes a couple of days to get into it. I'd say booze totally helps, you let your guard down and the constant worry about faulty pronunciation etc vanishes. I never ever payed attention in English class...ever. I knew everything.the only thing I today can remember from my english classes is when my high school english teacher took me aside and told me that she thought I should become an english teacher after a presentation I did on tolkien, actually. I think my american accent charmed her. and maybe a few fancy words.
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,387 Posted October 31, 2012 Author Posted October 31, 2012 I love your ***** Alice!
Quintus 6,497 Posted October 31, 2012 Posted October 31, 2012 Sorry for lowering the tone, I'm merry for the first time in ages. /leaves thread Ren 1
Brónach 1,330 Posted October 31, 2012 Posted October 31, 2012 I'm now learning German on my own and I have other languages in mind as well.
alicebrallice 134 Posted October 31, 2012 Posted October 31, 2012 viel glück! I do miss learning german in school.
Koray Savas 2,260 Posted October 31, 2012 Posted October 31, 2012 English and a bit of Spanish. Can read it better than I can speak it, and I can speak it better than I can write it.
KK 3,313 Posted October 31, 2012 Posted October 31, 2012 English is my native tongue having been born and raised in Canada and all. I'm fluent in French and I can speak/read/write in Spanish fairly well. Once you've picked up one European language, its easier to approach the other Latin-based ones.
JoeinAR 1,957 Posted October 31, 2012 Posted October 31, 2012 I speak English. Though I'm ok in french tooI learned english and french in school. It's quite common in New Hampshire and Maine to hear a lot of french. Mostly went to french Mass. My Grandmother who is American has a thick french accent.Now the language other than english is spanish, or in reality mexican as it is not exactly the same anymore. I wish I could speak it and more because there are a lot of $$$ to be made. I could make a lot of money preparing taxes for legal Mexicans around here.
Brónach 1,330 Posted October 31, 2012 Posted October 31, 2012 Now the language other than english is spanish, or in reality mexican as it is not exactly the same anymore.Well it's not identical to the language of Europe but I understand Mexicans pretty well
JoeinAR 1,957 Posted October 31, 2012 Posted October 31, 2012 Nor is the French I grew up with, or the english. English is such a different language in the various parts of the US. Not just the accents but the meaning of words and phrases.
Brónach 1,330 Posted October 31, 2012 Posted October 31, 2012 Like all very widespread languages. But today there's a lot of information sharing and contact between people that stops languages from splitting.This reminds me of all the stupid youtube flamewars between Latinoamericans and Spaniards concerning accents lol
Incanus 5,890 Posted October 31, 2012 Posted October 31, 2012 English is a language I use daily whether when I am reading or writing, internet, books, messageboards, news etc. I tend to have fewer chances of speaking it here in Finland.I remember how I was exposed to English in cartoons on the foreign channels when I was a child and sort of retained affinity for it later in school, where I really studied it with great passion. English is taught from 3rd grade on (from 9 years old) in Finnish schools, while even our second official language Swedish starts only at the age of 13 so the language has been a part of my life and vocabulary for 2/3 of my life. TV has had the advantage of expanding my vocabulary into spoken English and idioms a lot over the years, which normal Queen's English school curriculum tends to avoid and I have always been very interested in English accents and dialects because of the sheer sound of the language itself. The certain richness of vocabulary deriving from the global use of the language that has absorbed so many words and expressions from other languages is also fascinating and makes English colorful and expressive language with a lot of room for variety.And as Stefan said in his opening post the inner monologue and thought can quite suddenly turn into English without you realizing it as it has become such a constant part of your life and thinking. It happens to me all the time.
Wojo 2,458 Posted October 31, 2012 Posted October 31, 2012 I look at the thread title and I keep thinking this is a thread to remind us to tone down our swearing lest the filter returns.
hornist 1,261 Posted November 5, 2012 Posted November 5, 2012 In my early years here in this forum, someone laughed at my English skills. So I left this forum for two yearsand decided to study English in the University of Oxford. Today my English is incontrovertibly better than in those turbulent starting years.It's too bad you people cannot hear my brilliant Oxford accent here in the message board. Yours faithfully, Mr Tiitinen
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,387 Posted November 5, 2012 Author Posted November 5, 2012 Looking forward to meet you and confirm that!
Melange 448 Posted November 6, 2012 Posted November 6, 2012 It's too bad you people cannot hear my brilliant.....?.......accent here in the message [media=]
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,387 Posted November 6, 2012 Author Posted November 6, 2012 You foreigner!
Melange 448 Posted November 6, 2012 Posted November 6, 2012 Did anyone notice that on the 2nd video, the concierge at 0:21 seems to have a eyes in the back of his head?It is almost as if he 'senses' her advance while he was looking elsewhere, and turns to salute. Miraculous.Maybe he has Jedi powers?To be fair, I guess he may have glimpsed her in the reflection in a car window, the true professional that he is.However, part of me suspects that the whole thing was pre-arranged. I don't know what gives me that idea
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,387 Posted November 6, 2012 Author Posted November 6, 2012 Rehearsed. Even in those days the news reels were faked. It didn't start with Ant & Dec!
BLUMENKOHL 1,110 Posted November 6, 2012 Posted November 6, 2012 Thinking in your second language makes decisions more rational.http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/04/language-and-bias/
Luke Skywalker 2,385 Posted November 6, 2012 Posted November 6, 2012 I speak English. Though I'm ok in french tooI just cant believe that neither Quint nor stefan commented on that.... I speak spanish and english fluently, though i need more practise speaking the latter. In my own if i read aloud I can do it almost perfect, there are some words that i do it wrong though. But speaking with other people, one gets more nervous and its more awkward.I also know italian well enough to the point of understanding films and reading novels.I knew french but i lost most of it with lack of practise.I may go to Germany to work next year so...im going to start learning a little german beforehand. Ren 1
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,387 Posted November 6, 2012 Author Posted November 6, 2012 Renovia's skills in French are known to me
Melange 448 Posted November 6, 2012 Posted November 6, 2012 Renovia's skills in French are known to me[media=]
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,387 Posted November 6, 2012 Author Posted November 6, 2012 I like were this thread is going....
BLUMENKOHL 1,110 Posted November 6, 2012 Posted November 6, 2012 You know how I know you're not getting any?
Brónach 1,330 Posted November 7, 2012 Posted November 7, 2012 Currently I'm dabbling in Basque too. It's amazing.
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