Anyone here speak a second language, and if so, do you mix up the words between English and that language?

[CL82]

It happens, porque because you can't help it

I’m sure it does, and don’t call me porky.

 

[NJHusky]

It's an impressive skill to be sure.

I'm reminded of when I was working in Sofia, a Bulgarian con artist (or Russian, or some East Euro polyglot), would hang around some downtown ATMs, trying to start up conversations. He approached me once, addressing me in English. I'm tall, with blue eyes, and I was suspect of his motives, so I pretended to be an Argentinian with only broken English skills. The bastard also spoke Spanish, and better than I did.

Lol. I revert to my second language when I need to (play?) dumb. Luckily Polish isn’t very common so I haven’t had anyone I don’t want to speak with answer me yet.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Since I grew up in a bilingual house, The bigger issue for me is the third language. When I was learning Spanish I would sometimes use the word (usually a noun) from my second language. It really confused my teacher the first time it happened, then she asked if I already spoke another language. She said it happens all the time. If the brain doesn’t know the Spanish word, it uses the non English word it knows.

I wonder how confusing it is for folks that speak numerous languages? I found it so impressive that my RA in college could be on the phone speaking German to his parents, switch to English as I walked by then to Spanish for another student then back to German without skipping a beat

As a hearing impaired person that ability astonishes me. I failed Spanish 3 in HS because every conjugation of Spanish verbs sounds exactly the same to me. I definitely chose the wrong language, would have done better in German or French.

I can pick up written languages moderately well if I actually try. My most challenging moment was at an automated Car park machine in Bruges, Belgium. Some 6 languages, none of which were English and some of which were bastardized versions of other languages (like Flemish). Finally found French and figured out enough to pay. I believe the locals in Flanders speak at least two if not three languages, Flemish, French and English.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Until he started school (~5 years old) my father spoke Italian exclusively at home and english almost exclusively outside of the house (the same went for his brothers and sister). When he had conversations with his siblings, they would often flip back and forth between languages, normally without being aware they were doing so.

A had friends who were children of early 1960's Cuban exiles who were fluent in English and Spanish from before school age and when they had conversations among themselves they would do the same.

My (somewhat educated) guess is that if someone becomes bilingual at an early enough age, subconsciously they don't view either as a first or second language. Additionally, when speaking to someone who they know (or believe) is not bilingual they consciously remain in the one language the conversation began with and it is only when they speak with someone where they are not consciously remaining in one language where they will speak within both languages in one conversation.

 

[NJHusky]

Until he started school (~5 years old) my father spoke Italian exclusively at home and english almost exclusively outside of the house (the same went for his brothers and sister). When he had conversations with his siblings, they would often flip back and forth between languages, normally without being aware they were doing so.

A had friends who were children of early 1960's Cuban exiles who were fluent in English and Spanish from before school age and when they had conversations among themselves they would do the same.

My (somewhat educated) guess is that if someone becomes bilingual at an early enough age, subconsciously they don't view either as a first or second language. Additionally, when speaking to someone who they know (or believe) is not bilingual they consciously remain in the one language the conversation began with and it is only when they speak with someone where they are not consciously remaining in one language where they will speak within both languages in one conversation.

I would agree with most of this but my mother who learned English at 17 would start a sentence in one language and finish in the other. Growing up in that environment i barely noticed

The funnier part is now that she is quite elderly she sometimes forgets which language she is speaking. She was acting as a translator between my aunt who spoke no English and my wife who speaks no Polish. I had to keep reminding her she was talking to my wife in Polish and my aunt in English

 

[Rocktheworld]

For those who mix up words, did you start speaking your second language before or after puberty?

Speech Pathologist here with more-than-lay knowledge regarding bilingualism

 

[NJHusky]

For those who mix up words, did you start speaking your second language before or after puberty?

Speech Pathologist here with more-than-lay knowledge regarding bilingualism

For me bilingual house but third language after puberty

 

[Rocktheworld]

For me bilingual house but third language after puberty

When I was in grad school for speech pathology (I work in healthcare with dysphagia now so this info may be foggy/outdated) I remember learning that the organization of language in the brain changes after puberty. Whatever you learn prior to puberty is essentially all stored in one primary language center of the brain; whereas after puberty, a new language is compartmentalized in a sense. I think that’s why people who grew up speaking multiple languages switch back and forth so easily, because their brain doesn’t differentiate the semantics much.

I think that the switches happen to fit with syntax but that is a total shot in the dark

 

[Umami Zen]

Had an interesting experience while employed at a private psychiatric facility-where among other treatment strategies- they gave electro shock therapy to severely depressed patients. The hope was that eventually the memories which caused the depression could be replaced with more positive thoughts .. The elimination of the bad was the target.
A patient I was involved with was German-born.. A member of the Nazi Party.. But captured and re-deployed by the US Gov't (WW-2) because of his expertise in German submarine technology. Became a US citizen and spoke excellent English. However, when going through this therapy and after a session.. He would regain consciousness and immediately begin speaking in German. Was fascinating to me but I'm sure frustrating to him since I had no fluency in German language.

 

[imno1]

Speaking of 2nd languages. Does anyone here speak cliffspiffy? I need a few posts translated

 

[CL82]

Speaking of 2nd languages. Does anyone here speak cliffspiffy? I need a few posts translated

No, you don’t. You really don’t.

 

[NJHusky]

Speaking of 2nd languages. Does anyone here speak cliffspiffy? I need a few posts translated

I only speak English but I'm can listen and comprehend 90% of the Calhoun language and I can decipher and translate the majority of @ClifSpliffy's posts.

 

[Shamon30]

In my earliest days I spoke 4 languages, but haven't used any other than English or Spanish since I was maybe 5 years old. I've forgotten most of the French and Swedish I could speak, but once in a great while I hear and understand it in my dreams.

 

[8893]

Sure, especially if you pronounce it ka-PEACH.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Speaking of 2nd languages. Does anyone here speak cliffspiffy? I need a few posts translated

I don’t think the cypher will ever be discovered

A lost language of sorts

Or maybe the cypher is decades of smoking crack

 

[Improviser]

I took a job with a German manufacturer of injection molding machines. When I started, I was sent to the headquarters for 14 weeks of training, conducted in German. I had no prior exposure to injection molding, so almost everything I learned in training was brand new to me. When I got back to the states, I realized I had a pretty good handle on the subject matter, but I had no idea what the components and processes were called in English.

Google Translate might help, but I am not sure how effective it would be with technical language.

 

[ETSA]

My experience in foreign languages might be a little different than most. I learned both Czech and German after age 20. Words in both languages do come involuntarily to mind depending on the topic of conversation, but I almost always automatically suppress them and use the English.

The Czech was slanted toward military terminology and was learned in full-day classroom instruction for a year. After that, with little use outside of the mission, I was never really fluent in an everyday conversational sense.

My first exposure to German came after Czech a classroom at a US base in Germany. When we did oral pattern drills in German class, my classmates and I frequently plugged in the Czech words instead of German and the instructor would have to point it out to us. But that course was cut short after only a few weeks when I was transferred to a border station. So I started really learning German in a little Bavarian village where few spoke English. After my enlistment was up I took a European out from the Army and got married there. I did take a couple of mail correspondence while in the serve and college courses back in the States later.

My first wife and I spoke German at home. Our older son spoke German before he spoke English. At 4-5 years old he would speak German with his mother and me, then turn around and automatically speak English with my Dad. The way he processed his languages at that age was really is fascinating - so much easier that I had it done it.
I still speak German passably, but have definitely lost fluency. The internet has helped me have more interaction in the language and I make efforts to brush up. It was kind of fun when, before a European vacation, I tried to review my Czech by using a German textbook. That really forced me to get away from English.

 

[Mister P]

I’ve been studying ClifSpliffy for a few years now and am finally getting an understanding of it.
My intent is to never speak it but to just understand it.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

'it's doo-ritsy, muy lo-pash.'
everrbuddy growing up in Bridgeport has to learn 5, mebbe 10, languages to get on by. old polish ladies cursing at you in spanglish, kids calling 'next!' on the courts in vietnamese, dad's yellin from the porch 'get your sorry butt home, now!' in hindi, and so on.
not sure where the teachers learned swahili. recess, i guess.

 

[SallyH]

I'm fluent in Spanish. I never purposely confuse the two languages, but I do find some words in Spanish that are superior to their English counterparts.

 

[Get a Job]

I'm fluent in Spanish. I never purposely confuse the two languages, but I do find some words in Spanish that are superior to their English counterparts.

I found the same thing between English and German. There are some words in each language that are simply not easily translated into the other without using explanatory sentences.

 

[storrsroars]

I'm fluent in Spanish. I never purposely confuse the two languages, but I do find some words in Spanish that are superior to their English counterparts.

Good for you for staying fluent. I used to be 80% or so in the 90s, but probably only 20% these days. Anyway, I'll add that the insults can be far more colorful than what's standard for an American English putdown

 

[SallyH]

Good for you for staying fluent. I used to be 80% or so in the 90s, but probably only 20% these days. Anyway, I'll add that the insults can be far more colorful than what's standard for an American English putdown

It was my college major and when I was 30 we moved to Caracas, Venezuela, Panama City, RP, and Quito, Ecuador during an eight year span. Studying Cervantes and Unamuno et al did not prepare me to run a household. My extensive vocabulary did not include such practical words such as : hinge (visagra) electrical outlets (enchufle) etc. It is interesting to know that each country had a different word for watermelon (!), of all things.

I can also swear in Hungarian, but I'm not fluent. LOL

 

[mauconnfan]

Does capisce count?

See