Are there some things that are just so important that you will always do them in your native language?
I realized today that I always choose the English option when using the ATM. I also always do online purchases in English.
What things will you always do in your native language?
- James29
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- zenmonkey
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Re: What things will you always do in your native language?
Programming and the car GPS (mostly). One from the necessary building of 'mind castles' and the other from reducing distractions.
I have a lot of stuff that stays in a core language but that's just laziness.
I have a lot of stuff that stays in a core language but that's just laziness.
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I am a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar
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Re: What things will you always do in your native language?
No, I can't think of any situation where my native language would be important.
In fact, I tend to pick English whenever possible. It's easier to use Google for error messages, I don't have to bother with åäö when programming and I avoid terrible translations (manuals). Yesterday I watched a show on TV where they translated "I was terrified of you" to something along the line of "du liknade en skräcködla" (you looked like a dinosaur). It made no sense and went from a personal feeling to an insult. It's also good when taking notes from English material because you don't have to bother translating.
With this said, I don't change when it's native Swedish. I do my tax return in Swedish, I don't change language when using Swedish online stores or communicating with other people. Not because they are important but because it's the original language.
In fact, I tend to pick English whenever possible. It's easier to use Google for error messages, I don't have to bother with åäö when programming and I avoid terrible translations (manuals). Yesterday I watched a show on TV where they translated "I was terrified of you" to something along the line of "du liknade en skräcködla" (you looked like a dinosaur). It made no sense and went from a personal feeling to an insult. It's also good when taking notes from English material because you don't have to bother translating.
With this said, I don't change when it's native Swedish. I do my tax return in Swedish, I don't change language when using Swedish online stores or communicating with other people. Not because they are important but because it's the original language.
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- smallwhite
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Re: What things will you always do in your native language?
My native language is Cantonese. I choose English over Chinese whenever possible and feasible - ATM, bank statements, tax -, especially when it is important.
I will always prefer to speak in Cantonese.
I will always prefer to speak in Cantonese.
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Dialang or it didn't happen.
- neofight78
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Re: What things will you always do in your native language?
Let's start with the obvious: communicate with those who only speak my native language, or perhaps more broadly those who don't speak Russian.
I'll always write here in my native language.
I'll never be able to find good political analysis of British politics from anywhere but Britain, and our politicians only speak English. So reading the news or listening to political podcasts in English will always be a thing unless I somehow manage to wean myself off politics.
If I need to find out information about something I'll google and read in my native language. Whilst I can read most things in Russian, there's still enough friction in terms of effort that I can't be bothered whilst trying to quickly filter through stuff.
Medical stuff. Russian medicine is in a real state, and I don't trust any Russian sources or doctors. This is the thing that worries me most about living in Russia.
Grammar books. Whilst I do work with textbooks that are purely in Russian, I prefer grammar explanations in English, it's leaves maximum cognitive capacity for understanding the concept at hand.
Flash cards. I use L1-L2 cards a lot, and for me it usually is more efficient than L2-L2. I might start using them less but I don't see myself giving them up completely.
Everything else, more or less, is in Russian. Except the stuff I forgot of course
I'll always write here in my native language.
I'll never be able to find good political analysis of British politics from anywhere but Britain, and our politicians only speak English. So reading the news or listening to political podcasts in English will always be a thing unless I somehow manage to wean myself off politics.
If I need to find out information about something I'll google and read in my native language. Whilst I can read most things in Russian, there's still enough friction in terms of effort that I can't be bothered whilst trying to quickly filter through stuff.
Medical stuff. Russian medicine is in a real state, and I don't trust any Russian sources or doctors. This is the thing that worries me most about living in Russia.
Grammar books. Whilst I do work with textbooks that are purely in Russian, I prefer grammar explanations in English, it's leaves maximum cognitive capacity for understanding the concept at hand.
Flash cards. I use L1-L2 cards a lot, and for me it usually is more efficient than L2-L2. I might start using them less but I don't see myself giving them up completely.
Everything else, more or less, is in Russian. Except the stuff I forgot of course
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Re: What things will you always do in your native language?
I only talk dirty in my native language.
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Re: What things will you always do in your native language?
Besides the fact that I live in Russia and use my native tongue in everyday life, the language of all my devices, as a computer, smartphone etc, is Russian. I know that some of language learners switch these things in TL as a part of “immersion”, but I haven’t.
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- Bao
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Re: What things will you always do in your native language?
Not that I'm aware of. I might go back to counting/mental arithmetic using German words as an anchor when I'm maxing out my mental capacities - some days that happens sooner, some days I don't reach the limit. And at times my 'ouch' noises come out in German when I'm really taken by surprise. Everything else? Eh. Just limited by whether I know how to do it in a language, and whether it makes sense to do in said language.
I use my devices in English in most cases because that makes it easier to solve bugs and explain a program or feature to online friends ...
I use my devices in English in most cases because that makes it easier to solve bugs and explain a program or feature to online friends ...
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Re: What things will you always do in your native language?
I tend to use Portuguese when talking to my mother, but my dogs have to put up with English.
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Re: What things will you always do in your native language?
This is really interesting because I do everything in English (not my native language, but my strongest language), even think. However, I always count in Bulgarian (mother tongue). I don't know why, it's like my brain flipped to doing everything in English but left the counting out. I didn't even learn to count in Bulgarian first.
Other than that, I will always talk to my family in Bulgarian. My language is not very common so I can talk about anything freely in public without holding back! Though sometimes I will say something and then find out the person next to us was Bulgarian and proceed to want to jump off a bridge.
Something else a little unrelated... I can't swear in my native language. I mean, I know how to, but it just sounds so much harsher and worse than swearing in English. Swearing in English doesn't make me feel anything, but even hearing Bulgarian swears makes me cringe. I wonder why that is.
Other than that, I will always talk to my family in Bulgarian. My language is not very common so I can talk about anything freely in public without holding back! Though sometimes I will say something and then find out the person next to us was Bulgarian and proceed to want to jump off a bridge.
Something else a little unrelated... I can't swear in my native language. I mean, I know how to, but it just sounds so much harsher and worse than swearing in English. Swearing in English doesn't make me feel anything, but even hearing Bulgarian swears makes me cringe. I wonder why that is.
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