On the English language · 1:47pm Feb 10th, 2012
I like English. I didn't grow up with it as my primary language, but I've grown to prefer it over my native tongue.
That is not to say that I dislike being able to speak two languages with ease; why would I? It's just a preference, albeit one that causes no end of raised eyebrows whenever I mention it. So let me explain:
I often thought that my situation was unique. Looking at others, I only recognized people who saw English as a necessary evil, something they had to learn because it was everywhere, not as a full language to use to its full potential. And potential it has.
After recently reading Suomibrony's "First Pony View", I was a bit taken aback by his linguistic prowess. Turns out that English wasn't native to him either. I was going to post a small comment on that, but me being me, it turned into a full-blown rant. So a blog post it is.
So it happens that I share his sentiments. I do know that my control and skill of English vastly exceeds that of my fellow men in this country, but I still find it lacking. Writing these words is one thing, because I have all the time in the world to come up with proper sentence structures and phrases that don't make me sound like an idiot.
But holding a real-time conversation? That poses a challenge.
Reading helps a lot, especially in this community as it is almost exclusively composed of English text, and because I enjoy it. Interaction with English-speaking communities, websites, playing games and watching movies in that language also teaches a lot of mannerisms and linguistic (and cultural!) tidbits that help one improve.
I also started writing fiction based on an idea I had. Maintaining a good linguistic quality turned out to be a lot of work. I got to around 2500 words before I abandoned it upon realizing that the premise was stupid. Nevertheless, I respect the authors on this site who can come up with thousands of words in a matter of hours.
Tell me, authors of fimfiction: Do you find it as hard as I do?
I find myself using English a lot. This goes so far that I actually tend to prefer it in most cases, because I find it to be a lot more expressive and widespread (allowing me to take in far, far more information than someone who stupidly sticks to his native tongue for no rational reason.) Also, most media and technology was originally English and translations are often wrong, crappy or just painful. Anyone who has watched a dubbed version of the Simpsons will know what I'm talking about. Puns don't work, the cultural background is missing and sentences end up sounding unnatural because they need to be lip-synced. That just won't do ;)
This level of bilingualism is really quite interesting. I often tend to have tip-of-the-tongue moments where I know the word I want in one language, but not the other. Sometimes neither. Turns out that this is a common problem in multilingual people.
So I strive to improve my skills at holding a conversation at a decent pace, but it is proving to be difficult. Sure, I can talk like a normal person. But the written word is just that much more patient and powerful. Then again, I have the same problem in my native language, so maybe I'm just a little slow? :P
Native speakers: Do you have the same problem?
In any case, it was nice to see someone else who was not born with English, yet maintains a high level of linguistic prowess using it.
Thanks for reading. Cheers!
Well for me, I am currently learning Spanish, or hablas epsonal to those in Espana.
I suppose you've been lucky enough to have been exposed to two langauges when you are young.
Honestly though, I find it rather surprising that you find English to be such an expressive language.
Not to mention the fact that you write it like a native speaker, same with Sumo.
If you didn't tell us in the first place that English wasn't your native tongue, I would have passed you
off as either an American, Canadian, Australian, Brit or Irish.
Me? I have problems with taxing myself to learn how the grammar in Spanish works.
I know that it isn't a Germanic language, but it shouldn't be this problematic for myself.
At least you don't sidetrack yourself from the topic at hand. For me, I noticed that I tend to stray into
other topics more often than I would like. The above is an example of this.
Meh, but I digress, have a picture of Rainbow Dash while you type your reply.
i.neoseeker.com/mgv/574321-Liege/321/112/brjmv_display.jpg
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Me, a native speaker? You'd think that. Until you hear me talking that is. Ah ain't got no ack-cent
I can't say much about Spanish itself, but I can understand that it's not easy. It comes naturally when you're using it every day, but I don't see that much Spanish content out there, compared to English. If you can get your hand on movies or games in that language, go for it. It really helps :)
Also, Dash is always relevant.
This double language thing is weird. Because i started playing video games about 5 years old and now im 16 and best of our school in english.
I only have a problem in my native language as i put english words in my speech, and internet terms as well.
Hallo!
I will say that your handling of the English language is quite adept, from what I've read. One thing I will say about the English language itself is that the breadth of variance may seem a bit confusing, but it does allow for much more nuanced expression. To compare with a common idiom, "There's more than one way to skin a cat." Or in other words, it's like the Linux of languages.
Which language is native to you, by chance?
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Thank you! Heh, your comment came up just as I sent my own for your story. Impeccable timing!
I like that definition. Versatile, logical and open, like the Linux OS.
What, then, would Windows represent? Chinese? :)
As for your question, I'd rather leave it unanswered. I don't identify with my country or its language, and I'd do a poor job representing it. Does that make sense?
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That's no problem, I already know where you're from.
We're all from the same country: The Internet.
Hello there, I saw a few of your comments on "First Pony View" and decided to have a look at your profile. Once there I saw this here blog post and thought to give a comment, old as the post may be.
I learned English growing up, as it was, and obviously still is, quite pervasive, and it is a required subject in school, as well. I also find that other's grasp of the language is lacking, in comparison to my own, at least. However, I don't have the difficult speaking the language that you have, if fact, native speakers, at least the few Americans that I've talked to, think that I'm a native speaker as well. I actually have to work at it and concentrate constantly to speak with the accent typical of a person from my country speaking English. (P.S. It sounds horrible.)
I do think that my extensive use of English has put a bit of a damper on my skiil with my native language, as I have a much easier time digging up a suitable turn of phrase in English than I do in my native language.
My brother and best friend are also very apt in speaking English, though not quite so much in writing it, and we often lapse into speaking English without noticing, which can raise some eyebrows when in the company of others. If someone's talking to me and they speak a sentence in English, I will often respond in English and continue speaking in English wiithout noticing, which can confuse my less linguistically able countrymen.
I was learning Spanish in school, but alas, I stopped after graduating. My skills at that particular language are currently, sadly, abysmal.
Salud y paz.
Edit: On a side note, I did embarrass myself once by assuming that someone here on FiMFiction wasn't a native speaker of English and stating such. My face when they said that they were a native speaker... Oh boy.
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(How did I miss this comment?)
Yes, you are right! The Internet is indeed what I consider myself a citizen of. We're living in a time that makes global boundaries become meaningless, through technology that does not care who you are or where you're from. It is truly amazing.
Sadly there are still so many differences delaying our unification. And those who seek to stop or undo this process for various reasons, be they matters of power, control, money, religion, ignorance, language or otherwise.
Damn it. I'm ranting again.
317975
You talk in your native tongue and whoop, you can't find a suitable phrase. An English phrase however presents itself immediately. Makes you sound quite strange when talking to people who don't expect that.
Heh, I do the same
Lapsing into English when the opportunity presents itself is also not unusual for me.
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Makes for awkward situations sometimes.
Yeah, but I don't notice that I've switched to English.