If you are mutli-lingual, which of the languages do you think with?

Question

This is an interesting question... Is it your primary language you think with, or is it the language in which the context of the thought is applicable to?

In other words, if you speak Arabic and English, and if your primary language is English, do you think in Arabic when visit a fellow Arab at his house and begin talking with them...?

I'm impressed!! Excellent answers from everyone! It will be very difficult to choose a best answer!

Thank you all for participating.

This has been a very interesting and learning experience for me. I did not realize that we have so many multilingual people on YA!

multilinguals RULE!! :)

Answer 1

This is a particularly interesting question because people who speak multiple languages have both an advantage and a disadvantage. The advantage, obviously, is that we can communicate with significantly more people than if we just spoke one. The disadvantage is that we often end up speaking whichever language we desire at will.

I'm fluent in English, Spanish, Tagalog/Bisaya, and Italian. I'm also capable of communicating in Russian, French and German and sometimes it's just confusing. For example, I take notes primarily in English, even though it's my second language. While listening to lectures, I "process" the notes and write them down. Sometimes, when I'm listening, I'll hear a particular statement and it will somehow launch a different language pattern, i.e. I'll think it's easier to say/write/phrase the statement in another language and I'll inadvertently switch to that. The result is a veritable Rosetta Stone of notes which few, if any, of my fellow colleagues can read and comprehend.

I try to stay within the language of the majority, however, since communication works only if there is understanding between parties. If I'm around people who speak a language of interest and I know the people, I'll generally join in (or attempt to, anyways.)

As a tutor for the University of California, it's not uncommon for me to encounter students from all types of ethnicities, backgrounds, credos, and linguistical abilities. I usually hold my tutoring sessions in default English, but will switch to their language of choice if I find that it's easier for me to communicate with them on that level. It's also great rapport between students, something that's greatly overlooked when it comes to teaching positions.

Answer 2

That's a hard one. I'd select Afrikaans as probably the most languages, considering your daughter would possibly not be ready to be taught it somewhere else as with no trouble as French or Spanish, plus your female friend is extra secure talking it. Moreover, I have no idea precisely how near it's to Dutch, nevertheless it would deliver her an skills if she comes to a decision to be taught Dutch in the future. My moment option might be French. I'm a little bit biased in this one considering the fact that it is my local language, however the men and women I recognize who needed to be taught French observed it more difficult to be taught than Spanish. I'm fluent in Spanish and, for my part, it resembles French plenty, simplest the verb tenses are simpler. I'd say coach the more difficult language now, so she don't have drawback with the less difficult one in a while. I do believe it is a gamble to coach three languages at a time, that is why I left English out. My reasoning is that she'll be taught it by way of simply residing in an English-talking atmosphere, such as you did, it sort of feels love it labored for you. So that is my opinion, I wish this would aid. Good success!

Answer 3

I consider myself fluent in 5 languages, but really competent only in 2, German and English.
I can't usually tell what language I'm thinking in, and answer automatically in either one if am adressed in it.

For the other ones, I tend to think in the language I learnt them through, so if it's French or Russian I have to translate the hard bits into German, if it's Irish I use English. I find I have more problems speaking French and Russian when the other people around are English speakers, and social context is important.

When my children were small the rule was "German inside the house", so they would not lose it, and I found myself switching over once I closed my front door behind me. This habit was very hard to break when I went back to Germany and I found myself standing in German shops thoughtlessly using English and expecting to be understood, or having to sort my languages for a few seconds before I could say anything.
Now the children got English speaking partners I find this is not the case so much anymore.

Answer 4

Definitely in context, although I revert to English. I've learned Arabic/English growing up, and been taking Spanish for eight years. If I even just start thinking about Spanish class, I'll imagine entire conversations in Spanish with friends and teachers. And your example with Arabic is perfectly true.

More often, actually, I'll think in a combination of both Arabic and English. I can communicate more complex ideas to myself in English, but Arabic is so richly detailed in adjectives and verbs that I often combine the two. It doesn't help that I think strictly in words, so when I stop to think about it, I think its a medley of thinking up there!

Answer 5

Actually I don't think in words, I think in images. But if I need to find a word, I most often think in Dutch, my native language, except when I'm in an English speaking country for a longer time, then I'm switching to English.

Answer 6

it depends on your knowledge of a certain language. for example, i'm bilingual - I have English and Russian as my mothertongues and as my parents are language crazed people I started studying Italian and German at the age of 4 and 5 respectively. And that's why nowadays I think in either Russian or English (more Russian, I must admit) inserting italian or german words and /or expressions in them. And when I speak, if I don't watch my mouth, I produce some kind of three language abracadabra

Answer 7

I'm Swedish and I learned a bit English in school, but it wasn't much. Once I decided to improve my English I started to translate my thoughts into English and now I do it without reflecting over it. So now I think mostly in English even though I don't speak English in my everyday life. (I only type it on the web.)

Answer 8

This sure is an interesting question.
I speak both Spanish and English and Spanish is my mother tongue. Now when I speak in English, I totally think in English. But sometimes strange things happen.
When I speak in Spanish, I tend to forget how to say some words in Spanish and I have to say them in English and my friends laugh at me because of this. Sometimes I get stuck with a word I have in mind and I want to say it in Spanish but the only word that comes out first is in English. Weird, eh?

Answer 9

well tough question
i'm lebanese but i learned french before arabic then english i think in french but if i want to speak in arabic i cant help saying somthing in french or english it gets a little mixed up but once u focus on one language u can easily find the words .right now i'm learning spanish so i dont want to think of the result :P

Answer 10

For example I speak Spanish(native language), English and German and sometimes I think in German. Sometimes I don´t even realize that i´m thinking in an other language.