Say you grow up in the USA speaking english. Then at 21 you move China, and begin to learn Chinese. At what point do you see a fat person and think "danggg doww con dow". Sorry for the ignorance but you get my point.
2007-01-05 08:05:16 · 7 answers · asked by blunted_obv 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
I wasn't totally immersed in it, so it may have taken me a little longer, but for me it was about a year and a half when one day I was walking home and it occurred to me that I was thinking in French.
2007-01-05 08:08:28 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
When I came from India to the US, it took about a year for me to think in English; it was quick because 1. I was immersed in English, 2. I already had previous knowledge of English, and 3. I wasn't yet an adult.
Learning a lang uage is always harder for adults. It will take longer to think in the other language depending on how frequently you use it and your previous experience.
2007-01-05 16:15:42 · answer #2 · answered by diepolitiker 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It would have to depend on the difficulty of the language in contrast to your native toungue. For me, English to Spanish= 3 months immersion. After that, Potuguese and Italian came very easily. Same grammar, similar but new vocabulary.
2007-01-05 17:20:17 · answer #3 · answered by dracomullet 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
About six months to a year of total immersion in the new language (speaking and listening to it every day for most of your waking hours; plus living in a society whose main language is that new language that you're trying to master).
You may still count in your native language for many years thereafter though. I guess the first thing we learn intensely in our own mother tongue is how to count and it's hard to let go of that habit.
2007-01-05 16:15:20 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
About 6 months if you're immersed in the culture and not just taking evening classes.
2007-01-05 17:23:00 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well I grew up in Australia, but now live in Croatia and have been here for 10months. I still think in English mainly, but find I will swear to myself in Croatian.
eg. if someone cuts me off in traffic its always a Croatian profanity!
2007-01-05 16:17:05 · answer #6 · answered by stabra 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It doesn't really go by years. It goes more by what language you use the most. That is the one you usually think in.
2007-01-05 16:08:07 · answer #7 · answered by besitos2610 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋