Learning a new language is a challenge for everyone, and we're trying to find recipes for learning fast, efficiently, and with fluency. We can learn all the grammatical rules, lists of vocabulary, idioms, and collocation verbs; something is missing to speak or write like a native. Speaking with a native is very important; you can correct your mistakes quickly, but it's not enough. Someone told me that it's essential to think in the language you're learning; it's not enough too. An English teacher told me when I would dream in English; then, I will be bilingual. I don't think so because whatever I do, I think with my mind, a French brain that works differently than an American one.
I will give you two examples.
There is only one word in French to express the feeling of love when there're two in English. In French: We love (aimer) pizza, friends, children, parents, and wife or husband. In English: they like pizza, friends; and they love children, parents, family. It seems not essential, but in French, we cultivate a kind of ambiguity. When I said that I love my friend, it can be usual or to love as my brother. In French, I don't need to precise; only the context can give this information; it's a kind of decency. Even if I know the rules correctly of the language I learn, it's hard for me to voice the feeling variation. It's the same with a strong feeling of love: adore or worship (adorer). In English, I 'love chocolate' when in French 'j'adore le chocolat' ('I adore it'), but the word for love (a lot) and worship are the same in French. 'Adorer le chocolate,' to love chocolate can be a kind of idolatry in French, and we can add 'I would eat it on a dead's tomb.'
Another example is the modal verb 'can' that translates the verb 'pouvoir.' The verb 'pouvoir' exists at all modes and tenses in French, but the modal verb 'can' exists only at present and past in English.
If I want to say : 'la semaine prochaine je vais aller à New York, je pourrais aller à Central Park'.
The translation of the second part of the sentence depends on what I want to do.
'The next week I'm going (or I will go) to New York City.' Then I have the capacity to go to Central Park, so 'I will be able to,' but if it depends on my timetable, it can be a probability. Then I've to choose between 'can,' 'could,' 'may,' or 'might.' An American choose the modal instinctively when I need to reflect. When I think in English, I do it with my brain, formated for French, not English.
Can someone really be bilingual? Humm, not sure! When I spoke with foreign people who live in France for a long time, I identified that they're not native speakers. Despite these facts, technical languages are the same because there is no difference in scientists' meaning.
Hi Alain, I can totally understand where your argumentation is coming from. As a German native I don't seem to have those difficulties. But what comes first to my mind is that you should put the direct translation aside. The sentences should come to your mind in English and not in French which you then have to translate. When switching languages we need to deal with those things that cannot be translated and describe them in other ways or skip them for now. To achieve this direct thinking in English I think it is necessary to get a lot of input by reading, listening, watching series, etc. To me it seems that things we learn at school like "which preposition is the correct one" are more confusing as they help, because we always tend to use the direct translation of the preposition we would use in our mother tongue. A more efficient way in my opinion would be to give the students a lot of texts where those prepositions are used correctly. That way they will build up a natural feeling on when to use which preposition. It's the same with "can, could, may and might". The moment you have to actively choose which word to use, you're losing a lot of time and become even more confused because you might even thing "It is always the opposite of what comes to my mind first." or something like this. So in order to really become fluent my advise is to get as much input as you can.
Your question about bilingualism is really interesting because there is no clear definition of this word. I used to think that it can only be applied to people that grew up speaking two or more languages, because they are native in both. But I learned that being fluent in another language than your mother tongue also is considered as being bilingual, so I do think it is possible to achieve that.
Thanks, Linda. Your argumentation is right, and I think in English all time; I do not translate. What I'm saying is another thing: the thoughts before words. My native language gives me an understanding of the world, and when I'm thinking in English, I do it with the inheritance of my native language. I don't reflect from a linguistic point of view but a psychological one. Maybe I'm wrong; I don't know. It's just a thought!
Great job, Alain. I hope my suggested edits are helpful and not overly precise. I'm a university professor (and scientific journal editor), so a good part of my professional life is devoted to editing other people's writing (which is why some suggestions may be overly detailed).
Thanks, Tim, I can't look at your suggestions, maybe a bug of journaly for now.
@Alain: Are you having those problems on your phone or on your computer? At my side I do have problems viewing comments on my phone but can perfectly see them on my laptop.
No, I'm on my computer. The problem is solved now.