How language impacts our mind.
English

How language impacts our mind.

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language learning

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.

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