Thread: Native Words/Phrases you use even though daily you speak another language

I know a number of you (Hanna, Master Admin, Lampada - maybe others) daily speak another language other than your native language.

Besides counting, what words, phrases or expressions do you still say in your native language?

OR do you know someone who does this? What words, phrases or expressions do they revert back to even though they are using another language fluently.

Thanks.

You said "besides counting" so you must know the trick I think people revert back to their native language in situations that help them feel more comfortable or allow them to concentrate on things. These could be very individual situations but counting in your native language seems to be the most universal one for focusing. You should look for research on that topic.

Originally Posted by MasterAdmin

You said "besides counting" so you must know the trick

Yes, I learned this one a long time ago when I lived in New York. I had this doctor who spoke perfect English and then he spoke French with his wife who was also his nurse. Then all of the sudden he was counting in German! I was blown away and confused. He explained to me that people will count (especially when it is money or something important) in whatever language they were taught to count in, no matter how long they have spoken another language. I have found this "rule" to be true no matter the language.

Originally Posted by MasterAdmin

I think people revert back to their native language in situations that help them feel more comfortable or allow them to concentrate on things. These could be very individual situations... You should look for research on that topic.

Interesting idea about the situations that help them to feel more comfortable..... AND why do you think I am asking people here... it is real time research!

So here are two examples of what I am speaking about:

After 25+ years of speaking English and living in the U.S., my hubby still says, "déme" when he wants something. At the table if he wants the mashed potatoes, he won't even say a complete sentence, it's just "Déme" (in Spanish = give me).

A boss I used to work for in New York who was born in Italy and came to the U.S. as a young teenager, nine out of ten times still answers the phone "Pronto."

Does anyone have examples like these? Especially Russian. You can send me a PM if you don't want to post anything personal

Funny, but when it comes to cursing people quickly learn to use the foreign curse words

Yes... you are correct... and ya know... I actually have a section of the book, where Valentina learns how to drive a stick shift, that mentions just how unlady like she is because she is cursing in every language she knows a curse word in!

Now, I don't have cursing in the book per se, but I have been trying to find out some good "almost" Russian curse words or expressions. Or other languages would be fine as well... So if you know some, send them my way!

Remember think G or PG rated!

No, the only thing I do differently is that I prounounce non-English names closer to their real pronounciation (if it is a language I am familiar with). That is a Swedish habit.

The English way of dealing with foreign names, particularly French and German ones, is to "Anglisize" them in their pronounciation... to the point that a French person would hardly recognise the name.

This happens with names of places too.

I feel a strong urge to pronounce the names of places and people as close to the local/native pronounciation I can. "Anglify" it while speaking English feels really wrong. I do it anyway, but I don't like it!

This is noticrable in how English deals with Russian names too.
Plus; as I write in this forum I constantly have to force myself to use the English transliteration of Russian names that are familiar to me with a different spelling.

I have noticed that Russian seems to stick reasonably close to the original pronounciation and spelling of European names and places.