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Dreaming in other languages

 Language Learning Forum : General discussion Post Reply
28 messages over 4 pages: 1 2 3
ChrisVincent
Bilingual Tetraglot
Newbie
Mauritius
quicklearn.t35.com
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23 posts - 33 votes
Speaks: French*, English*, Italian, Spanish
Studies: German

 
 Message 25 of 28
29 January 2010 at 8:29am | IP Logged 
Teango wrote:

I'm particularly interested in your notion that after dreaming in German you should i) feel an "urge to learn German more although you would not have known exactly where it came from", and ii) perhaps notice a "temporary rise in language skill following the dream". Is this something you've experienced yourself?


There are times when I had woken up refreshed, and with an unusual and compelling desire to learn Spanish, for example. This usually happened when I studied/ practiced Spanish thoroughly the previous day. Moreover, what I had trouble understanding the last day had become clear. Whether this is because I dreamt of/in Spanish or because my brain assimilated the recently learnt material or because I was proud of my progress (concerning the urge), I cannot say for sure - since I don't remember what I dreamt about. I always give myself a good night sleep when I study hard, so this is probably the reason why I don't remember the dreams.

So what was the reason behind my sudden enthusiasm? There must be a reason even if I don't recall anything. As research and other people's personal experiences suggest, this must be partly due to dreams.

I do remember a situation when a dream helped me to succeed. It does not relate directly to learning a new language but it does illustrate the impact and usefulness of dreams up to a certain point. This happened many many years ago when I was still a teenager. I had studied many years for the Final Exams. I was a reasonably good student and people placed expectations upon me. Just getting good marks was not good enough. There was a lot of pressure.

I had a strange dream some months before the exams. I dreamt that I had failed and got the worst grades! I was terrorised. The next morning, I woke up with that fear lingering and I was relieved that it was just a dream.

After that, I got an incredible focus and drive. Interestingly, I didn't have the same dream again. When I did sit for the exams a few months later, I was very calm and composed. The same thing applied when I was waiting for the results. I do think think that the dream played an important part in my success - it showed me my unspoken fear and thus allowed me to tackle it.

Since the primary purpose of one's brain is to help oneself, it would be interesting to know what effect nightmares have on people. What happen during the following days, weeks and months?

Do they spur them to greater things or inhibit their inner potential?

Edited by ChrisVincent on 29 January 2010 at 3:16pm

1 person has voted this message useful



Teango
Triglot
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teango.wordpress.comRegistered users can see my Skype Name
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2210 posts - 3734 votes 
Speaks: English*, German, Russian
Studies: Hawaiian, French, Toki Pona

 
 Message 27 of 28
29 January 2010 at 12:48pm | IP Logged 
Following on from what ChrisVincent was saying, it seems that dreaming in another language can indeed prove very motivational on the whole.

Many people report immense joy in being able to communicate more fluently in their dreams. Simply motivated by the pleasant experience, or perhaps waking to discover they are still well below par, they forge forwards with new-found zest to realise this picture and reach their goals.

Some manage to resolve long-standing or elusive language learning issues, especially grammar, or even learn a new phrase or two they never realised they picked up along the way. It all sort of clicks into place like a massive jigsaw during these great mysteries we call sleep and dreaming, and having now solved another little section of the bigger picture, the road ahead looks much more inviting and all destinations that more reachable.

Finally for others, it's an ominous yet positive nightmare, a helpful warning from our subconscious, that drives us upon waking to realise we still have time to make amends, circumnavigate the chilling visions provided by the linguistic Ghost of Christmas Future, and follow on to success in reality.

Does any of this sound vaguely familiar? Perhaps you have a motivational dream story too... :)

Edited by Teango on 29 January 2010 at 1:04pm

1 person has voted this message useful



victor-osorio
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Venezuela
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73 posts - 129 votes 
Speaks: Spanish*, English
Studies: Italian

 
 Message 28 of 28
29 January 2010 at 2:05pm | IP Logged 
ChrisVincent wrote:

Since the primary purpose of one's brain is to help oneself, it would be interesting to know what effect nightmares have on people. What happen during the following days, weeks and months?

Do they spur them to greater things or inhibit their inner potential?


Once a psychologist (who practises the Freud and Jung tecniques) told me that nightmares' purpose is to work as a punishment. When you do something you consider bad, you punish yourself through nightmares so you can cope with the sense of guilt in real life.

Edited by victor-osorio on 29 January 2010 at 2:06pm



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