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Living abroad using 2nd language | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : General discussion |  | |
| Po-ru Diglot Senior Member United States Joined 5480 days ago 173 posts - 235 votes  Speaks: English*, Japanese Studies: Korean, Spanish, Norwegian, Mandarin, French | Message 1 of 17 21 January 2010 at 4:16am | IP Logged | ||
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I am just wondering if anyone else has this feeling. After about 8-10 days after
arriving in a country where the language is not your own, do you get to feel like you've had enough of speaking the language? I mean, it's not like you don't want to speak the language but I feel like since I have been here, I've kind of degressed and things are getting harder for me to understand and I am noticing difficulties in my communication. When I arrived here, I felt so confident about my ability, now after being here for a week or so, I feel it is slipping. Does anyone else have this feeling about living abroad or any advice on how to cure it? Thanks 2 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| MegatronFilm Triglot Senior Member United States peligrosa.tumblr.comRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5938 days ago 130 posts - 275 votes Speaks: English*, SpanishC2, French Studies: Portuguese, Mandarin, Japanese | Message 2 of 17 21 January 2010 at 4:35am | IP Logged | ||
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Hey there. I think this may be a common occurrence. It could be that you're mind is on overdrive trying to take in
all the new information, therefore making you feel a little frustrated. Its just going to take time to adjust. While I was learning Spanish in Peru, at first I felt semi-comfortable with the language, but then a few weeks into it, I felt a little frustrated as well. I did slip into English and was frustrated with speaking Spanish. Eventually that passed and I got back into the flow. I think its just the mind is adapting to everything. Coloquialisms can seem difficult to get used to but I found that they are quick to pick up while in the immersion environment. Once you gain some local flair you should have the confidence to speak in no time :) Edited by MegatronFilm on 21 January 2010 at 4:37am 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Katie Diglot Senior Member Australia Joined 6718 days ago 495 posts - 599 votes Speaks: English*, Hungarian Studies: French, German | Message 3 of 17 21 January 2010 at 6:25am | IP Logged | ||
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I have recently noticed this too! At first when I had an opportunity to only use my 2nd Language, I was going really well... I felt I could understand well and I was communicating quite confidently ... then within a few days, all of a sudden I felt like things were harder, and I couldn't communicate as well... I'm not sure what it was!
I find now that it goes through phases - for a couple of days I'll be fine, and then I'll be 'lost' again... I have no idea why this happens, but now I just try to tell myself to relax and that I'm probably trying too hard. I just go back to listening and trying to keep up with the conversation rather than actually speaking in the conversation. After a while of listening, I manage to participate a bit more. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Mieke Tetraglot Newbie Belgium Joined 5447 days ago 21 posts - 29 votes Speaks: Dutch*, French, English, Russian Studies: German, Spanish | Message 4 of 17 21 January 2010 at 7:02am | IP Logged | ||
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I think it could be because constantly being around a foreign language, is mentally very tiring. And after a while, it just becomes too much. You need a break.
It's very frustrating when such a thing happens, but the best thing to do, as Katie said, is just to relax. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Bao Diglot Senior Member Germany tinyurl.com/pe4kqe5 Joined 5766 days ago 2256 posts - 4046 votes Speaks: German*, English Studies: French, Spanish, Japanese, Mandarin | Message 5 of 17 21 January 2010 at 9:49am | IP Logged | ||
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L4 immersion here. For the first two weeks, I had a constant headache because my brain couldn't process enough of what I heard (also, Spain is loud and I wasn't used to that). After those two weeks I actually started recognizing the words again that I had known before ... Edited by Bao on 21 January 2010 at 10:42am 2 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| cordelia0507 Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 5838 days ago 1473 posts - 2176 votes Speaks: Swedish* Studies: German, Russian | Message 6 of 17 21 January 2010 at 10:14am | IP Logged | ||
Well my second language is English and I currently live in the UK. Luckily I don't often feel as if I have "had enough of speaking the language" If I did strongly feel that way, I would leave. I have some reservations about English as the "lingua franca" in EU and the world. But I wouldn't question for a second that it is the language I need to be using in ENgland. Quite unfortunate huh? If a non-native English speaker would develop this feeling d, since it is EVERYWHERE all the time. Not only in the English speaking countries. This perspective might be worth bearing in mind. There is no cure for what you are describing. Just accept that you are in the minority with your own language at the moment, for a change. And start speaking that language whatever it is. If you really can't stand it, seek out the nearest "Irish" pub or expat club. 3 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| TheBiscuit Tetraglot Senior Member Mexico Joined 5923 days ago 532 posts - 619 votes Speaks: English*, French, Spanish, Italian Studies: German, Croatian | Message 7 of 17 21 January 2010 at 5:37pm | IP Logged | ||
Yes, find some expats who have been there for 5 or so years and watch them order food - you will instantly feel better about your progress. Seriously though, just hang in there, it's worth it. Try to avoid expats until you get fluent as if you start hanging around with them, you'll never learn the language. Mediocre language abilities are somewhat contagious. 2 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| victor-osorio Diglot Groupie Venezuela Joined 5432 days ago 73 posts - 129 votes Speaks: Spanish*, English Studies: Italian | Message 8 of 17 21 January 2010 at 5:46pm | IP Logged | ||
Yes, Spanish is LOUD! But, come on, that's one of Spain's charms, the party spirit that's everywhere. If you catch the funny part of it, you will be one of them in no time. Lol. I'm just curious, but I have always understood that there's only L1 and L2. Every language that you have that's not your native language is a L2. There are no L3 or L4, at least not in texts I've read about language learning. L2 is any language you've learned after your puberty. Anyway, I could see those kind of terms (L3, L4, L5...) being useful to not write the long and tiring "my fourth language, my fifth language...). 1 person has voted this message useful |
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