Is it possible to lose the fluency and accent of your native language.

[user472884]

I haven't found that I've lost fluency in my native language, to the contrary!

I've actually expanded and improved my knowledge and use of English.

15.5 years of English,
3 years of formal Spanish (with 15.5 years living in Southern California, so...)
2(?) years of French (teaching myself, LOTS of Alizée, Audrey Tautou movies, and Rosetta Stone)
1 full year's worth of other stuff (German, Italian, Irish... whatever caught my fancy at the time)

-----
Before I learned any languages, I understood a lot of "big" words, but never-ever used them in my daily speech.

I used to say stuff like "When'see comin' back?" or "Put the pot on the stove, and put the bowl on the table"

Now, ever since I started learning Spanish and French and learning how important it was, the differences between verbs... that I started applying that to my English.

I've even caught myself recently replacing my "old-speak" with my "refined" version; "When will he be returning" or "Place the pot on the stove burner, and set the bowl on the table".

It kind of sounds odd to me, and it hurts my brain to make all those unconscious conscious changes... that I'm trying to evolve back into my "old-English"... especially with typing in informal settings such as this- I'll often type exactly how I would speak out loud ("kinda, I'll")

---
Pronunciation (and grammar), however, has changed a bit... between all three languages.

Every now and then, I'll make a mistake like "l'aspiradora" or "Ils haben"...

And now whenever I read something silently, I pronounce EVERY "r" as a French R

------
P.S. if it matters, I used to know how to speak Korean when I was like 3 or 4, due to my Grandparents refusing to speak to me in English (because they were mad at my Dad for marrying a white chick). Long story short, I forgot how to speak Korean because I never used it again.

[Brent]

how exactly do you learn irish? lol

Originally Posted by Jalen

I haven't found that I've lost fluency in my native language, to the contrary!

I've actually expanded and improved my knowledge and use of English.

15.5 years of English,
3 years of formal Spanish (with 15.5 years living in Southern California, so...)
2(?) years of French (teaching myself, LOTS of Alizée, Audrey Tautou movies, and Rosetta Stone)
1 full year's worth of other stuff (German, Italian, Irish... whatever caught my fancy at the time)

-----
Before I learned any languages, I understood a lot of "big" words, but never-ever used them in my daily speech.

I used to say stuff like "When'see comin' back?" or "Put the pot on the stove, and put the bowl on the table"

Now, ever since I started learning Spanish and French and learning how important it was, the differences between verbs... that I started applying that to my English.

I've even caught myself recently replacing my "old-speak" with my "refined" version; "When will he be returning" or "Place the pot on the stove burner, and set the bowl on the table".

It kind of sounds odd to me, and it hurts my brain to make all those unconscious conscious changes... that I'm trying to evolve back into my "old-English"... especially with typing in informal settings such as this- I'll often type exactly how I would speak out loud ("kinda, I'll")

---
Pronunciation (and grammar), however, has changed a bit... between all three languages.

Every now and then, I'll make a mistake like "l'aspiradora" or "Ils haben"...

And now whenever I read something silently, I pronounce EVERY "r" as a French R

------
P.S. if it matters, I used to know how to speak Korean when I was like 3 or 4, due to my Grandparents refusing to speak to me in English (because they were mad at my Dad for marrying a white chick). Long story short, I forgot how to speak Korean because I never used it again.

Wow! I thought that I was only one here to speak a half dozen languages although most of them are Indian ones.

[user472884]

Originally Posted by Brent

how exactly do you learn irish? lol

Rosetta Stone. I don't ever plan on mastering the language, just survival stuff in case I ever stumble into a not-so-good-hood in Ireland

Originally Posted by Merci Alizée

Wow! I thought that I was only one here to speak a half dozen languages although most of them are Indian ones.

Nope! Language fascinates the shit out of me...

How we as humans agree on a "universal concept" (as I have dubbed it), but interpret it differently.

How we as humans recognize a furry creature with four legs and a face...

Though it can be referred to as
- "Dog"
- "Perro"
- "Chien"
- "Hund"
- "Cane"
- "Madra"
etc...

How we convey the same ideas, but in different formats

"Is your red car good?"
"Yo me quemó la pierna"
"Il goût bon, les ananas?"

I just can't fully describe my infatuation. I have like 15 languages in my Rosetta Stone thing... I just like the idea of having the opportunity to learn... Russian or Portuguese.

[wasabi622]

Originally Posted by Jalen

Rosetta Stone. I don't ever plan on mastering the language, just survival stuff in case I ever stumble into a not-so-good-hood in Ireland
.

OI! Respond to all the messages I send you regarding these!!!

[user472884]

Originally Posted by wasabi622

OI! Respond to all the messages I send you regarding these!!!

Oyé! I saw your facebook message, but facebook wouldn't let me send the links I wanted to on grounds that "facebook members have found [them] offensive"

I sent the same message to your email through AAm.

[user472884]

Just additional praise to Rosetta Stone.

I notice when I speak Spanish, although quickly, I have to translate it in my head from English to Spanish...

But French... I don't have to translate it, I think in French (with the very limited vocabulary I know) - Today I rattled off "J'ai reçu l'autographe d'Alizée, et un deuxième aussi" without even thinking about it... SPOOKY

[wasabi622]

Originally Posted by Jalen

Just additional praise to Rosetta Stone.

I notice when I speak Spanish, although quickly, I have to translate it in my head from English to Spanish...

But French... I don't have to translate it, I think in French (with the very limited vocabulary I know) - Today I rattled off "J'ai reçu l'autographe d'Alizée, et un deuxième aussi" without even thinking about it... SPOOKY

If I'm speaking Korean or Spanish, I just sort of do it, there's no thinking in English first.

The same goes for my French as well, though my vocabulary is quite limited.

I find that I don't ever really think about what I'm going to say in English first, I just stumble about in whatever language it is that I'm trying to speak it.

[johnsons34]

I've lived in the US for 10 years and I still have a very strong accent. Most people get used to it fast though and I don't have problems with my accent.

I speak my language at home though so that's one of the reasons why I haven't lost the fluency of my language.

[wasabi622]

Originally Posted by johnsons34

I've lived in the US for 10 years and I still have a very strong accent. Most people get used to it fast though and I don't have problems with my accent.

I speak my language at home though so that's one of the reasons why I haven't lost the fluency of my language.

If you don't mind me asking, how old were you when you moved to the US?
I think that there is a bit of a correlation between the age you try to pick up a new language, and how much you can adapt to it.

I came to the US when I was 5, and I've spoken it ever since at home.