2009-02-10, 06:18 AM
Chompy Wrote:I am with Harrisonized on this.
Ambassador's children sometimes spend so much time that by their teens they can speak multiple languages so fluently that they literally slip and weave between languages mid-speech.
Apparently their ability word-smith (say EXACTLY what they mean) is much much higher.
Yes and no. I'm fully bilingual, and all too often I find myself knowing the exact word for what I mean - in the language my audience does not speak. Finding the equivalent in the other language is very hard because I'm too aware of the fine nuances of meaning. So while I have a very big vocabulary to draw on when I'm trying to crystallize my thoughts, I'm at something of a disadvantage when I have to speak or write them. The "partial" vocabulary I'm forced to use feels crippling.