Generally I prefer writing in Dutch because I have a certain preference for this language. But my blog statistics show that a huge quantity of readers read my English post about female language learners and polyglots.
Therefore this post also in English is a tribute to my readers' statisitics. I am known as not being a fan of translating so I will not translate this post into Dutch.
About myself I say that I have a polyglot lifestyle, but what is that? I can't even travel around to foreign countries nor do I have contact with native speakers in my home country Germany.
I would say that it's possible to have a polyglot lifestyle even, if you are not rich and not mobile and don't have contacts with native speakers in your own country.
What's typical about me is that my thinking language during the day always changes. This comes naturally to me as I always think in imaginative dialogs. I imagine an existing person and then think in the suitable language as if I were in a conversation with him or her. But when I want to think in Danish I still have to force myself a bit because I am not intermediate in this language yet.
I have forum activies, letter correspondence and e-mail contacts with people in different languages during daytime.
I do my cooking with recipes in my foreign languages (by using cooking books and cooking magazines).
I have regualar conversation groups with Germans (= who have the same native language as I have!) speaking Italian or English
One of my friends is Dutch, so I have been speaking on the phone and writing in Dutch on a daily basis since 2000.
If it fits into my schedule, I do polyglot skyping with language learners who speak my Romance languages in exchange for the languages I can offer them.
As far as I have acces to books and magazines, I read them at least in some of my foreign languages.
It's normal for me that I have serveral language activities every day - without counting the study time of my target language (which is Danish at present!)
What can be encouraging to others about this is that you don't have to be - financially or geografically - privileged to have a polyglot lifestyle, but you can create your own language oriented surroundings. This works very well for me personally.
Do others of you have experiences with a polyglot lifestyle? I am curious to hear some response on this topic!
Fasulye
A lovely blog post, I must admit that I am one of those English-speaking followers who reads your Dutch posts (or at least tries to!!) You're completely right about the expanded possibilities of the language learner, nowadays most things are possible, and it's amazing to think how recent this change has been.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenI also follow a polyglot lifestyle, however it is not yet quite so advanced as yours! I speak English throughout my day (naturally) but then read in German, Spanish and Catalan. I have classes in those three languages and also watch TV and listen to radio (particularly German classic radio). Then there are the language forums in which I post in my languages, which hopefully serves as some sort of basic practice. I also follow your pattern of 'thinking' in the language, as I'm walking around Cardiff I name things I see in the street, or think over what I've been doing in one of my languages (normally German at the moment as I'm really trying to take a step forward here). So yes, a polyglot lifestyle, and all without travelling too much...
Ciao.
PS. I like that when I post on your blog I have to push 'Publiceren' =)
Yes, I am aware of the fact that my writing in Dutch causes a language barrier because the readers of my blog come from all over the world. But I have a preference of Dutch (= my chosen "native language") and on the language forum I have to write so much English anyway.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenI would say that your lifestyle is also a polyglot one and it can be developed further.
Thinking in foreign languages is for me the key to fluency and to writing in these languages. I can only write in Danish now because I am able to think in Danish. The advantage of thinking is that you can do it everywhere and it costs zero money.
Travelling is expensive and there are enough poor people who can't travel at all. For a polyglot lifestyle travelling is not necessary!
Thanks for your feedback! Danke für deinen interesanten Beitrag!
Fasulye