What language do you think in?

[TexasJohn]

This may seem like a rather stupid question, but I posed this question to several naturalized immigrants and was very surprised with the answer. You can also ask this question to any multi-lingual person who is native American or for that matter anyone who is multi-lingual.

So go right ahead!!

 

[jeypore]

Think in English, but can fluently speak in three language.

 

[wtf]

Depends.
I think in English most of the time since now I am in US. I spent 6 months in Spain and towards the end I was thinking in a mixture of Spanish and English to the extent that when I got back, I would reply in double negative. (No tengo ninguna problema - I don't have no problems!).

While in India I would think in the local languages after I had lived there for more than a week. The way sentences are constructed in local languages are different so it is easy to spot. I would also end up translating phrases in local languages into English when talking (For example in Hindi "Eating somebody's head" == "annoying someone") etc. when I have switched my thoughts from english to another. Whenever I talk about finance or economy though, I start thinking in English back again, mainly because many local languages (except hindi) don't have enough words to describe things like derivatives, GDP/GNP etc. -- and this switching back ends up messing my sentence construction.

Could never think in Sanskrit or German though - it is either the train-like-conjugated-words-that-are half page long or my complete lack of skill in them.

 

[burton]

This may seem like a rather stupid question, but I posed this question to several naturalized immigrants and was very surprised with the answer. You can also ask this question to any multi-lingual person who is native American or for that matter anyone who is multi-lingual.

So go right ahead!!

Hi John

When I'm in Japan, I think in Japanese. When I'm anywhere else, I think in English. Except when I'm back home in London...then I just think 'get me out of here!'

What language do you dream in? Now that's a question...

 

[Captain03]

i think in both enlish and pothwari, depending on the atmosphere around me
although i could speak over 6 languages

 

[arsenal_gooner]

what a fascinating question .I always wanted to ask this question ,was thinking of posting a thread about it on a diffrent forum but " thought " it sounded stupid so i never asked it .i speak english with my brothers all the time i also think in english but im not english LOL . i think it depends on what language you speak most of the time, mostly likely think in that same language

 

[Beskar]

Interesting question indeed.

Most of the time I think in Urdu which is my native language. But sometime I'd be thinking in English. It really depends on the situation you're in. For example, When I'm active on the forum, I'm thinking in English because of course if I want to jot down a reply to some post, I'd have to do it in English.

There's another interesting question that could be asked. What language do you vent out your frustration in? For me, it's Urdu and Punjabi

 

[Neo]

I think its Dutch for me, usually I don't think about the language when I'm thinking.

 

[Bane Blade]

English in Scotland, Punjabi in family and Urdu in my hometown of Karachi.

 

[DarkStar]

SO u must think in a scottish accent? Your mind sounds like Sean Connery...sexy...

 

[genmirajborgza786]

I think in the language of thoughts I analyze in the language of ideas & depending on the situation i am in @ times for that matter perverted Imaginations !

 

[MastanKhan]

Hi,

This a very interesting question. You should also have added---what language do you count in.

There is a reason for you to think in the language that you think and count in the language that you count in---.

You can make yourself think in a different language---if you are fluent in that language and as long as you are not tired or under duress. If you are under duress and are extremely tired---your thinking nodules will revert back to your mother tongue and you will have to put an effort in thinking in the language other than your mother tongue. Proven under extreme physical torture.

As far as counting---we all revert back to our mother tongue awhen we are counting---that is instantaneous without any effort.

I for myself---switch immediately over to my mother tongue when I start counting---can't or don't want to count in urdu---either it is in english to start with and then switch to my mother tongue immediately, adding, multiplying or subtracting---even though I have lived away from my pakistani brethren for at leasst 25 years, but as far as language is concerned---as tired as I get, the thinking language changes from english / urdu / to my mother tongue---in that sequence.


Now how about another addition---what is the language of your dreams---???

 

[Cheetah786]

I will not be accused of this i do not think

 

[TOPGUN]

English most of the time but urdu & punjabi also work in my brain!

 

[duhastmish]

I think in english
and count in english . Even when i dream i am normally speaking in english.
my Hindi is horrible need to tweak it up.

Even when i am doing --- it , i talk in English. which gets not so good with an asian partner. lol but i guess my first language is English. And there is nothing wrong with that. Its global language.