The English Language as a second language.

[Veydris]

Hi. I suppose to some extent I'm curious if people have similar experiences with the English language that I've had. So, a small personal story. I went to school, started learning English in first grade, my grades were 2 or F. Then I got introduced to gaming, and within a week, my grades shot to a 5, or an A, and I had leaped above my peers in the year that I was in.

Skip a decade, and I've come to a point where I find that I know English more than I know my actual mother tongue. Infinitely, I feel like I know more English words than I know words in my mother tongue. But there are strange instances of where I'm building a sentence, whether in a story I'm writing, or talking with someone over an online platform, and I happen to use a word I don't know the definition of. But I use the word anyway, because it's the right word to use, and it makes sense to use it. And I have never been wrong with it, or been told that I was wrong for using that word, despite not knowing the definition, or what the word meant at the time.

So, I suppose, I'm wondering if people have similar experiences with the language. Whether it be their first, second, or third language.

 

[pmmg]

Well, English is not my second language, and that's good, cause I would hate to be trying to write in English if it was. Not many can pull that off.

I do use some foreign words that I dont really know the definition to, or sometimes just wrong. Words like De, De La, Du that show up in peoples names (such as DeSantis, De La Hoya, DuPont) might make a native wince. But...I press on anyway. And there are probably some Brits who dont like the way I spell things.

But...not much like the experience above. But then, sometimes I use English words and dont know what they mean. And many times I do know what they mean and wonder why someone else has come and changed the meaning...

I will say, I learned to type playing Infocom games. That was cool (now everyone under 30 goes and looks up infocom).

 

[Veydris]

Well, English is not my second language, and that's good, cause I would hate to be trying to write in English if it was. Not many can pull that off.

I do use some foreign words that I dont really know the definition to, or sometimes just wrong. Words like De, De La, Du that show up in peoples names (such as DeSantis, De La Hoya, DuPont) might make a native wince. But...I press on anyway. And there are probably some Brits who dont like the way I spell things.

But...not much like the experience above. But then, sometimes I use English words and dont know what they mean. And many times I do know what they mean and wonder why someone else has come and changed the meaning...

I will say, I learned to type playing Infocom games. That was cool (now everyone under 30 goes and looks up infocom).

I can understand. I'm quite doubtful that I'll ever reach the point of using names like DeSantis, and the like. Maybe once, but doubtful. More in the sense that I'll stay towards simple-ish names. I suppose English has become relatively instinctual to me, wherein I write a sentence, might not know what a word in it meant, but it absolutely makes sense using it.

And neat, infocom, interactive fiction, or something, right?

 

[skip.knox]

Infocom was great. Zork!

I can't recall now what their tag line was, but it was eerily similar to Orson Wells talking about the "theater of the mind" with regard to radio drama.

 

[Prince of Spires]

And I have never been wrong with it, or been told that I was wrong for using that word, despite not knowing the definition, or what the word meant at the time.

I have the same, as in that English is my second language, and I tend to use words fairly instinctively, even though I couldn't tell you exactly why I use word X and not Y, even though they're almost the same.

Two words of caution. Just because no one has told you that you're wrong doesn't mean you're always right. Especially in casual (online) conversation, people will either assume they know what you intend to say even if it's wrong, or they will not notice it and just gloss over it. They might even not be native speakers themselves, or have been using the word wrong themselves.

And two, a big difference between being a native speaker and a non-native one is the "feeling" of words. Just because I know swear words, doesn't mean I have the same feeling about them as a native speaker does. What for a native speaker could be the most horrible thing to say is for me just another word. With English it's made even worse in that words that are a no-go in the US are fine to use in the UK and vice-versa.

 

[Dylan]

Hi. I suppose to some extent I'm curious if people have similar experiences with the English language that I've had. So, a small personal story. I went to school, started learning English in first grade, my grades were 2 or F. Then I got introduced to gaming, and within a week, my grades shot to a 5, or an A, and I had leaped above my peers in the year that I was in.

Skip a decade, and I've come to a point where I find that I know English more than I know my actual mother tongue. Infinitely, I feel like I know more English words than I know words in my mother tongue. But there are strange instances of where I'm building a sentence, whether in a story I'm writing, or talking with someone over an online platform, and I happen to use a word I don't know the definition of. But I use the word anyway, because it's the right word to use, and it makes sense to use it. And I have never been wrong with it, or been told that I was wrong for using that word, despite not knowing the definition, or what the word meant at the time.

So, I suppose, I'm wondering if people have similar experiences with the language. Whether it be their first, second, or third language.

That’s actually really cool, like your brain just absorbs words through context without needing a definition first. Gaming is a surprisingly great teacher for language immersion. I’ve heard a lot of people say they’ve had similar experiences, especially with English as a second language. It’s like unlocking a skill tree without realizing it.

 

[Veydris]

I have the same, as in that English is my second language, and I tend to use words fairly instinctively, even though I couldn't tell you exactly why I use word X and not Y, even though they're almost the same.

Two words of caution. Just because no one has told you that you're wrong doesn't mean you're always right. Especially in casual (online) conversation, people will either assume they know what you intend to say even if it's wrong, or they will not notice it and just gloss over it. They might even not be native speakers themselves, or have been using the word wrong themselves.

And two, a big difference between being a native speaker and a non-native one is the "feeling" of words. Just because I know swear words, doesn't mean I have the same feeling about them as a native speaker does. What for a native speaker could be the most horrible thing to say is for me just another word. With English it's made even worse in that words that are a no-go in the US are fine to use in the UK and vice-versa.

Oh, absolutely. There's a lot of words like that in the English language.

That’s actually really cool, like your brain just absorbs words through context without needing a definition first. Gaming is a surprisingly great teacher for language immersion. I’ve heard a lot of people say they’ve had similar experiences, especially with English as a second language. It’s like unlocking a skill tree without realizing it.

Yeah. I'd say so. Some of the sentences I know that I say, and use a completely different word that I don't know the meaning of, but know it's the right word in the context I'm using. And absolutely, gaming is one hell of a teacher for languages. Mostly, English, considering how dominant it is in the gaming industry.

 

[Fidel]

I have the same, as in that English is my second language, and I tend to use words fairly instinctively, even though I couldn't tell you exactly why I use word X and not Y, even though they're almost the same.

Two words of caution. Just because no one has told you that you're wrong doesn't mean you're always right. Especially in casual (online) conversation, people will either assume they know what you intend to say even if it's wrong, or they will not notice it and just gloss over it. They might even not be native speakers themselves, or have been using the word wrong themselves.

And two, a big difference between being a native speaker and a non-native one is the "feeling" of words. Just because I know swear words, doesn't mean I have the same feeling about them as a native speaker does. What for a native speaker could be the most horrible thing to say is for me just another word. With English it's made even worse in that words that are a no-go in the US are fine to use in the UK and vice-versa.

Great points. Instinctive language use is a skill, but nuances like tone, context, and regional differences can trip anyone up, native or not. Swear words are a perfect example; they carry cultural weight that’s hard to fully grasp without immersion. Always good to double-check and stay curious about those subtleties. Language is a wild ride.