Hi Evil,

As many know here, I'm French-Canadian, with French being my first language and the only one I spoke regularly until I was 18-19, and moved to Alberta. I think predominently in French, as my writing will often betray.

Since then my work has always required that I speak both French and English on a daily basis. I find that I think in English often although not a majority of the time, mostly after I had to speak or read in the language.

I never have to translate from English to French before understanding the text. Comprehension is immediate unless the language used belongs to a very specific registry of vocabulary. For example, reading Moby Dick in the original can prove very frustrating, simply because a good 30% of the vocabulary relates to maritime stuff that even I, having been raised sailing all the time, was never exposed to.

As far as preference, I try as much as possible to remain positive when having no choice about speaking my second language. Its an occasion to practice (and show off my suave accent). Its really easy at work, a bit less outside, because there is a social question around the preservation of our French roots here in Quebec. French isnt easy to learn as a second language, and strategically, it makes better economic sense to prioritize learning English even when an allophone moves to Montreal, since Anglophone jobs pay slightly better even here. It does piss me off a lot when WASP anglophones who grew up in Montreal start complaining about being second class citizens here, and in that context, having to speak English to someone might be a bit infuriating.

Thank you both.

an English dictionary is more useful than an English-Greek one. — Πετροκότσυφας

Why do you think it is more useful?

I am a native Chinese speaker who acquires English as my second language. Are you asking if bilingualists can think as native English speakers do, or merely can construct English sentences in one's head? In the second case, we all are thinking in English whenever we write or speak. It is dubious that we can think as native English speakers do, although I maintain the belief that language can influence one's mind and even his or her behaviors.

Do you all live in non-English-speaking environments? I.e. in areas where people don't speak English to communicate

I have always felt ignorant in being uni-vocal, or did until a multilingual relative explained that there is a degree of "knack" in learning languages. I have plenty of experience in support of that idea, and my lack of knack. But I've always wondered if the notion that different languages are different worlds is myth, as some argue, or if there is a decent amount of truth to it.

(American Indian languages apparently varied in every way, suggesting world-views at least somewhat divergent.)

Commentary on the Iliad and ancient Greek drama, for example, implies that to read them in their original language is, somehow, to experience something alien and other. Clearly some folks here can and likely have read that literature in both languages. Is it different? Were I to learn ancient Greek and read these, would I get to the same place that the translation takes me, or somewhere else?

What are the best methods of practicing English for you?

I'm also monolingual, apart from the odd word from a few other languages.

I should learn another language before we all have babel fish implants

Being forced to use it (in live -oral- conversation) — Πετροκότσυφας

What ways could you improve outside of work?

How do you improve your English outside of work if you live in a non-English-speaking environment?

Are there any non-native speakers of English on this forum? — Evil

I'm Dutch. Or more precisely, I'm Chinese, but I live in the Netherlands.

- Would you say that you now find yourself thinking in English? If so, how/ when did this happen?

Uh, sure. When does this happen? Whenever I'm doing something involving the language.

- How much crosslingual translation do you use when, for example, reading posts on this forum?

I don't.

- Do you prefer to keep your first/ native language (L1) and English (L2) apart or together? I.e. in terms of translation between them.

What?

What? — Ying

Do you use parallel concordances?

What books do you read/ lectures do you listen to?

Where do you find this material?

Do you use parallel concordances? — Evil

Not familiar with that term.

Do I see any improvement? — Πετροκότσυφας

I'm pretty good at English. So are you(!).