Strange mind games....
By KOSTAS499
@KOSTAS499 (1624)
Greece
September 7, 2012 2:48am CST
I remembered when I was working as a salesman in a digital technology store, I was always using terms in English, like memory card, game, plasma screen and many more.
I was talking to Greek customers. But when people from other countries came and I had to talk to them in English, my mind couldn't find those words. It's like they were adapted in my everyday language. For instance, I wanted to say memory card and I was searhing in my mind to find how to translate memory card...in English!
I told my colleagues and they said the same happened to them.
Another strange thing that happened to me, I guess because of too many hours on the PC, is that I confused the letter A with the number 4. I guess because the shape is almost the same.
Do you have similar experiences?
1 person likes this
5 responses
@louievill (28846)
• Philippines
7 Sep 12
I never had a problem like that, I speak Pilipino and English quite fluently since birth, we even have an informal language called "taglish" (mixed Englsh and Tagalog), I speak that too and it's very useful in business especially when I was a young man detailing pharmaceutical products and still use it up to now if i have to in business. Besides that, I understand and speak a little of 3 native Southern dialects in my country.
@louievill (28846)
• Philippines
8 Sep 12
It's more like 2 major languages, 4 dialects cause the other 4 is interelated to one of the majors. No confusion actually it's more of an advantage, it's like when you hear the person you are talking to , you go on to "auto select in your brain" on what to use that would suit the situation. Technical and medical terms is very hard to explain in another language if you learned it in English which is the case in general, thank God "Taglish" has evolved.
@rubyroy (824)
• India
7 Sep 12
Friend if you have problem with getting the right words,try to read books that will help you to get the correct words in communication.You can also keep a list of technical words to check whenever you are in doubt.Use some teasers to remember technical words and phrases.Like memory -worry and picture yourself worrying with card named memory.That way make picture linked terms for easy memory.
@KOSTAS499 (1624)
• Greece
8 Sep 12
I know that words, what is strange is that they have become a part of my native language. So, sometimes my mind used to take them for Greek words.
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
7 Sep 12
When I was living in Estonia I found it hard to separate the different languages. I had many foreign co-workers and we spoke a mix of Estonian, English and German. Sometimes I wanted to speak to English to some of my co-workers, but I ended up speaking English with German and Estonian words, because the wrong words showed up in head 
When I returned from Estonia my mother and I were having a conversation in Danish and I suddenly answered her in English. She laughed at lot, and she found it funny that I spoke English instead of my mothertongue.
When I have spent a lot of time on Mylot or written many emails to friends from other countries (In English) and I misspell the the Danish words when I write in Danish especially the words where there is only a small difference like "familie" and "family" or "i" and "in".
When I returned from Estonia my mother and I were having a conversation in Danish and I suddenly answered her in English. She laughed at lot, and she found it funny that I spoke English instead of my mothertongue.
When I have spent a lot of time on Mylot or written many emails to friends from other countries (In English) and I misspell the the Danish words when I write in Danish especially the words where there is only a small difference like "familie" and "family" or "i" and "in". 
@topffer (42155)
• France
7 Sep 12
It happens rarely to me but it happens and I think I have a good excuse : I am bilingual since birth and I have learned several other languages. Times to times, when I am searching for a word, it comes to my mind in another language
. One thing I do often when I have a doubt about a grammar rule is to think about it in another Latin language, and generally it works and I have a good grammar in my own language ; it compensates the confusions that I can do here and there.
. One thing I do often when I have a doubt about a grammar rule is to think about it in another Latin language, and generally it works and I have a good grammar in my own language ; it compensates the confusions that I can do here and there.@KOSTAS499 (1624)
• Greece
8 Sep 12
I sometimes can't find the word in Greek and Find it in English. But I still can't translate it.
@Shavkat (141905)
• Philippines
7 Sep 12
I haven't tried groping of words, especially in English. I've been using this language for many years. Since primary school until I graduated, the medium of instructions are in English. I might be astounded in some occasions, for instance, I was asked by my professors of an unfamiliar questions. Then, I can not answer back right there and then.
