Why I Write in a Foreign Language
My native language is Croatian. I started learning English at elementary school like more than 95% of schoolchildren in Croatia, which is one of the top EU countries when it comes to foreign language learning. Apart from English, I also learned Italian at a late age.
Foreign languages became a part of my daily life, even more than before when I started blogging shortly after joining beBee. At that time, there were almost no active users from Croatia (still the same).
Previously, I was on LinkedIn for several years (and still am) but I have never felt the need for writing on its publishing platform in any language.
It is still a mystery to me what prompted me to start writing - even in English after I joined beBee. I never blogged before. It just happened. I have begun to write blog posts not in my native language but in English.
My first ever blog post, The writer in me just woke up! was my victory over the fear of writing for the public, but also of whether my writing will be understandable to an English-speaking audience.
Although I have studied English throughout my entire schooling and read a lot in English, my vocabulary is still much smaller compared to those of native speakers. Not to mention the grammar and word order of my native language that is much different.
For that reason, my writing style seems too simple compared to other writers on beBee. It is difficult to express the same social reality by literally translating it into another language. My thoughts in Croatian are more complex than what they look like transformed into English words.
Perhaps it is not bad at all. There is no "fuzziness" in my words that could be understood as “deep” thinking. :) My writing in a foreign language is more simplified and free of unnecessary words and expressions.
I might say that beBee is the reason why I started writing. The collaborative, friendly and everybody-knows-your-name kind of environment surely helped that the writer in me woke up.
But why I write only in English?
Almost every day I read and write in both languages, Croatian and English. Most of the literature I read is in English, from technical articles and papers, blogs on social media to pages like Goodreads. I mostly comment in English. So when the time has come to awaken the writer in me, it seemed so natural to start writing in English despite doubts and insecurities I had to overcome. My audience here mainly consists of native English speakers. Besides, I love the English language. I like how it sounds. I like its clarity. And above all, I wanted to improve my written English.
Blogging is a great way to exercise your writing skills - if you are not afraid of making errors. I'm not afraid anymore. Blogging in a foreign language is also about challenging yourself. I challenge myself every time I learn and try new things.
Sometimes, using both languages on a daily basis causes them to get mixed up, usually after several hours of reading and writing in English when the open-close mechanism of language "brain drawers" did not shift properly. Also sometimes, before I fall asleep, thoughts in both languages start to pop up in my mind alternately continuing to process what I previously have read or write. It is like a bilingual internal monologue. A very strange experience indeed.
I am glad I found such an inspiring community where I can write so unburdened and without any feeling of discomfort because my English is not perfect. The best readership for my blogging escapades is here, on this platform.
I never thought much about why things happen the way they do, but I am prone to believe that everything in life happens for a reason, although most likely never find the answers.
So is with my writing on beBee. I started when I was ready to get my thoughts across in English.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Title Image: A study by Northwestern University shows that people who speak more than one language boost their brainpower and may also be building strong defences against dementia. It’s never too late to learn another language.
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Komentari
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 2 godine #102
👍
Zacharias 🐝 Voulgaris
prije 2 godine #101
😀
Javier Cámara-Rica 🐝🇪🇸
prije 2 godine #100
@Zacharias 🐝 Voulgaris @Lada 🏡 Prkic Quando vuoi possiamo praticare l'italiano, così possiamo migliorare tutti ;)
Zacharias 🐝 Voulgaris
prije 2 godine #99
Davvero! Grazie
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 2 godine #98
Facevo parte del gruppo beBee in Italian per imparare meglio l'italiano. Dieci anni fa ho studiato l'italiano (per due anni). Per imparare meglio qualsiasi lingua devi esercitarti costantemente. 🤗
Zacharias 🐝 Voulgaris
prije 2 godine #97
Buono! Forse possiamo scrivere in italiano. Avrei bisogno la prattica :-)
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 2 godine #96
Indeed, our communication is in Italian. :-)
Zacharias 🐝 Voulgaris
prije 2 godine #95
Or maybe this is all a conspiracy so that the whole world learns Italian! :-)
You are right about the dubbing industry. I wonder if the fact that Italy has a tradition in film-making has anything to do with it. It's a proud culture (for good reason) so I can see how it would want to preserve its language and not get everyone mimicking the Anglo-Saxon cultures. I believe the French are a bit like that too.
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 2 godine #94
Since we have many Italian friends, I can say firsthand that they are, in general, not fluent in English. According to them, one of the reasons why Italians are bad in English is the dubbing industry. It is almost impossible to find a movie on TV or at cinemas in its original language - everything is synchronized in Italian.
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 2 godine #93
According to some sources, the easiest foreign languages to learn (for English speakers) are languages like Spanish, Italian and Portuguese. One of our friends from Wales (UK) easily learned French. But to him, Croatian is one of the hardest languages to learn.
Zacharias 🐝 Voulgaris
prije 2 godine #92
It's tough for Italians too (unless they move out of Italy)! :-)
For me, a country whose citizens are language-savy is a big plus and makes it a likely vacation destination.
Javier Cámara-Rica 🐝🇪🇸
prije 2 godine #91
By the way, I am amazed at how easy it is for Croatians to learn Spanish and how difficult it is for Anglo-Saxons to learn it.🤣🤣🤣
Javier Cámara-Rica 🐝🇪🇸
prije 2 godine #90
Being able to communicate in English is a current skill that allows access to knowledge and technology, which, at the same time, facilitates the development of other skills. it is the language of the Internet. Outside the internet, knowing English you can get by almost anywhere in the world, and if you know Spanish and Chinese on top of that, you can cover all of America (Central and South America) and a large part of Asia.
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 2 godine #89
I still feel the same. Although much smaller and ‘quieter’ than before, the best audience for my blogging escapades is here, on this platform. 😊
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 5 godina #88
Great mind think alike, or... maybe type the same keywords in the Google Search. 😁
Ken Boddie
prije 5 godina #87
That link, Lada, goes to the same ‘Culture Trip’ article that I’ve been using. What are the chances? 😂
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 5 godina #86
Ken, in fact, we haven't reached 100 comments yet. Above the comment section stays "Comments 94." Some commenters deleted their comments and wrote again which led to the gap between numbers. Let's leave the "record" for the next stirring. #96 Praveen, you and Ken made my day. 😂 Thank you. 🤗
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 5 godina #85
#102 Praveen, yes we have hilarious fun with GT. Instead of ‘When the willow bears grapes’ the translator proposed "When he raises the grapes on the rabbit..." 🤣🤣 It's hard to believe that technology will ever be so advanced to be able to produce a perfectly accurate translation of every type of text. That day is still extremely far away.
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 5 godina #84
#104 Ken, here is a link for more Croatian phrases translated in English. https://theculturetrip.com/europe/croatia/articles/15-beautiful-croatian-phrases-we-need-in-english/ I also know a good restaurant behind God’s legs - in the middle of nowhere (Bogu iza nogu). 🤣
Ken Boddie
prije 5 godina #83
Ken Boddie
prije 5 godina #82
Ken Boddie
prije 5 godina #81
Lada does indeed write well in English, Praveen Raj Gullepalli, but the possibility of me writing well in Croatian will be ... “Kad na vrbi rodi grožđe” 🍇 or “when pigs fly”. 🐖
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 5 godina #80
Praveen, as I responded to Manjit's comment, Google Translate is getting better but your translation sounds a bit odd. 😁 Thanks for helping me think in Anglais. 🤗
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 5 godina #79
Someone posted a meme with a quote: "I am neither tortoise nor a hare. Sometimes I'm a cheetah. I'm a snail too." I see myself pretty much like that - a combination of perseverance and speed. 😀
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 5 godina #78
Even though the accuracy of automatic Google translations significantly improved, these translations are still not at a satisfactory level, at least as far as the Croatian language is concerned. The translation generated by Google Translate is still unreliable, especially for smaller languages such as Croatian. When I write in English, I don't translate the text previously written in Croatian. Instead, I force myself to stop translating in my head and start thinking in English. It's not an easy task at all.
CityVP Manjit
prije 5 godina #77
Ken Boddie
prije 5 godina #76
OK, Lada, so ... “Slow and steady wins the race” That's how the story goes, For tortoise traveller’s steady pace, Brought old hare naught but woes. 🤣😂🤣
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 5 godina #75
#91 There's no need to rush. It needs to stir a few more times. For many things in life, it is wise to make haste slowly. Žuri polako. Thanks, Ken. 🤗
Ken Boddie
prije 5 godina #74
But ... Žuri polako
Ken Boddie
prije 5 godina #73
OK, Lada, since there’s no smoke and mirrors, let’s move this comment count to 100. What say you, Praveen Raj Gullepalli?
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 5 godina #72
There's no secret ... only need to stir the honey pot from time to time.
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 5 godina #71
I'm looking forward to interacting with you in Croatian. :))
Ken Boddie
prije 5 godina #70
I’ve only just seen your reply to my reply to .... whatever. 🤣 87 comments and still going. What’s your secret for a long and sustainable comment string? 🤔
Paul Walters
prije 5 godina #69
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 5 godina #68
Hi, Roberto. It's good to see a new face in the comment thread.:) I'll always be grateful to beBee and its supportive community for starting my blogging journey. I am not a prolific blogger and don't have scheduled time for writing like some prolific writers here. While waiting for inspiration for my next blog, commenting is an excellent way for practising English.
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 5 godina #67
Praveen, now I know why you are so good with words. I really admire your English language skills and particularly like "linguistic exchange" between you and Ken. :))
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 5 godina #66
#79 Ken, I also re-read old comments and laughed at your about thought. 😂 I particularly like this post. Scrolling down the thread, I noticed that almost half of the commenters are no longer active on beBee. Gone are the days where posts received more than 50 "Relevants." Again I laughed at those weird words. I love the English language although its paradoxes, not to mention idioms and phrases, sometimes drive me crazy. For example, you get in and out of a car, yet you get on and off a bus. Or you fill in a form by filling it out. :))
Ken Boddie
prije 5 godina #65
OK Lada \ud83c\udfe1 Prkic, since you are both such keen linguists and both have an excellent command of English, would you please tell me the following? Why is there no 'egg' in 'eggplant' and neither 'apple' nor 'pine' in 'pineapple'? Why do you get stuck so slowly in 'quicksand'? If a 'vegetarian' eats 'vegetables', what does a 'humanitarian' eat? How come a 'wise man' and a 'wise guy' are opposites? 🤗
Ken Boddie
prije 5 godina #64
Ken Boddie
prije 6 godina #63
but nobody is perfect, Mamen \ud83d\udc1d Delgado. Incidentally my name is nobody. 🤣😂🤣
Ken Boddie
prije 6 godina #62
Mamen 🐝 Delgado
prije 6 godina #61
Ken Boddie, I'm perfectionist even "cooking" an omelette... 😂😂😘
Ken Boddie
prije 6 godina #60
So how do you write an omelette, Mamen \ud83d\udc1d Delgado? Cómo escribes una tortilla? 🖌🤔
Mamen 🐝 Delgado
prije 6 godina #59
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #58
Tiina, I suggest looking at Mamen \ud83d\udc1d Delgado's blog on beBee because she wrote several bilingual posts (Spanish & English). https://www.bebee.com/@mamen-delgado
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #57
Great to see you started writing in your native language. I agree with you about Google Translator. Croatian to English translation also looks funny, but it helps understand the meaning of a post. Good luck to both of us. :-)
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #56
...I wish you and yours a Happy New Year!
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #55
Dear Milos, you've been my role model on social media since LinkedIn days when it comes to writing and your overall positive online behaviour. I've read your long-form posts on Pulse countless times. We have a very similar background, so I know you understand what I was trying to say in this post. You said that written words are eternal. I think that many on social media are unaware of this fact. For me, it's one more reason to post when I have something meaningful to say and not just write for the sake of writing no matter what language. Thank you for commenting and for the kind words about my articles. I'll also continue to get my thoughts across in English. But I also think it's time to start writing in my native language, if not for the (non-existing) audience then just for me. :)
Milos Djukic
prije 6 godina #54
I also prefer to say "Volim te" in my native language than "I love you" :-)
Milos Djukic
prije 6 godina #53
Milos Djukic
prije 6 godina #52
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #51
Thank you, Tiina. I reply to your comment on LI and here is the same response. "Thanks, Tiina, for liking and commenting on both platforms. I will continue to blog in English because my English is getting better and better thanks to continuing practice. The writing muscles, like any other muscles, need constant exercise. :-) I live in Croatia and my dominant language of expressing emotions and feelings is Croatian although I become more and more able to express emotions in English. But I still prefer to say "Volim te" in my native language than "I love you". :-)"
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #50
Thanks for sharing @Julio Angel \ud83d\udc1dLopez Lopez I am living proof of what you said. 😁
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #49
Thanks for sharing @Julio Angel \ud83d\udc1dLopez Lopez. I am living proof of that. 😁
Julio Angel 🐝Lopez Lopez
prije 6 godina #48
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #47
I "envy" you Shadi.:) My spoken English needs more practice. I speak Italian better than English, but I write more fluently in English. Thanks for reading and commenting. My best to you and yours for the holidays and the coming New Year.
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #46
Debesh, I hope I write British English, but I'm not sure. :-)
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #45
Dear Ali, your support is much appreciated.
Debesh Choudhury
prije 6 godina #44
Ali Anani
prije 6 godina #43
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #42
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #41
You are already amazing without being multilingual, Joyce \ud83d\udc1d Bowen Brand Ambassador @ beBee.
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #40
Thank you, Franci\ud83d\udc1dEugenia Hoffman, beBee Brand Ambassador, and also thanks for promoting my first post and my blog on WordPress. :)
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #39
Pamela, you're not an obnoxious American because English is international lingua franca and has a strong influence on most languages. It has influenced the Croatian language on various levels as well. Whether it's OK or not is another question. Many people on beBee use English in some form, so you can say that almost everybody speaks English. :-) I am so glad you remember my posts and being a supporter from the start of my blogging journey. Thank you for commenting and the kind words.
Joyce 🐝 Bowen Brand Ambassador @ beBee
prije 6 godina #38
Harvey Lloyd
prije 6 godina #37
I am ashamed to say you grasp it better than i. The only real mtime i get turned off by grammar is when i can't understand the point the writer is trying to make.
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #36
Jan, the same is with me. I started writing a post in Croatian several months ago as an experiment for my beBee in Croatian hive but never finished it. I decided to write it as a bilingual post. I need to start writing in my native language, if not for the audience then just for me. :)
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #35
I can't remember whether I had ever dreamed in English, but I am pretty close to that because I sometimes think in English before falling asleep. Who knows how many posts I "wrote" while was sleeping. Thanks, Paul, and good luck with your learning.
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #34
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #33
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #32
Jan, the same is with me. I started writing a post in Croatian several months ago as an experiment for my beBee in Croatian hive but never finished it. I decided to write it as a bilingual post. I need to start writing in my native language, if not for the audience than just for me. :)
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #31
Harvey, I hope I don't butcher English too much in my writings.:-) When I read in my own language, I also enjoy meaning more than correct grammar if there are minor errors. But sometimes bad grammar just ruin the pleasure of reading.
Paul Walters
prije 6 godina #30
Jan 🐝 Barbosa
prije 6 godina #29
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #28
Thanks, Harvey. My thoughts are different. I am good in Croatian, so for a change, I'm going to butcher English. :-)
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #27
Dear Ken, your comments are always unique. In the Croatian language, there are also many tongue twisters like this one about a thought that I like very much. :) I think in Croatian, but when I write a post or a comment I think in English. It's difficult to think in Croatian and then translate because many times the thought I thought in Croatian wasn’t the thought I thought I thought when written in English.
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #26
Agree with you Debasish. Thank you for the share. I appreciate your engagement very much.
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #25
Interesting thought about weird mutation. :). Soon, we all be like mutants when it comes to the use of our native language. For example, the development of communication technologies, strong American music and film production, and the Croatian educational system within English is taught since kindergarten affect the growing presence, if not the flood, of English words within the Croatian vocabulary. English becomes a global language and has a strong influence on many other languages.
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #24
Interesting thought about weird mutation. :). Soon, we all be like mutants when it comes to the use of our native language. For example, the development of communication technologies, strong American music and film production, and the Croatian educational system within English is taught affect the growing presence, if not the flood, of English words within the Croatian vocabulary. English becomes a global language and has a strong influence on many languages.
Harvey Lloyd
prije 6 godina #23
Ken Boddie
prije 6 godina #22
Debasish Majumder
prije 6 godina #21
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #20
Your comments always bring a smile on my face, Louise. If you visit my country, you don't need the sign language. English would be enough. :-) As I said when being interviewed by Sara Jacobovici, I find more and more meaning in the carpe diem phrase as I'm getting older. Enjoy the day, trusting as little as possible in the future. Thank you!
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #19
Your comments always bring a smile on my face, Louise. If you visit my country, you don't need the sign language. English would be enough. :-) As I said when being interviewed by Sara Jacovoci, I find more and more meaning in the carpe diem phrase as I'm getting older. Enjoy the day, trusting as little as possible in the future. Thank you!
Pascal Derrien
prije 6 godina #18
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #17
Louise, I see Manjit's comments as a fountain of knowledge. He is on his learning pathway, but we also have benefits of his explorations.
Louise Smith
prije 6 godina #16
Louise Smith
prije 6 godina #15
After learning & teaching English, Australasin Sign Language, German, French & Japanese across my lifetime, I have never heard of FLA although I & my students have definitely experienced it ! So much for 20 years of Psychology study !
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #14
Proma, you are quadrilingual! Congrats! I can't even imagine how it would look like when thoughts in four languages are getting mixed up. :) Thank you for seeing what's behind the words. I write what I feel.
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #13
Laurent, here's some fun about French and broken English https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1P_Nfj_ozo Thank you for the lovely comment. Such feedback every blogger would like to receive. I appreciate your engagement with all my posts. Merci beaucoup!
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #12
Thank you, my friend. My writing is better now than when I started blogging because my brain is constantly exercising. Thanks for the boost!
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #11
I love simplicity, Paul. But sometimes it occurs because of necessity and not for purpose. I'm glad my English is much better than your Croatian. It’s never too late to learn another language. :-)
Proma Nautiyal
prije 6 godina #10
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #9
It's my motto in life, Paul. Thank you for the kind words. In math language, if you don't know Croatian that's zero, and much better than zero is still zero. :-) I think I know English a little better.
Phil Friedman
prije 6 godina #8
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #7
Dear Gert, I am glad you understand what I wrote about internal dialogues (or monologues). They are fascinating and inspiring. You're kind as always about my writing. Thank you for sharing.
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #6
Dear Ali, I am glad I am not the only one who is forced to use the dictionary to find out what some authors meant to say. :-) But I like it despite the time invested in translation because I learn new words and extend my vocabulary. I always learn from your writings. Thank you for sharing and for your kindness.
Laurent Boscherini
prije 6 godina #5
Lada 🏡 Prkic
prije 6 godina #4
Thank you so much, Manjit. I couldn't expect the better compliment to my writing than this coming from such an erudite person who is also so good with words. I read the abstract of the linked article, and I can relate to some of the symptoms of FLA such as the lack of self-confidence. But once I overcame that feeling, I see only benefits in using another language as much as possible and in all forms.
Gert Scholtz
prije 6 godina #3
Ali Anani
prije 6 godina #2
CityVP Manjit
prije 6 godina #1