For the last few years now I've discovered I have somewhat of a random ability I suppose is the best I can describe it as.
Now this ability happens when I'm out either in shopping centre or train station/street bus etc.
It always happens when my mind isn't concentrating on anything and sort of drifts not really thinking on anything particular.
I know that people around me are talking, but for some reason I always hear what they are talking about in English.
Only when I start to pay more attention do I seem to snap out of it and suddenly the conversation I was hearing from those next to me is actually a foreign language.
I can't explain it, their voices sound exactly the same but for the briefest of seconds when I seem to zone out I hear their conversation in English.
I've tried to look on the web and books for any hint of what this might be but I'm always left stumped.
Does anyone know what this could be or have heard something similar?
I'm very curious!

That's imagination...

Because when you are fluent in another language... really fluent in it... you don't think of what it is in English first... you hear it in that language... and know what it is without thinking about what it is in English.

And I've spent an entire year where I didn't hear any English more than once a month for a few minutes.

Meaning you concurently think in more than one language at a time. If you had to think and translate it would be very hard if not impossible to have multiple converstaions with two or more people in more than one language at the same time. As you couldn't process everything fast enough.

But you don't think of what they are saying in English. I am fluent in two langages... and have a working knowledge of three others (meaning I can understand them with varying levels of difficulty)

I know enough German and Latin (the basis for Romance languages), so that when I overhear Spanish or Italian, for instance, I mentally translate "agua" to "water" and "Santo" to "Saint." Also, I can get caught up in the "patter" and am able to understand some of what is being said because so many words in Romance languages are similar to English (because of the Latin derivations). I suspect that is what is going on with you.

Also, many people, esp in a English nation, will jump back and forth from english to foreign language.

I am the same, I live in the middle of China, and expect for my class room, I can go a week or even two and never talk to anyone that speaks english outside my family. But even here, they will jump into a few words of english in many converstations, since it has become slang almost, from TV and movies

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fr_Chuck

also, many people, esp in a English nation, will jump back and forth from english to foreign language.

I am the same, I live in the middle of China, and expect for my class room, I can go a week or even two and never talk to anyone that speaks english outside my family. but even here, they will jump into a few words of english in many converstations, since it has become slang almost, from TV and movies

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Good point. My German grandparents knew both English and German, so would say stuff like, " Come mit me to kirche Sunday morning." I would know what was being said.

Heavenly-have you ever studied a second language?

Yes, I studied very basic french whilst in secondary school but stopped about year 9 I believe. I have never studied anything else, and not even french in depth to be honest, just very basics.

Thank you for the reply, it's very interesting what you've spoken of and certainly got me thinking :-).