Any non-native English speakers find the language enthralling?

[FeliApple]

I've been studying English for quite a while. (My native language is Spanish FWIW.) I have progressed enough to be able to read almost anything that I come across without serious difficulties other than not knowing the meaning of a few words that are rather complex, and I can express myself pretty decently, but I am kind of obsessed with it.
If I have to clear a doubt about anything I just google it in English, I buy books in iBooks in English even though they are available in Spanish, and I try to use the language as much as possible. Any others feel the same?

 

[mobilehaathi]

Is English your first foreign language? It can be super exciting to find yourself able to communicate in a new language.

 

[FeliApple]

Is English your first foreign language? It can be super exciting to find yourself able to communicate in a new language.

Yes, it is. I am learning French, but I have always thought I won't be as fond of it as I am of English, regardless of how much time I devote to progressing in French.
I just don't think I'll reach the same level of development in any other language as English, just because I try to progress as much as I can, learning as many new words as I come across.

 

[mobilehaathi]

Interesting, well there's certainly a lot of English material out there. It's always exciting to suddenly have access to more information! Any particular reason you can identify as to why English currently excites you more than other languages? Is it access to media? Something else?

 

[lowendlinux]

My wife speaks English as a second language and is part of a three person panel that certifies all university professors to teach classes in English

 

[FeliApple]

Interesting, well there's certainly a lot of English material out there. It's always exciting to suddenly have access to more information! Any particular reason you can identify as to why English currently excites you more than other languages? Is it access to media? Something else?

Well, I've been exposed to it for a long time and it's the language I know the most. (Other than Spanish.) Fun fact: I have had to ask words in Spanish or look them up online because I just remembered the English word for it, but couldn't remember the Spanish translation.
It's the Lingua Franca of the world, but regardless, it allows access to almost anything you can imagine. It allows me to communicate almost anywhere, because somebody will speak English in every country. I have access to forums and groups of things I like, and access to information that I wouldn't be able to find if I didn't speak English. Every single topic is covered in English, and although translations exist, there is nothing like being able to access the main source.
I like the structure of the language too, because it is simpler than Spanish.
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My wife speaks English as a second language and is part of a three person panel that certifies all university professors to teach classes in English

Nice! Her knowledge must be outstanding! I'd like to know that much. I have a C2 certificate from Cambridge but I still have a long way to go. It's like you never finish learning, no matter how much you think you know. I thought my vocabulary was decent, but as I expanded my reading, incorporating books in English, research papers, and other kinds of writings, I realized how much I still have to learn.

 

[lowendlinux]

Well, I've been exposed to it for a long time and it's the language I know the most. (Other than Spanish.) Fun fact: I have had to ask words in Spanish or look them up online because I just remembered the English word for it, but couldn't remember the Spanish translation.
It's the Lingua Franca of the world, but regardless, it allows access to almost anything you can imagine. It allows me to communicate almost anywhere, because somebody will speak English in every country. I have access to forums and groups of things I like, and access to information that I wouldn't be able to find if I didn't speak English. Every single topic is covered in English, and although translations exist, there is nothing like being able to access the main source.
I like the structure of the language too, because it is simpler than Spanish.
[doublepost=1511401616][/doublepost]
Nice! Her knowledge must be outstanding! I'd like to know that much. I have a C2 certificate from Cambridge but I got too much to learn still. It's like you never finish learning, no matter how much you think you know. I thought my vocabulary was decent, but as I expanded my reading, incorporating books in English, research papers, and other kinds of writings, I've realized how much I still have to learn.

My wife has a PhD in marketing about half the classes are taught in English, she's also been married to me for 13 years and I'm a native English speaker. The reality is that you can learn English in school like most students do but nuance and aphorisms aren't taught in school for that you need to live in English, the same obviously applies to all second languages.

The exception of the above is my daughter, I spoke English to her and my wife German, the benefit of that is she doesn't think in one language and translate into others. Now that shes taking a third language in school she's better than her peers for that exact reason.

 

[FeliApple]

My wife has a PhD in marketing about half the classes are taught in English, she's also been married to me for 13 years and I'm a native English speaker. The reality is that you can learn English in school like most students do but nuance and aphorisms aren't taught in school for that you need to live in English, the same obviously applies to all second languages.

The exception of the above is my daughter, I spoke English to her and my wife German, the benefit of that is she doesn't think in one language and translate into others. Now that shes taking a third language in school she's better than her peers for that exact reason.

You just wrote, in 16 words, the key to progress in a second - or third, or fourth, etc - language: you don't have to translate from your main language. You'll easily hit the ceiling. The key is to think in that language, and having the words you need available.
I'll illustrate with a simple example: in Spanish, we say "El árbol verde" which means, literally, "the green tree." The = el; Green = verde; tree = árbol. If I translated that sentence directly, I'd say "The tree green." This is a simple example, but if you do that throughout the entire language, you'll never be able to truly progress.
Also, if you don't have the opportunity to live in an English-speaking country (opportunity which I deeply desire) reading forums and discussion groups like this one allow me to incorporate expressions that are unique to the language and the culture. Standard education - as you said - doesn't teach you that.

 

[Nermal]

Fun fact: I have had to ask words in Spanish or look them up online because I just remembered the English word for it, but couldn't remember the Spanish translation.

We have a native German speaker at work who has forgotten the German words for things

 

[lowendlinux]

You just wrote, in 16 words, the key to progress in a second - or third, or fourth, etc - language: you don't have to translate from your main language. You'll easily hit the ceiling. The key is to think in that language, and having the words you need available.
I'll illustrate with a simple example: in Spanish, we say "El árbol verde" which means, literally, "the green tree." The = el; Green = verde; tree = árbol. If I translated that sentence directly, I'd say "The tree green." This is a simple example, but if you do that throughout the entire language, you'll never be able to truly progress.
Also, if you don't have the opportunity to live in an English-speaking country (opportunity which I deeply desire) reading forums and discussion groups like this one allow me to incorporate expressions that are unique to the language and the culture. Standard education - as you said - doesn't teach you that.

Trust me I know I speak German I read the papers, listen to the news and understand all of it but I'm truly lost when a comedian comes on stage, nuance is everything and I still don't get nuance since it can't really be taught.

I think in English and translate to German in my head

 

[FeliApple]

We have a native German speaker at work who has forgotten the German words for things

In my case it certainly wasn't a one-time thing either, it happens plenty of times. I perfectly understand how possible - and certainly, frequent - that might be. And it's kind of weird, because you say how can I forget - sometimes, rather simple - words in my own language? But I just forget, and cannot avoid it. Your coworker might feel the same.
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Trust me I know I speak German I read the papers, listen to the news and understand all of it but I'm truly lost when a comedian comes on stage, nuance is everything and I still don't get nuance since it can't really be taught.

I think in English and translate to German in my head

If you don't use German daily and constantly, certain nuances are definitely hard to grasp, it has its own curve of difficulty.

 

[Huntn]

As an English only person who has flirted with Spanish over the years, my impression is that English is an idea language for singing modern pop/rock music... but I’m probably biased.

 

[Mousse]

As an English only person who has flirted with Spanish over the years, my impression is that English is an idea language for singing modern pop/rock music... but I’m probably biased.

That's probably because English incorporates a lot of foreign words (plume, vista) and a lot of made up words (bling, OoOOOOoo!, Aaaahhhh! and WoOOoOooo!). Ooooooo!, aaaaahhh!, wooooooo! and baby are staples of pop music.

 

[Tarek]

My native language is Arabic and my second language is English. I grew up studying in American schools and being surrounded by a lot of American and English exchange students so picking up the language wasn't too difficult for me. I was also able to practice it whenever I traveled out of the country, so that helped.

I recently moved to Liverpool and I find that the Scouse accent is really difficult to understand when someone is speaking fast, whereas the people I've met from London and Wales seem to have a clearer accent.

 

[0002378]

I agree with the OP - English can be a beautiful language when it is not contaminated by pseudo-verbs like "friend" (as in "friend me on Facebook") and other nonsense that has been thrown in to the language in the past 20 or so years.

Where I grew up, I had to learn 4 languages, and English was one of them.

German is my fav language (still trying to learn it), and you can really see where English came from if you learn German.

Nice topic !
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the Scouse accent is really difficult to understand

It's hilarious, though !

 

[Gutwrench]

I’m a native speaker but anymore speak like it’s a second language. It gets worse with each passing year.