Returned Missionary Having Trouble Speaking English?

[BigFatMeanie]

OK, this is one of those Missionaryisms I simply don't buy: the classic "I spoke <XYZ language> so much that I forgot how to speak English" line. I'm throwing the flag on this line although I hear plenty of RMs say it.

I think they say it just to get attention or show off. Sure, you pick up little expressions from the foreign tongue. You maybe say "si" or "nyet" the first day or two back but you don't forget how to speak English. Very lame.

[MikeWaters]

This was one of my favorite lines:

"The people there don't even know their own language!"

[myboynoah]

I returned from Japan the same week as a fellow missionary from my ward who had served stateside. In Priesthood meeting we were both asked to say a few words. He got up and gave this eloquent testimony, saying all the right things in the all the right ways. I then got up and stumbled through a mess of broken English-part Japanese. Of course, that all went away after a few weeks.

That's what happened to me, so I am a believer.

I wonder if when Aaron returns to Illinois, he'll throw in an "oh my gosh," an "oh for ignorant," and a "flip" when he reports back to Evangelical Central.

[tooblue]

Originally Posted by BigFatMeanie

OK, this is one of those Missionaryisms I simply don't buy: the classic "I spoke <XYZ language> so much that I forgot how to speak English" line. I'm throwing the flag on this line although I hear plenty of RMs say it.

I think they say it just to get attention or show off. Sure, you pick up little expressions from the foreign tongue. You maybe say "si" or "nyet" the first day or two back but you don't forget how to speak English. Very lame.

I struggled at times to find the right english word or expression only because I enjoyed the quirkiness of speaking franglais (French and English).

I believe it is an issue of regimented missionary lifestyle. You truly have the same conversations about the same topics day in and day out and common words and phrases dominate your vocabulary.

[UteStar]

I never 'forgot' how to speak english but there were some words that I would accidently replace with swedish. Sometimes it is ridiculous with some people though that always say it...but church words would mix me up sometimes.

[creekster]

I was laways skeptical of this sort of thing too. But if some fo you say it happens, I guess it probably happens. It just seems so unlikely to me, with the possible exception of very techincal terms of art which are the sorts of word you don't usually learn or use on a mission.

[UteStar]

Our mission was required to speak solely Swedish. My companions and I would usually have 30 minutes or so a day which we would have as speak english. Otherwise, all of my conversations and all of the scriptures that I read were in swedish as well.

Now, with that said, when I got home, the transition was not too hard. There were some church words that would fluster me a little and sometimes I would accidently insert a swedish word into an english sentence. But I never forgot english and I never stumbled around in conversations trying to find the right word either.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by creekster

I was laways skeptical of this sort of thing too. But if some fo you say it happens, I guess it probably happens. It just seems so unlikely to me, with the possible exception of very techincal terms of art which are the sorts of word you don't usually learn or use on a mission.

Here's what happens for me.

Although I have many interests, I'm not very talented, especially at languages. But usually in areas of my weaknesses, I try to strengthen them. As far as languages are concerned, I truly immerse myself in the language. While on the mission, I only spoke the mission language 24/7, blocking out mentally every English word, seeking only the native language. By virtue of the block, when I returned, some aspects of English did not flow as well. And it happens whenever I endeavor to learn a new language. Due to my lack of talent, I simply immerse myself, looking a chair and forcing myself to only focus upon the language of choice, saying all prayers and private thoughts in the learned language. So it can be such that it's not an act.

[creekster]

Originally Posted by Archaea

Here's what happens for me.

Although I have many interests, I'm not very talented, especially at languages. But usually in areas of my weaknesses, I try to strengthen them. As far as languages are concerned, I truly immerse myself in the language. While on the mission, I only spoke the mission language 24/7, blocking out mentally every English word, seeking only the native language. By virtue of the block, when I returned, some aspects of English did not flow as well. And it happens whenever I endeavor to learn a new language. Due to my lack of talent, I simply immerse myself, looking a chair and forcing myself to only focus upon the language of choice, saying all prayers and private thoughts in the learned language. So it can be such that it's not an act.

Alright, I give up. I believe you guys. My mission was bi-lingual, and one langugae was english, so I guess it's not surprising that we never got rusty as english speakers.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by creekster

Alright, I give up. I believe you guys. My mission was bi-lingual, and one langugae was english, so I guess it's not surprising that we never got rusty as english speakers.

It could be you're just linguistically talented. Knowing how free flowing your spoken language is, inspite of your typing deficiencies, you might not understand how those of us, without the gift of gab, struggle for proficiency and hence lose some proficiency in our native tongue.