i switch between languages depending on subject. i cannot talk about math in any sophisticated way in english and have a hard time expressing myself about my work or childbirth in german...different experiences and parts of my life are thus connected to different languages.
It's exactly the same for me. There are topics I have a very hard time talking about in German, and then I feel awkward about it.
Besides, there's this weird phenomenon of talking to another German in English - and I don't mean on LJ, I did that when I lived in England all the time. Context just sort of defines your default language once you're fluent enough in it to manage, and then you only switch if you have a reason. Then again, sometimes it even happens to me that I remember a specific expression but can't remember which language it was in...
i've had this pet theory for a while that there are two types of bilingual speakers...those that are fluent in two languages independently and those that can think in both simultaneously.
I find this really fascinating even if I'm not sure which type I am myself - it completely depends on the subject, and on my level of exposure to it in the respective language. (I was switching languages like mad when I was working on the Romantics.)
no subject
It's exactly the same for me. There are topics I have a very hard time talking about in German, and then I feel awkward about it.
Besides, there's this weird phenomenon of talking to another German in English - and I don't mean on LJ, I did that when I lived in England all the time. Context just sort of defines your default language once you're fluent enough in it to manage, and then you only switch if you have a reason. Then again, sometimes it even happens to me that I remember a specific expression but can't remember which language it was in...
i've had this pet theory for a while that there are two types of bilingual speakers...those that are fluent in two languages independently and those that can think in both simultaneously.
I find this really fascinating even if I'm not sure which type I am myself - it completely depends on the subject, and on my level of exposure to it in the respective language. (I was switching languages like mad when I was working on the Romantics.)