In What Language Do You Think?

Discussion in 'Education & Personal Growth' started by Rihana, Aug 29, 2016.

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  1. Aug 29, 2016 #1
    Rihana

    Rihana Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    Recently in another thread, a member used the term 'gender vaastu' - a delightful combination of two words we'd never otherwise put together. It was used to describe seating arrangement, but has so much potential.

    "You cannot make everyone happy" - so often heard that we happily ignore it. But when I read this, it stuck in the mind for two days. "I cannot make everyone happy, I am not thayir sadam" : ) Origin of the quote is apparently a 'we are tambrahm' website. : )

    The mind lights up in a different way when we read an unexpected Indian language reference. Which brings up the question -

    In what language do you think?

    Your mother-tongue? English? Some other language?
    A mix? In English about work stuff and in mother-tongue about home stuff?
    What about the rest of the stuff? When you read a deep text in English, do you reflect on it in English or your mother-tongue?
    .
    .
    thayir sadam = curd rice
    .
     
    Rihana, Aug 29, 2016
    Rihana, Aug 29, 2016
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  2. Aug 29, 2016 #2
    PepperPot

    PepperPot Gold IL'ite

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    Mentalese?
     
    PepperPot, Aug 29, 2016
    PepperPot, Aug 29, 2016
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  3. Aug 30, 2016 #3
    blindpup10

    blindpup10 Platinum IL'ite

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    @Rihana- Good question. I have been asked this question before- by my American professor-- it so happened my classmate (Italian) and I were talking how as children we made up language games. My professor who overheard this conversation asked both of us- in what language we think!
    We just laughed the min she asked us this question. Here is how I explained it to her or more like that what I do.
    example 1--If I am having a conversation in English... I am thinking in English and I reply back in English ( even to myself)
    Example 2- If I am reading a book in English... I am thinking in English.
    Example 3- When I am talking with my DH in native language... I am thinking in my native language... if my DH doesn't understand what I am trying to explain- that's when I use English or vice versa.
    Example 4- When I am thinking about topics alone-- will start thinking in the language the topic came to be. Like a topic of discussion from my mom in native language.. keep thinking about it in the native language.

    By the way, I didn't understand the context of thayir sadam and gender vasthu connection to this question :thinking:
     
    Last edited: Aug 30, 2016
    blindpup10, Aug 30, 2016
    blindpup10, Aug 30, 2016
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  4. Aug 30, 2016 #4
    jskls

    jskls IL Hall of Fame

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    Why mention thayir sadam off all Rihana? :) :) Curry leaves = karuvepillai ;)

    This seems to be a very tough question for me who is jack of 3 master of none! Depends .... sometimes hindi pops in tooo ... Monkey thoughts jumping around in few diff languages not one lang is predominant !
     
    jskls, Aug 30, 2016
    jskls, Aug 30, 2016
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  5. Aug 30, 2016 #5
    Rihana

    Rihana Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    : ) you talk to yourself in English? I do too. : ) but I wonder if there is some 'machine language' kind of format, like just before the words become thought, they change format. (I know I make no sense here, in any language).

    Same for me, but sometimes, if the content brings back a childhood memory that was mostly in mother-tongue, then, it is a mix probably.

    About talking in native language - native language is like muscle... needs to be used for its usage to remain supple. Either no one has time for long'ish or deep conversations, or we are using more English. Most people I know converse less and less in native language, or converse but the words are not 'deep' kind.

    Nice list of examples.

    : ) The Indian words thrown unexpectedly into English conversation had me thinking that I now think in a mix of languages. And then the overall question popped to mind. And I hastened over to IL to ask it of all, and included the thoughts that lead up to the question. : )
     
    Rihana, Aug 30, 2016
    Rihana, Aug 30, 2016
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  6. Aug 30, 2016 #6
    Rihana

    Rihana Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    : ) NOw it'll take me an eon to shake off the thayir sadam mention, like the curry leave fragrance took awhile for you to shake off.

    Yeah.. I can guess the language I am thinking in.. but cannot be a hundred percent sure.
     
    Rihana, Aug 30, 2016
    Rihana, Aug 30, 2016
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  7. Aug 30, 2016 #7
    MalStrom

    MalStrom IL Hall of Fame

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    A mix of English and Tamil, depending on what the topic is. At this point I speak English a lot more than any Indian language.
    Though every time I've woken up from anesthesia, I'm told I start blabbing in Tamil, much to the befuddlement of my poor DH and the medical staff. :grin:
     
    MalStrom, Aug 30, 2016
    MalStrom, Aug 30, 2016
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  8. Aug 30, 2016 #8
    Ragini25

    Ragini25 Platinum IL'ite

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    Are more IL-ites south indian (south of vindhyas) than north (maharashtra is nether-land)? Been curious abt the mix of IL-ite native tongue - just a curiosity, since we all converse (mostly) in English here
     
    Ragini25, Aug 30, 2016
    Ragini25, Aug 30, 2016
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  9. Aug 30, 2016 #9
    blindpup10

    blindpup10 Platinum IL'ite

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    I think we associate words with the things we are taught to feel/ see/ read/hear. We are taught by our society, our parents, our teachers, and experience.


    So true.. I do it too :)


    Yep so true. Living in the US I feel I hardly have people to talk to in my native language.

    Gotcha :grinning-smiley-048:
     
    blindpup10, Aug 30, 2016
    blindpup10, Aug 30, 2016
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  10. Aug 30, 2016 #10
    ashima10

    ashima10 Platinum IL'ite

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    Sometimes in English and sometimes in Hindi . I actually talk to myself sometimes in English . Very rare it in Bengali too.

    @jskls in some thread we attached curry leaves so much that I thought you will never mention it..even think twice while using it. Iam glad you are over it.
    I think of you whenever I use it.
    Kya naam tha uska jskls ...jkls... Duh ! Y she hates vowel. It's just 5 in numbers ...minorities ka koi nahi..

    Rihanna I thought all the above gibberish in English !!
     
    ashima10, Aug 30, 2016
    ashima10, Aug 30, 2016
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