Veleta

That's a good one.

Also if you have a conversation with someone and you subsequently can't remember what language you held the conversation in, because it is not something that you do consciously......it is your sub-conscious speaking.

lynnxa

oh well, I'm not fluent in english then

I can't tell jokes & neither do I swear - in english or spanish!

fionamw

jdr
If you have to ask or even wonder if you are fluent, then like me, you are not. lol


I know I'm not fluent, but I was intrigued not only because I had a feeling there'd be some very interesting/thought provoking answers - which there have been - but also because of what I said about feeling stupid in Spanish. I frequently feel unable to demonstrate there is a brain in there somewhere. I definitely have the mental gymnastics preparing what I want to say, and the constant knowledge that not only could I have said things better but more often than not should have - hence saying 'some' people would consider I spoke reasonable Spanish. Most Spaniards I know are politely complimentary but that's all I think it is, polite rather than accurate!
I find some of the definitions fascinating, because for example I'd recognised some common swear words & be able to say them should I choose (which I don't) and am able to argue/defend myself in a 'safe' setting (challenging a foreman's assertions in a garage) though I definitely wouldn't claim the words coming out of my mouth were in the correct tense

lynnxa

I think in Spanish (or don't think) when I'm speaking spanish & I yell at the tele in spanish if I'm in a spanish dominated situation

vice versa in an english dominated situation

I sometimes dream in spanish

I do find more & more though that I often (to my embarrassment) can't think of the english word for something that I habitually use the spanish word for

am I fluent?

I don't think so - I know I sometimes make mistakes - but at least I'm aware of them!

I'm sure if I lived in a more 'spanish' area' that I would be though


I know an english woman - she has lived here more than 20 years - was married to a spanish guy & they only ever spoke spanish (or valenciano) - they have an adult daughter

she had all but forgotten how to speak english - but she wouldn't consider herself fluent in spanish


they split up & she's now with an english guy - & is almost re-learning english - to the point that she speaks english with his accent!

lynnxa

I just looked at the recruitment site - if you go through the english links it asks if you are fluent in spanish, but if you follow the spanish links it doesn't ask about either language

so different to Iceland/Overseas foods here - hardly any of the staff speak any spanish at all!

jackytoo

I know two working there (CDS) and both have spanish Fathers.

Being fluent is when there is no need to translate what is said.

fionamw

hmm interesting!

That's a whole other thread...makes me seeth that at the Mijas/Fuengirola branch the cashiers only speak to customers in English, I've never heard Spanish spoken... ok it's a British outfit etc but they're in Spain FGS.....

Not sure about this; I don't think I always translate everything back to English in my head when someone's speaking to me. Sometimes, yes, but not always. And using Spanish words which come out automatically without any thought, to DD whose understanding of Spanish is negligible is quite hilarious!
Still wouldn't in several million light years describe myself as fluent

Veleta

I don't know, I can remember not needing to translate long before I would consider myself fluent. Comprehension of what is being said comes long before spoken fluency.

lynnxa

not our Iceland - I know a few working there - I'm told that the only one who worked there who was fluent didn't get a contract after the 3 month trial was up

Rotor

Fluent = Being able to speak a foriegn language at the same level as your native one ,hence very few really are , I only know one foriegneer who is truly fluet in Spanish and they work for the courts as an authorised translator which should be proof enough for anyone.

JLFS

Being fluent is not having to think at all, (I hope you all can understand what I mean)

It is like driving a car, at first you have to think about everything, not lifting the clutch too much, not knowing when to change gear.

I used to dread a hill start, which you could equate to speaking the "foreign" language. You had to mentaly prepare not to roll back or stall.
Sometimes it was very hit and miss.

Then on day you are driving along and wonder how you got to 4th gear, you did it all without thinking. Thad for me is fluency.

You dont think at all, because you dont need to.

bil

It could be argued that true fluency is, like Zeno's tortoise perpetually just out of reach.

However, in a more everyday environment to me the best definition is that you can understand without thinking, all that is said to you.

rachelk

So what's the difference between fluent and bilingual then? Or isn't there one?

jojojojojojojojojojojojo

My friends daughter is totally bilingual/fluent (has been in Spanish school since she was 5 and is now 15) and her definition is that being fluent means you can say what you want without translating it from english to spanish in your head first??????


Jo xxx

jackytoo

Exactly!