Reading in English as a Non-native Speaker

[bucsie]

I only started 3 years ago - reading in English. (I had a failed attempt in high-school, but gave up when I had to search every 4th word in the dictionary - the book was Tom Sawyer)

While I did learn English in school, even at University (I attended the English version of the curriculum) I didn't really learn (or know) a lot until we got good internet and movie torrents (and DC++) became the thing.
Back then, there weren't many subtitle sites, and it was pure gold to get even an English subtitle to an English movie.
Still, we had movie nights in our dorms with the latest blockbusters (I think when Matrix came out, I've seen in about 11 times that year). And I've learned a good deal of English that way, with following the movie and the subtitles. That's a thing that I do even now, if I can be bothered to download subs (I do that sometimes for UK films/shows) - I only get them in English.

And then, a colleague of mine said -
"Did you hear about that sensational novel, Twilight?" I hadn't heard of it, but vampires sounded good, so she gave me a PDF version in English.
I was reluctant to start it, since I had only read computer-science books in English before, but I gave it a go. And surprisingly, it was incredibly easy to go through it. I think I only used the dictionary once or twice. And then I went through all her books.
Yes, I know, the books are crap, whatever, they were entertaining, and also extremely easy to read! It was only later when reading reviews that I realised that the writing was actually poor.
And then I read another YA series, and after that, the sky was the limit! I'll admit I had a hard time reading Dickens - the long sentences, the different grammar took me double the time. So I tend to stay away from classics.

I choose to read in English because I read English-speaking authors, because e-books are scarce here, because of incredibly poor translations that I've seen, because I tend to choose my next reads based on forum discussions (which tend to be about new books so they aren't yet translated) and sometimes because I read smut which sounds better in English anyway .

I wouldn't read a French/Russian/[insert non-English language here] author in English though - I trust those to be better translated in my native tongue, for some reason.

[Majorix]

@bucsie:

What did you study at the college? I am asking it since you mentioned reading computer-science books and not many people read them. I am studying Software Engineering myself, even though I am an old fart to do so (I am 26).

BTW, I hear younger girls do like Twilight, even though it gets really bad reviews everywhere. Since it is a "she" who gave you the book, oh well... If you are female, please forgive my rudeness

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by Lynx-lynx

Whilst I don't qualify to post in this thread because I am a native English speaker, as an Australian my native language is English ... Australian English.

But to Microsoft and lots of other companies/programs they think that I must/should write/spell US English and don't provide the native dictionary spello option of Aus English. Yucko no!! I speak Aus English.

I don't belong in this thread either, but I wanted to comment. While generally this is sadly true, I was very relieved to find that Office 2010 has Aus Eng dictionary and proofing tools available. I've done beta reading for three different Australian authors and it was a big help. It isn't perfect, but it cut way back on the "um, is this a mistake or not?" Of course, by the third book, I pretty much had the hang of the common differences (is that an oxymoron?).

Of course, it took me a minute or several to figure out how to add the additional tools, and I'm usually great with software, so they don't make it easy.

After checking just now, I'm happy to report that OpenOffice Writer has an easy-to-access option to switch language, and proofing is available for several of them.

Okay, back to your regularly scheduled discussion.

[guanaco]

Originally Posted by Lynx-lynx

We've got a free to air tv station here called SBS (Special Broadcasting Service) that was established: "to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect Australia's multicultural society".

I would like to have a SBS here. Most of the foreign shows are dubbed in Spanish. Very few are shown in its original language with subtitles in Spanish.

You can watch the international signal of the public channel I was talking before here. With some luck you can catch the Australian shows in Spanish

Originally Posted by Lynx-lynx

I think it's really important to see first hand info about other countries that derive from those countries.

[Lynx-lynx]

Originally Posted by CWatkinsNash

I don't belong in this thread either, but I wanted to comment. While generally this is sadly true, I was very relieved to find that Office 2010 has Aus Eng dictionary and proofing tools available. I've done beta reading for three different Australian authors and it was a big help. It isn't perfect, but it cut way back on the "um, is this a mistake or not?" Of course, by the third book, I pretty much had the hang of the common differences (is that an oxymoron?).

Of course, it took me a minute or several to figure out how to add the additional tools, and I'm usually great with software, so they don't make it easy.

After checking just now, I'm happy to report that OpenOffice Writer has an easy-to-access option to switch language, and proofing is available for several of them.

Okay, back to your regularly scheduled discussion.

Thanks for the info

Yep - Microsoft et al have eventually added different kinds of English Dictionaries and thesaurus to their programs, and I also use Apache's Open Office as my office type software, and isn't it a great free resource!!!

[Lynx-lynx]

Originally Posted by guanaco

I would like to have a SBS here. Most of the foreign shows are dubbed in Spanish. Very few are shown in its original language with subtitles in Spanish.

You can watch the international signal of the public channel I was talking before here. With some luck you can catch the Australian shows in Spanish

Thanks for the link, I had a look around

[Nothingness]

My mother language is French and we learn a bit of English here in Canada in primary and high schools. I was so so at it but I took extra lessons at high school that one teacher was providing, which helped me. I have to admit that half of the English teachers I had in high school were complete incompetent so that did not helped me. They reminded me of that geography teacher I had who instead of teaching us geography was teaching us how to communicate with aliens.

I made sure when I looked for a cégep, to study french literature, to find one where I would be forced to take english courses, and I did. I also was accepted for one summer for a government program called "english language summer school", which helped me too.

My tv takes subtitles so I could watch american tv shows in English with subtitles, or movies. After that the internet and gaming (MMORPGs) have helped me tremendously.

I have less issue with reading in English than speaking English or understanding English, but I'm really better at understanding English than I used to be. I have bought quite a few books in English about my hobbies. I had tried in the past to read a novel in English and I had found it rather confusing. But just recently I bought a Kobo Glo and I've been replacing those french books by their original english version and I'm amazed to see how good I've become.

[forsooth]

Originally Posted by Majorix

Number of e-books in my native language (Turkish) being scarce, and some books I wanted to read not being translated into Turkish, I had to start reading e-books in English last year.

I usually read fiction, mostly fantasy novels and thrillers.

Apart from vocabulary I don't face many problems. I have never built a rich vocabulary. Never learned any definitions by heart when our poor high school teachers kinda forced us to BTW the main reason I use e-readers is because they provide built-in EN->EN dictionaries, allowing me to look up unfamiliar words with just a tap, however I forget the meaning just minutes after and look up the same word again and again each time I face it. Kinda like a fish I am

I should mention here that playing computer games greatly helps learning English. That is how I learned most of the stuff. I have never been to an English-speaking country, not even for a few days, but I bet it would have helped if I did.

I am sure there are people like that out there, so show your face! Tell us about what your native language is, about what helped you in learning English, the reason(s) why you prefer to read in a foreign language, what kind of books you read, about the ups and downs of reading in a foreign language, about the difficulties you face or maybe give some tips to others.

real problems occur for multilanguage user
in time childhood language seems strange
sometimes childhood language is 2 languages
then profession and travel require other languages

marriage another!

not so hard to read some hard to listen BUT very hard to speak and write
much pausing, twisting lips and tongue
blink much also

[forsooth]

Originally Posted by Nothingness

that geography teacher I had who instead of teaching us geography was teaching us how to communicate with aliens.

what language (planet)?

[YGG-]

Originally Posted by Majorix

[...] Most books are written in English, and if not, you can expect a translation into English before any other language.

Definitely NOT! There's very few translations to English compared to the production in foreign languages.

[BearMountainBooks]

I lived in Japan for a while. The best I got at reading was children's books (yes, I was that desperate. Plus it helped my language skills, which were terrible.) When all else failed the pictures filled in where the word gaps existed.

I greatly admire people who speak more than one language. I think the hardest thing to translate (and I've only helped with a few projects; not the main translator) is humor. Wow. It's hard enough to explain a joke or humor in your native language!

[bevdeforges]

We've got an English language book (discussion) group here in our French newcomers' group - and it has been a real education for me! Most of our participants are non-native English speakers. Some of them stick to reading books in their original language, but particularly for popular novels, we sometimes get lazy and read them in translation.

What's interesting (to me, at least, since I make up the book list each time we meet) is which books have and haven't been translated, and which other languages a book originally written in French, English, German, Spanish, etc. has been translated into.

One of our members, who claims she "never reads" brought in a two volume publication she had read in her (native) French about the wives of all the famous dictators. When I went to put it on our list, I found the book had been translated into nearly every European language, except English! I may actually get inspired to read this one in the original French, cause it sounded really interesting. (Never realized there was a Mrs. Castro, nor a Mrs Pol Pot - you just don't think about those sorts of things.)

[samhy]

Do you have a link to that thread or group? That sounds interesting

[Katsunami]

My native language is Dutch.

In The Netherlands, English is taught as a second language, starting at the age of 12, and up to a few years ago, it was a mandatory final exam subject in high school. As a result, my proficiency in Dutch and English is about the same.

I've also had German and French classes, but I dropped French as soon as possible. I don't like that language. I did take German lessons longer, but didn't do final exam in it. Because I live near the border, I get a chance to speak German now and again. My proficiency in German is lower as that in Dutch and English, but I'm easily able to understand and read the language. I can speak and write it at a passable level, but I do make some grammar and spelling mistakes as I don't use this language as often as Dutch or English.

With regard to reading, I read almost exclusively in English, as many books are not translated to Dutch, are translated only a long time after an English release, and sometimes, if the book is part of a series, the publisher just drops the series if they don't sell enough books.

If the original work is in Dutch, English, or German then I read it in the original language. If I read a book originally written in Russian or another language I don't know, I'd normally read the English translation.

Even while I cannot state that I am proficient in those languages, I understand the general idea of what is written when I try to read French, Italian, Portugese, Spanish, or Danish. I think that, should I decide to learn one of these languages, that it would not be difficult for me.

With regard to Japanese, I can just say: the language is quite easy in about all respects, but I get turned off on reading and writing. Hiragana, Katakana (I know those, but I'm apt to forget characters because of disuse), Kanji, and Romaji, all used together is just torturous, and when I try I want to kill myself. That's why I'm stuck at understanding this language. Just stick to Hiragana already

[Freeshadow]

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

I lived in Japan for a while. The best I got at reading was children's books (yes, I was that desperate. Plus it helped my language skills, which were terrible.) When all else failed the pictures filled in where the word gaps existed.

I greatly admire people who speak more than one language. I think the hardest thing to translate (and I've only helped with a few projects; not the main translator) is humor. Wow. It's hard enough to explain a joke or humor in your native language!

Yes, humor and swearing is the hardest.
For the latter you have to know both languages very well or, you WILL get it wrong. If it's archaic swearing then you definitely have to do a lot of etymology digging to get it right