My words, my language

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Avatar for wakeupkitty
4 years ago

You love to speak, read, and talk in your own language, the one you grew up with?

At times I miss it. Mainly because of the richness in expressions, the idioms used. I can't find as many back in foreign languages. For sure they exist but it's harder for me to find, recognize, and use them. Something is missing, the emotion behind the words. There are so many apart from those I use and know. The older ones are hundreds of years old, the newer ones are slogans invented by advertisers or phrases used by some famous novelists, columnists, or politicians. Some came alive because of television shows, soaps or drama's and even the name of the television series were good for nationwide used expressions. The use of idioms is what makes a language rich, it attracts listeners and readers.

I miss writing in my own language but it's clear if I do so I will not be read.

It's a good reason not to start a community in my own language. I do not see the benefit of it. I and my country fellows learn three foreign languages at school. Here or on any other platform, no one will translate what we write except perhaps for those few friends we made. A handful of people who are curious enough to go through the trouble of translating. It for sure will be messy or hilarious to translate. Translators have a hard time translating expressions.

To me, it makes a huge difference if I write in my own language or in English.

It even goes that far it completely changed my writing style, my identity, and what I like to write about most. I have the feeling it is what happens to many of us. If you write in a foreign language or need to translate what you wrote you have to write in a different style. Translators work the best if you use short sentences, words with only one meaning, no idioms and avoid to talk about him, her, children, boys and girls.

If you have no idea what you translated you write like a blindfolded.

Expressions quite common in their own language are suddenly labeled as rude, abusive, and inappropriate. Perhaps these are good reasons to start a community in your own language. A place where people gather around who share the same language, same humor, raised within the same culture where women and men are equal, and people are straightforward. A culture where freedom of speech is accepted and columnists do not end up in jail no matter their gender, where no one is blocked or kicked out despite the word used.

Will I start a community in my language, for my country fellows only?

No way. For "my people", there are plenty of platforms if it comes to writing and earning. Those communities are already tried on several international platforms but most of them no longer exist. Users avoid writing in their own language, they are not interested. Information is shared elsewhere (Telegram and Discord for example) If they would write in their own language they aren't only not read and supported but most likely not taken seriously or even scolded at. If I show the flag I will be called a racist (know I have no flag and never had one) just because I was born in a country where I don't belong and was never accepted in the first place.

#kittywu #communities #dutch

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Avatar for wakeupkitty
4 years ago

Comments

which country are you from?

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4 years ago

The Netherlands.

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4 years ago

Yeah I think writing in your indigenous language allows you to express yourself better, but it doesn't make that a reason to create a community just to communicate in that language.

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4 years ago

It's pointless to start a community for me alone. I can write elsewhere in my own language. At times I forget how to do it but I do miss the richdom of expressions.

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4 years ago

I made an article that has a native language but it was because of the featured community rules with language preference but now I write it on English as we all know English is a universal language where everyone can read and understand what we write. If we write in our own native language we are limiting the audience of our articles, we are limiting to be read by everyone.

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4 years ago

Yes, we are limited indeed. You could add an English translation to your article. The issue now is a community needs to cover one language only. I find it a pity. I do understand it though but it feels a bit like discrimination if you need to reject on language only.

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4 years ago

Is that really a rule any longer? That was one of the required conditions for a community to become "featured", but all that is already gone again. Actually, they change the rules so often and quickly so it is difficult to know which details follow with a change and which remain as before.

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4 years ago

I noticed the featured was still there just the option to search for them is gone. It's indeed hard to follow the change of rules. I try to keep it simple for me. One community, one topic and language. No language was always allowed if it wasn't set or? If you do not care about featured or posting into a community it's fine too. It's just that it makes it harder to find certain postsif you search for topic. 🤔

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4 years ago

I also miss my mother tongue. I am Bangladeshi. So Bengali is my mother tongue. But most of the writing here is in English, so that my writing is understandable to everyone.

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4 years ago

There's no community in your language? I believe there are many from Bangladesh here. As I just joined I read (translated) those articles. I don't mind. Now it feels as if most are gone. I guess we are more motivated to fit in. 👍💕

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4 years ago

Yeah. Mostly gone. But sometimes, I write my mother tongue.

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4 years ago

I think it's good to do that. It's good for your brain too.

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4 years ago

Thank you dear.💞

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4 years ago

I can agree with you on the language used based on the audience but in my case, there's too many Filipinos in here that post in the native dialect and it really makes my head hurt :""

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4 years ago

Why does it make your head hurt? Just curious.

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4 years ago

Because i didn't grow up speaking and writing in tagalog. My tagalog level is very elem to junior highschool, i guess? So if it's like at a deeper level, it make my head hurt 😂😂😂

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4 years ago

Ah I see. Alright. hehe

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4 years ago

You know I hardly meet them since more communities started. Before I read and translated a part. Those I meet write in English.

I can imagine how you feel. I have to if I join these groups and forums and if I meet my country fellows abroad. It hurts my ears and I stay far, far away from them.

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4 years ago

Well the younger generations practiced english more because of the education system here. But since i was honestly raised with English, i really can't come to understand a lot of native words 😂 i can only understand at a colloquial level. Though i think you have a much deeper understanding of your native tounge

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4 years ago

I notice that you feel that there is such a thing as "your language", although you didn't have any feeling for "your country". Yes, I know it is different, if you grow up with a language and think in it, you are more familiar with that, it's a part of your whole thinking. But it is possible to absorb another language to the same level. Not easy, but possible. But you must reach a level where you can think directly in it; as long as you must translate in your mind, you don't really know it.

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4 years ago

I agree with that but I think my mind is no longer able to be so flexible. I don't really translate I can directly write in English but still, it's not the same. I notice I can not remember. Perhaps I am tored or old or... Thanks for your supportive answer. 💕👍

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4 years ago

Before I could learn to speak and write well in my mother tongue language, I was taught English and because exams were mostly in English, I didn’t really get to learn except speaking some basic words with my grandmother when she was around. Now, I am slowly picking it back up by watching drama series hehe.

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4 years ago

Perhaps I can in some time too if I have television again and am moved. It won't happen in the next five years but who knows. I forgot about two languages, two for the biggest part which means 4 are left and although I hear three daily I forget more and more. Perhaps I should read and study them again.

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4 years ago