Dutch Female from Rotterdam, The Netherlands? Here I am, speaking English better than any other non-native English speaker!
Well, the long title says it all: the English Proficiency Report of 2019 came out and from all non-native English speakers all over the world Dutchies (also known as 'Dutch people', people from The Netherlands) come out best:
And from within The Netherlands, sorted by city, the city I live in, Rotterdam, comes out best:
And well, I'm a female and yes, even that makes a tiny difference:
Here's the report in case you think I'm photoshopping these arrogant claims: EF English Proficiency Index. According to their FAQ:
The EF English Proficiency Index (EF EPI) is the world’s largest ranking of countries/regions by adult English skills. Published annually, the EF EPI is an important international benchmark for adult English proficiency. The EF EPI reports identify the most common pitfalls and highlight the most effective strategies for improving English proficiency.
As I've written about writing in English as a non-native English speaker before I thought I'd share these statistics.
For me it's a very normal thing to speak multiple languages (Dutch and English are best, then Spanish and French, a bit of German, and from then on only single words in many many languages plus the ability to decipher Cyrillic) - but I know it's not that common for everyone. I often feel rich for speaking multiple languages, as for one I can easily connect with you guys, but also speaking Spanish and French and knowing some Latin helps me decipher a lot of words in many languages in general. It just adds so much flavour to traveling, watching tv series and movies, learning new names, making up my new studio name - and much much more.
I couldn't imagine speaking Dutch only, or even English only - life would literally have less meaning, as a lot of references, ideas, historical cues would get lost.
Anyway, although I do feel Dutchies are quite proficient in English, a lot of Dutchies have a horrible pronunciation as well, plus, believe it or not, I'm very very often very insecure about my level of English - both writing and speaking. I guess confidence doesn't come from the fact the English is quite good, but from something entirely else - being raised as an English native maybe? ;-)
@tipu curate
Upvoted 👌 (Mana: 5/10)
Thanks @kralizec!
Actually I moved to the US more than 25 years ago. I have kids and I do enjoyed reading and never stop learning.
Your question doesn’t apply to me but #steem allows me to stay put and continue to improve.
English is not my first tongue but while back I felt that I am thinking in English.
Awake from sleep I will talk to you in English.
I speak French as well and other tongue.
Glad to have people like you in steem who push English and help many more.
Since I came to Steem I feel my thoughts are more and more often shaped in English - maybe because I'm already 'translating' them into a post? It's a weird thing. I notice (and many others do to) that speaking in one language or the other brings out other aspects of your personality as well - maybe language speaks more to one part of you than the other? :D All fascinating things about speaking more than one language.
Do you raise your kids in both languages, French and English?
I tried at the beginning but unfortunately gave up.
Really tough to grasp into two languages in America when the kids learn everything in English and everything else runs in English around us.
This year we are giving home school the opportunity and it is not easy.
We become teachers and emails are flying to make sure they stay on top of their grade.
They do understand a little french though.
My daughter took it in school and I am helping dearly.
I wonder how people out there live with speaking only 1 or 2 languages lol
Posted using Partiko Android
Well, I guess if that one language is one of the 'big' languages like English, Spanish, Chinese, you can feel like there's enough available to you in your language - enough books, people, other entertainment. But if you only speak one language and it's a smaller language, yes I feel you're missing out on a lot of things. It's often surprising to me how very simple foreign words that I feel almost became 'global' because they are being referenced so much are not understood by English natives - but I guess if English is all you've ever known it might not always cross your mind to look a little bit outside of that language.
Which languages do you speak?
Yeah, I guess if you speak one of the major languages there's not neccessarilly the need for another language.
I'm not quite sure what words you are talking about, do you have an example?
I grew up speaking Russian and German, so I consider them my native languages and I speak English (obviously :P) I believe almost on a native level. I also know some basic French from school. Spanish is a language I like and can understand partly and even speak a bit (some phrases, that many people know I guess).
I really enjoy understandig many languages, especially helpful when travelling. Like, with russian you understand basically everyone in Europe eastern from Germany. And with french + spanish everyone western from Germany^^. I can imagine it's hard for only-english-speaking people to travel through these countries when you have to interact with people that don't speak english.
Posted using Partiko Android
Sometimes, I'm just very proud of our country! We're up on so many cool lists like this ^^
Haha, right? I always feel a little weird being 'proud of my country' as it's a coincidence I was born here and didn't do anything to make it function so well, but yeah - we're often high in these little lists and we're such a tiny country :D
#7, Finland. Slightly lower placement than on average in this decade.
What's interesting about native and non-native languages is that they exist in different parts of the brain. Different networks are responsible for them. A friend of mine is married to a nurse who used to work at a care home for the elderly. Some of the patients had dementia and had lost their native tongue as a result. But a number of those people still had access to a foreign language they had learned. It was usually English and my friend's wife was able to communicate in that language with those patients.
Yes, each language has it's own little place in the brain - if you're raised bilingual the ability to create 'perfect separation' per language is bigger than if you learn one language and then a second language at school - which is why exposing a child very very early to a second language gives them an advantage over others learning a (little) later. (Not just in languages, raising a kid bilingual gives them extra white matter which is linked to educational and work success in later life).
Being bilingual also prevents against dementia/Alzheimer in general - pretty epic right?
Very interesting story about the nurse - must be so weird for the family to not be able to communicate in their native language with a person anymore, but the second language is still pretty much alive!
The brain is a fascinating thing - I've never regretted studying psychology, would do it again if I ever get the chance.
Thats incredible.. losing your native tongue but still retaining another language? The mind is remarkable.
Posted using Partiko Android
Not particularly if you keep in mind that they exist in different areas of the cortex. If a disease or trauma damages one, the other can remain intact.
Posted using Partiko iOS
Ha, from that perspective it isn't amazing at all, I suppose! But even the fact of this is amazing to me.
Extraordinary!
Posted using Partiko iOS
"Fun fact" post @soyrosa! I had no idea about what country might rank the highest.
Was surprised at this ...
... as, while I have no idea about how well you speak the English language, you are certainly a very proficient writer in it!
#sbi-skip
Posted using Partiko Android
You certainly WRITE English like a boss. Here in Australia we barely speak it at all. As for other languages.. pfft. Embarrassing. Biggest regret of my life.
Posted using Partiko Android
Wow! 22 out of 100! Not bad for our little Griekenland :)
Thanks for the link!
Although the question that really needs an immediate answer is what is your new studio name?
(I am a curious guy)
"Dutch and English are best, then Spanish and French, a bit of German, and from then on only single words in many many languages plus the ability to decipher Cyrillic."
Wow. I thought @evecab was the "Steemian language champ" but I can see she has some tough competition here :D Kudos to you girls, you rock!
Hahaha. Fun story: first time I saw @evecab at a bar in Krakow she was suuuuper tired (we now know she was also pregnant and just getting of a looong flight) I heard her say something in Dutch! And because I was talking English all night with so many Steemians I immediately noticed, so I turned around, saw her, we hugged, and I said 'you said something in Dutch'!
She still doesn't believe me... but also acknowledged she turns to Dutch when she's tired.
;-)
Though you would appreciate a little Steem anecdote :D Cheers!
Hehe, good one :) Btw this might well happened at a bar where I was too :) I came to Krakow for just one night with my buddy @matkodurko, pretty much just to say hi to Eve, Carlos and a few other people :) We arrived on the same day as Eve and Carlos and I can confirm she was super tired that night :)
Noooooooo - so we were only 2 meters apart and didn’t get to meet??? I didn’t know you were there that night, lol! We’ll have to do better next time :D
Posted using Partiko iOS
Probably even closer than 2 meters at some point, as far as I remember, I was all over the bar :D
I am sure we will do better next time ;) Will be a pleasure to meet one of my greatest Steemian motivators in person :)
Thanks for assigning those words to me :D We’ll have our bar meet at some point for sure! Europe is small and I’m an impulsive traveler :P
Posted using Partiko iOS
Congratulations @soyrosa! You have completed the following achievement on the Steem blockchain and have been rewarded with new badge(s) :
You can view your badges on your Steem Board and compare to others on the Steem Ranking
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOPDo not miss the last post from @steemitboard:
Vote for @Steemitboard as a witness to get one more award and increased upvotes!
I can confirm this. I’m German and whenever I’ve been to Amsterdam or met dutch people somewhere I found their English pretty good.
Posted using Partiko iOS
Unbelievable that the Dutch English is the best of 100 countries with the English Dutch sentences talking in English and ending in Dutch 🤣😂
Posted using Partiko Android