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Talk to Yourself – It’s Perfectly Normal

It’s okay. I understand. We’ve all been there. We’ve all gotten strange looks. If you’re like me, you just smile and go on your way. No, really. It’s okay. Talk to yourself – it’s perfectly normal.

How many people talk to themselves every day? Hard to say for sure, but likely most of us. Be reassured, though, because you’re not crazy. Talking to yourself can improve the thought process and help people locate familiar objects more quickly. More importantly, however, when learning a new language, practicing that language by talking to yourself out loud may actually improve associations between objects/concepts and words/phrases.

For example, if you talk to yourself each morning, telling yourself what you’re going to do that morning, what you hope to do, and then making a list of what you successfully accomplished, you build associations, strengthen both short-term and long-term memory, and build a strong foundation for thinking in your second language.

It is often said that language learners should attempt to think in their second language as quickly and as often as possible, but few people really understand what that actually means. It means not translating what you intend to say from your first language into your second language. It means that your mental associations between words/phrases and objects/concepts is sufficiently developed that you don’t need to think about how to say the word or phrase – it comes to mind without a thought.

These types of associations take time to develop, of course. You need to spend time deliberately studying the words and phrases associated with the objects and concepts you will be using. Here are some strategies that may make this process easier.

  1. Be systematic – Focus on practical objects and concepts you will realistically use on a daily basis. If you check the mail every day, learn how to say, “I need to check the mail today,” “I have 2 bills,” or “I always get so much junk mail,” in your second language.
  2. Focus on real language. Textbooks can be helpful for fine-tuning grammar points, which are extremely useful once you have a solid understanding of the spoken language in daily situations. Talking with a native speaker who can tell you how to say every day expressions, however, is one of the best ways to learn how people actually speak.
  3. Focus on whole phrases and the most common verbs. By focusing on common phrases and responses, you will be able to start speaking quickly. By focusing on common verbs used in any language like “to be,” “to go,” “to talk,” “to have,” “to need,” and “to write,” you build infinite flexibility into your new language and can start making your own expressions and combine words from your set phrases to expand what you already know how to say.
  4. Enjoy making mistakes and learn from them. Language learning is a process of falling down and getting back up again. You will make mistakes when learning, and this is a good thing, because it says you are willing to take the chance to speak. By studying set phrases and common expressions, however, you get a feel for how the language should sound and be constructed, which means you are better able to detect and potentially correct your own mistakes.
  5. Surround yourself with the language. Listen to the morning news report in your second language, even if you don’t understand a word. Listen to songs, watch talk shows, and enjoy movies without the subtitles. Attune your ear to the sound of the language, because the more you listen the less strange the language will sound. Likewise, the more you speak to yourself and others, the more comfortable you will become with the sounds of the language, the better your pronunciation will become, and you’ll begin to think in that language more quickly.
  6. Get in the habit. When we wake up, our first thought is in our native language. This is perfectly normal and understandable. I remember when I was in Costa Rica, and I woke up to the sound of the rooster for the fifth or sixth day in a row. Except to me, it wasn’t a rooster. Not anymore. It was “¡Ese gallo! [That rooster!]” And immediately, my next thought was, “Ah, ya no me quiero levantar ‘ estoy tan cansado. [I don’t want to get up yet – I’m so tired]”

This fundamental shift in my thought process from English to Spanish meant that I had had enough exposure to Spanish that my brain found it easier to think in Spanish rather than English. It became more natural and comfortable for me, so much so that I had to deliberately shift my thinking. When I later walked into the living room and heard an American speaking English on the television giving the weather report in San Jose, it took me a moment to switch back to English.

Interestingly, people may make more rational decisions when thinking in a second language, perhaps because the act of using a foreign language necessarily requires more cognitive ability than a person’s mother tongue.

So go ahead, talk to yourself – it’s perfectly normal, no matter what language you use. It may even help you think through choices more carefully.

Nisar_Nikzad

NISAR NIKZAD

Nisar, the dynamic force behind Translation Excellence, stands tall as its founder and CEO. This isn’t just any company—it’s a global heavyweight in boutique language services. Hailing from the vibrant city of Kabul, Afghanistan, Nisar brought his passion and expertise to the U.S. shores in 2001. In the realm of languages, he’s a titan. With 19 years under his belt, he’s worn hats from a linguist and instructor to a cultural bridge-builder and curriculum craftsman.

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