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Do you have a different personality when you speak a different language?

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Re: Do you have a different personality when you speak a different language?

#41

Post by WildUtah »

I was in a car with a few friends giving directions to another car that was supposed to meet us. The driver of the other car had a little trouble understanding the directions I was giving and asked if we could switch to English.

No problem. I can give directions in English as easily as in the local language.

When we were off the phone, my friends in the car remarked with astonishment that I seemed like a different person in English. At most one of them had any English proficiency but they certainly noticed that my manner had changed and my personality seemed to follow.

My ex-wife mentioned the same thing.

I don't notice it because I'm always the same person, subjectively experiencing the same reality. Evidence indicates, though, that I do have a different personality in English and Spanish.

Re: Do you have a different personality when you speak a different language?

#42

Post by albahk »

I definitely have a different personality when I speak Mandarin, a language I studied for a year in Shanghai. I am not fluent, so my spoken mandarin is very simple, but direct, without the fluffiness or sugar-coating that one tends to include in English (my native language). Examples:

English: "Would it be possible to get a receipt for that?"

Mandarin: "Please give me a receipt"

The language helps to reinforce this due to its structure and grammar, however, I find I am more confident, outspoken and to-the-point when speaking in Mandarin. Also, I find I am an incredibly stingy negotiator when buying things, to the point of being a bit of a shit... didn't realise this until a friend came to visit me from overseas.

EDIT: Also, I tend to be more respectful when addressing others in Mandarin, using Sir (xiansheng), Master (Shifu) (as in a learned master), Boss (Laoban) etc to give face. Its an immense help and illustrates to me that a little respect and politeness goes a long way.

Re: Do you have a different personality when you speak a different language?

#43

Post by morons »

Tichy wrote: post #25
studer wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"people in Berlin yell at each other all the time to resolve conflicts" Oh, I thought the real German stereotype was that you sued people if they annoyed you even the slightest.

The US is famous for their lawyer epidemic and nutcase lawsuits like McDonalds coffee that is too hot.

nutcase lawsuits like McDonalds coffee that is too hot

Learn the facts of the case. It's a very well deserved lawsuit.

Only ignorant morons cite it as the opposite.

Congratulations on confirming that you're an ignorant moron.

Re: Do you have a different personality when you speak a different language?

#44

Post by maxklein »

One issue that comes up with people who speak multiple languages is the way you speak them and the way you are perceived, which in turn lead to a personality shift.

Say for example, you are a native english speaker from South Africa. You speak with a normal informal accent. Then you go to study french in a school in france - the french you will learn will be formal school french, and not street french.

As a result, people who speak to you in french will perceive you to be a formal, educated person, because of your choice of words. So they will treat you that way, and you will adopt the same formal characteristics as the people who are talking to you.

So it will appear that you have a personality shift when you switch languages.

Re: Do you have a different personality when you speak a different language?

#45

Post by nandemo »

russell wrote: post #20
marktucker wrote: post #9

I live in America and only speak swiss german with my wife. Apparently I talk like a girl when I speak swiss now.

Some years ago I spent a few months in Brazil. My Portuguese was barely conversational, so I had to pay very close attention to vocabulary and usage to understand anything. I noticed that women had a distinctly different vocabulary from men. For example, men had one word for dog and women had an entirely different one, not just the "dog", "doggie" distinction. Talk only to women and you end up talking like a girl, :-…

Er, what are the "women" words for "dog" besides cachorro and cachorrinho? I'm a Brazilian guy, by the way.

Re: Do you have a different personality when you speak a different language?

#46

Post by mitjak »

antirez wrote: post #35
CWuestefeld wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And French, "tu" (familiar singular) and "vous" (formal singular, or plural). English used to have "thou", but of course that's long since extinct.

In Italian is almost like that: "tu" (familiar) and "voi" (very formal) or "lei" (less formal)

And Russian.

Re: Do you have a different personality when you speak a different language?

#47

Post by zackattack »

jpp wrote: post #2

This seems to be my week to finally "de-lurk" around here. I did a collaboration a few years back on this; it's a fascinating topic. If you're curious to learn more and have access, check out: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi... I'll see if I can dig up a summary but am on iPhone at the moment.

Nice paper. what is Atof, Inc.?

Re: Do you have a different personality when you speak a different language?

#48

Post by eipipuz »

CWuestefeld wrote: post #30
shrikant wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And in most Indian languages.

And French, "tu" (familiar singular) and "vous" (formal singular, or plural). English used to have "thou", but of course that's long since extinct.

Trivia, "thou" was actually the informal pronoun.

On the other hand in Mexican Spanish, "usted" is fading away. It's curious how different cultures get rid of different options.

Re: Do you have a different personality when you speak a different language?

#49

Post by johkra »

nandemo wrote: post #45
russell wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some years ago I spent a few months in Brazil. My Portuguese was barely conversational, so I had to pay very close attention to vocabulary and usage to understand anything. I noticed that women had a distinctly different vocabulary from men. For example, men had one word for dog and women had an entirely different one, not just the "dog", "doggie" distinction. Talk only to women and you end up talking like a girl, :-…

Er, what are the "women" words for "dog" besides cachorro and cachorrinho ? I'm a Brazilian guy, by the way.

Isn't dog cão? (My Portuguese is barely good enough to talk and influenced by both European and Brazilian Portuguese.)

Re: Do you have a different personality when you speak a different language?

#50

Post by nandemo »

johkra wrote: post #49
nandemo wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Er, what are the "women" words for "dog" besides cachorro and cachorrinho ? I'm a Brazilian guy, by the way.

Isn't dog cão? (My Portuguese is barely good enough to talk and influenced by both European and Brazilian Portuguese.)

Yes, but in Brazilian Portuguese "cão" sounds formal. In conversation we use "cachorro".
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