Kan man vara sig sj�lv p� ett annat spr�k? Or Who am I when I speak Swedish?

Det finns mycket som h�nger ihop med spr�ket. N�r jag pratar engelska vet jag vilkna ord jag ska anv�nda med en viss publik. Jag kan vara sarkastiskt. Jag kan sk�mta. Jag kan anv�nda ord som har subtila nyanser. Jag l�ter som jag �r utbildad, som jag �r kanske n�gon som man kan lita p�. Jag f�rst�r hur mitt ordval kan ge information om mig sj�lv.

When you really begin to learn a language, you begin to notice just how much goes with it. When I speak or even write in English for that matter, I know how to use it. I can play with words. I can be sarcastic and funny without thinking too much about it. I can use big fancy words or simple explanations. I sound like now and then I open a book.

Men n�r jag prata svenska k�nns det fortfarande som jag �r lite handikappad. Att jag kan prata men kanske inte alltid kommunicera. Jag har sv�rt f�r subtila undertoner. M�nga kanske tycker att jag �r v�ldigt sj�lvs�kert n�r jag prata. Men jag tycker att jag har inte s� stora m�jlighet att variera mitt spr�k, s� det l�ter kanske bara sj�lvs�ker f�r att jag kan inte tona ner det s� l�tt.

Often times when I am speaking Swedish I feel like I am stuck in the fifth grade. Left back a year or two because I am just very slow. I can get out my sentences and people understand me, but I am not really being me. I notice, particularly in job interviews, that the feedback I get is you seem very self assured and ambitious, which isnt really what we are looking for. I sometimes think that is because I dont really have the skills to vary my language and tone yet. When I speak English with people, my nonverbal communication is caught up, but when I speak Swedish, my nonverbal communication is very rigid and not very soft.

Jag har mycket respekt f�r folk som �r i ett fast f�rh�llande med n�gon som prata har ett modersm�l som dem inte kan f�rst�. I v�rt hus �r det lyxigt att b�da jag och min man kan prata v�ra egna spr�k och bli f�rstod.

Much respect to those who are living in relationships where they always need to speak a foreign language with their partner. I find it very comforting that I can relax and speak my own language and have my Swede understand me. And that he can do the same. But I guess maybe thats why my Swedish skills a bit lagged behind. If I had to speak it all the time, it might be a different story!