Should I practice 3 languages I know at the same time.

The three languages I speak are Arabic, English and Dutch.

My Arabic is native so I have no issues speaking it but written Arabic is different since we use Standard Arabic which is completely different from what we speak. My level of Standard Arabic is not good. I speak colloquial Arabic when I call my family every other day and when I speak to my son every day so that he learns it (he is 1.5 years old though).

English is the language I use the most at the moment. I studied in it, I work in it, I usually read in English and I speak it at home with my wife. However, I noticed that I plateaued at an average level since I only interact with non-native English speakers, including my wife, which results in never unlearning bad habits and never learning the colloquial way of saying and writing things.

Dutch is my weakest language since I don't speak it or write in it often but I am always exposed to it due to the environment that I am in. I have had phases where I completely immerse myself in it but it never lasts for too long because I don't use it for work or at home, and when things get stressful I drop it.

I want to improve at all these languages at once.

Ever since my son was born, I have been trying to use Arabic more and to read more in Standard Arabic. I want him to know my native language but I need to be good at it first. I am ashamed that my Standard Arabic is bad. I am currently trying to focus on reading only and not on writing. One thing at a time.

For English, I am trying to be more attentive when I write or read, similar to how I used to be when I was actively practicing the language. I look up words I am doubting the meaning of or simply don't know. I try to pay attention to grammar and punctuation when I am writing. I also, of course, read frequently in English.

Dutch, though, I am not giving a lot of attention. I simply try to always speak it instead of reverting to English and I don't translate articles or emails from work when they are in Dutch.

Is this a recipe for disaster? Do you have any tips for me to improve my methods? or should I just focus on one or two of those instead of all three at once. Sometimes I feel that I am improving while other times, everything is so messed up in my head that I mix everything and start making rudimentary mistakes in all languages.

Thanks in advance and sorry for the long post.

submitted by /u/No_Wave_2086
[link] [comments]

from Language Learning https://ift.tt/MTDNx3p
via Learn Online English Speaking

Comments