Native

Recently, my life has consisted of using three languages: Japanese at work and in daily life, English for reading and consuming content, and German for talking to friends and family.

I sometimes encounter situations that make me realize again and again how difficult language switching can be, for example when I’m with people from multiple countries and have to either translate or switch between conversations frequently. This has made me appreciate having a native language and the ease of simply speaking without thinking too much (although even then it sometimes takes me a moment to switch back).

The language in which you learn to see and understand the world is something very intimate, I think.

I once knew a guy who grew up in multiple countries and spoke a lot of languages, but none of them at a truly native level. I wonder what that is like when it comes to identity building, among other things.