How come when I learn a new english word, I could here it and immediately understand what it means. But when I hear a word in a different language that I’m learning, like Japanese, I have to translate the word in my head instead of just understanding the meaning. Even with spanish, which I’ve grown up speaking, I have trouble keeping up with things since I translate a bit in my head. Also how do i stop head translating?
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The first thing to say for ELI5 is that we do not all of us translate into (or out of) our L1 in our heads. My L1 is English. I never ever feel any need to translate in either direction when speaking or hearing French or Czech. I do feel a need to translate into Italian when speaking sometimes — because I simply don’t have enough time spent in the language, don’t have a large enough vocabulary, don’t have all the grammar structures as “second nature.” Enough time in any language using it translation-free makes it second nature; insufficient time leaves it always a translation chore.
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