#second language problems

[littlemizzlinguistics]

It’s very kind of people I speak other languages with to assume that my slow comprehension and endless requests for repetition are as a result of us not speaking my first language, when in reality, my auditory processing is just complete shit.

[pastrygeckos]

I got a little perturbed the other day when I realised I don't have an English translation for "unne" (Norwegian), which is when someone has a little treat and they've deserved it, or when someone's getting what they've earned and everyone agrees that yes, the universe owes them that. I tried explaining the sentence structure in a kind of "I envy you your [xxx]" but it's something more agreeable than envy. "I think you're owed being cozy in bed" I guess? I asked my grandparents since he's a professor of English literature, and she translates books from Norwegian to English, but the only other translations they could come up with were "you've earned that" or "you certainly deserve that". I'm just kind of annoyed that I can't find anything that quite expresses the same sentiment

[wordpress-blaze-63194361]

When Drag Queens Were King

With the conflicts about LGBTQIA+, it is fascinating to look back at the history of gays in American history. Once, not only accepted but widely celebrated, drag was a prominent face in the entertainment industry.

During the Shakespearean period, in the late 16th century and early 17th century, women were not permitted to perform on the stage. Men played the female roles. While this wasn’t exactly “drag”, it’s possible gay men took advantage of the opportunity to express their feminine sides.

Originally, drag was not only applied to men performing while dressed as women but, any performer dressed in costumes other than their own gender. In fact, the first recorded drag contest and “ball” in America took place in 1867! Men and women performed in Harlem, New York. There were drag queens and drag kings. Notable during the 1880’s and 1890’s was William Dorsey Swann. Known as the Queen of Drag, Dorsey was more than just a drag queen. An African American, born into slavery, was known for holding secret drag balls. The “Queen of Drag”, Swann, is believed to be the first person in the United States to lead a gay resistance. He held secret drag balls in Washington, DC. One part of the drag balls included a competition known as a “cakewalk”, originally held on plantations by slaves. Couples would dance in precise steps and formation. It is believed to have been a way to subtly make fun of the formal white dances pre and post emancipation. As dance contests, the winners were awarded with cakes!

The Jazz Age (from 1920 - early 1930’s) in large cities like New York, Chicago, and San Francisco saw the popularity of drag performers rise. Minstrel shows, vaudeville, and burlesque provided drag entertainment. Unlike many drag performers, Jean (Gene) Malin was not trying to impersonate a woman. During Prohibition, the days of the “pansy craze”, Malin was openly gay and proud of it. Described as flamboyant and effeminate, he entertained audiences with a wonderful sense of humor. At six feet tall and two hundred pounds, Malin had a lisp that delighted his fans. He was capable of defending himself when needed. He performed in high end nightclubs and was featured in films and on Broadway.

In 1920 Drag Balls and contests were so popular they were even represented in film. Men were referred to as “pansies” or “sissies” and were often portrayed as clothing designers or tailors, hairdressers, or choreographers and dancers. Flamboyant and effeminate, they added humor to films. Women were portrayed as more masculine and dressed in male fashions.

There were actors and actresses who were known to be homosexual, if not to the general public, usually within their professional circles. In 1930’s, Marlene Dietrich, who made no secret of her bisexuality, had the first passionate same sex kiss in a film. However, that wasn’t the first same sex kiss in film. In 1922, Cecil B. DeMille directed a silent movie l, “Manslaughter”, that included an orgy. Although the first same sex kiss has been attributed to the later film, “Wings” in 1927, it was the earlier silent movie that broke the mold.

Drag has once again become popular in America with shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race. On the other hand, the country is in turmoil. The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual+ (LGBTQIA+) community is already beginning to feel the change in the air, from the White House to every house, apartment, mobile home, hotel, or tent. The president has already signed several executive orders that will negatively impact LGBTQIA+ communities across the country. We can’t allow America to return to days of the Hays Code. We’ve too far to allow it to slip away.

Source: When Drag Queens Were King

[3liza]

heard an otherwise intelligent YouTuber say something like "Japanese has dozens of words for ghosts! English only has what, two?" and then showed the words "ghost" and "phantom" onscreen. i think maybe it is a good idea to spend a few years studying your own language in addition to learning a new one because I promise you it will be easier than applying this naivete-based exceptionalism to every new subject you encounter

[includedisco]

I can't possibly know the pain of writing in English when it's not your first language, but what I do know is that the agony is real.

I admit that in my younger years,I didn't bother reading stories that weren't in perfect English. I've done some growing up now and I have more respect for other people's art, no matter what form it comes in.

I just want to say that let's do our best to support fanfic stories written by our fellow writers whose English isn't that great yet. Let's try to see the art in between the lines.

It's much harder for them to write than it is for us who can write good English and yet they resiliently and courageously continue to contribute to our beloved fandoms.

To everyone who is still writing despite this challenge, and striving to improve every day, you guys are the real ones. Mad respect🤝 your constant effort can only lead you to greatness in writing.

Don't let this shortcoming discourage you. This is not your fault, and It doesn't make you any less of a writer

[everydaymusecreation]

This is so beautifully written!

English isn't my first language, but due to the insane availability of texts, books, and academic resources available in this language, I barely use my first language to explore and for intellectual nourishment. I'm more of a writer and reader than a speaker, so now it's very difficult to express myself in my native tongue, which is a bit funny situation. Even the videos I watch and the songs I listen to are in English!

Sometimes I fear that I am losing my first language.

It’s hard to string together a sentence without stumbling over my words, filling in the blanks with English.

But when I write at night, the silly lines that come to mind,

are in Spanish.

I fear that I am losing my first language,

Not from disuse, but because I am keeping my Home close.

Like a secret too precious, that I refuse to share.

[gossippool]

YOU'RE. YOU'RE. YOU ARE = YOU'RE. NOTICE THE E IN ARE. YOU'RE = YOU ARE. THE APOSTROPHE COMBINES THE YOU AND THE ARE TO MAKE IT YOU'RE. FUCK

[satari-raine]

Seeing people talk about (what I'm fairly certain is) the wakizashi Vessel uses in the "The Love You Want" music video and I'm trying so hard not to jump in, because I think there's some neat little associations with the blade and the video's symbolism. I love Japanese swords and culture and would probably ramble until someone stopped me with a frying pan to the face.

Edit: Well, a ramble happened.

[pomeraniandancer]

How the fuck does this even happen...

There are a number of languages you can search for works in on AO3, including Eald Eanglisc of all things, but the one language on there that really throws me for a loop is...American Sign Language.

Like, is there even a video option on AO3 for this to be possible?

I once picked a really big fanfic collection to search for ASL fics in and the only one that categorized as ASL was *written* in English. No videofile too be seen.

The most you can do in ASL in writing is write English words with ASL syntax. But that's still not ASL. ASL does not have a written alphabet or syllabary.

Genuinely bewildered about how this came about. Can people just post something and write in an "other" language and AO3 just adds that language to the list of languages they have fics written in?

I can't think of any other way that this might've happened, and as much as I adore AO3, this is pretty problematic.

[gu6chan]

work related question does anyone have any fun anime for likely 12-14 year olds that to their ulta-conservative conspiracy theory parents would have no objectionable content whatsoever that's not like . pokemon. i live in the most conservative area in michigan btw /hj

[murmishhy]

After years of wallowing in self pity, I finally decided to get back into writing again. As for one of my first drafts after 5 years, I've decided to start with a Durgetash fic alongside with a few one-shots. I planned to write 10 chapters at most and I imagined it would be 20.000 words in total after it finishes...and somehow the first chapter turned out to be a behemoth with 8500 words...

Chapter is good enough, but it's kind of empty and repeating. And it's so gosh darn long that I can't bring myself to edit it. Since it's one of my getting-back-to-my-writing-era stories, it desperately needs editing.

I'm not strong enough though, everything seems like needing a fix and I think rewriting would be easier than editing at this point. Maybe instead of just writing until I'm out of ideas, I should try to write tidier and maybe even stick to some structural guide this time to avoid such mess again? I'm not sure. I don't want to delete the whole 8500 words, but I don't want to edit it, either.

Life's hard when you're a writer whom uses English as a second language and has a fear of failure combined with 'I don't deserve to write, I suck' syndrome.

[miodiodavinci]

anyway probably my favorite thing about fafnir is the ever present gap moe of this incredibly sad and tired looking corpse man acting and behaving like a nervous little creature in a shopping mall, or perhaps a teenager who has been miraculously hired onto their first job despite having None of the qualifications w

my other favorite thing is the fact that he can do this w

[mx-loar-tev]

I'm always seeing people complaining that they are bad writers, that their writing isn't "good enough"...

But becoming a "good" writer takes time.

It isn't even a destination. Writing is a journey and you become better with every story you work on.

I've posted my first fanfiction in English in 2017 and sometimes I go and re-read my old stuff. And I cringe. I can see everything I did wrong. But it's comforting in a sense, because I see the progress!

It's not only because I'm becoming more fluent. I see it in my older fics in French. I can see how I learned how to structure the story better. I goes beyond the language I use.

Anyways, what I meant to say is: writing is a skill, not a gift. Like with any other art, you need to work, practice, to hone it. Even if it's bad at first. You'll get better.

I know it's frustrating sometimes when you compare yourself to these authors you admire. I get it. But it doesn't mean that what you have to say is less important because you haven't learn how to formulate it the way you want.

Writing is the only requirement to be a writer. (Yep, jokes aside).

[zorya-reads]

Volunteering to speak in class and share your answers, then receiving full marks for doing that and doing it well, is bittersweet. Like — Sir, thank you for the excellent grade, but I wasn’t aware I’d signed up for an oral assessment in the first place. Had I known, I wouldn’t have opened my mouth.

[piledrivemytombstones]

The skull jacket of CM Punk is to Punk fans what the purple tracksuit of Jonathan Davis is to Korn fans

[lovelikedestiny]

If you have ever wondered what my writing process looks like on paper.

We've got:

underlined words when I'm unsure of the spelling, the correct usage, or not satisfied with my choice of word (for example if I have already used the word shortly before or after)

scribble and crossed out things

grammar mistakes

spelling mistakes

question marks when I have no idea how it is written or if it's even the right word

me ignoring the existence of paper margins and writing vertically

"word salad" that future!me won't understand anymore but present!me doesn't care

several arrows marking the position of words I either forgot or like better than the actual ones

German words when I cannot remember the English one

whole passages in German when I've just given up on life

[imboredkissme]

Honestly?

I wish I could reblog NSFW stuff, but I'm in public now😔