Thinking in a foreign language forces you to make better decisions do you agree?

[Wanda Kaishin]

5 hours ago, Mechanic1c said:

I don't remember. Also, you're right about communicate with.

Hahaha - Sir, your honesty is refreshing!

[Wanda Kaishin]

13 hours ago, OmniHead said:

We all think in our mother language, this is why you call it "in-built" sense;

I disagree with this, because I believe I don't really think "in a language". I consider the dialogue that goes on in my brain to be sort of a side effect that turns off and on, depending on what I'm doing. For example, when I'm typing, the dialogue is loud and clear, but when I'm thinking about members of the opposite sex, it doesn't exist. So when we make a decision, I don't necessarily think in a language.

[宇崎ちゃん]

15 hours ago, OmniHead said:

We all think in our mother language

Who is "we all" in this sense?
I think in English much more often than I do in Polish or Dutch combined, despite the fact English is not my 'mother language' and will never be.

This isn't because I prefer English over my 2 native languages, this is simply because I use English much more often.
And you simply get accustomed to what you use most and when it comes to languages, it's to English.

I actually feel like my Polish and Dutch skills are slowly getting worse because of this, even though I still use both languages every single day (Dutch at work in the morning and Polish with family), but for the rest of the time (parts of mornings, and entire afternoons and evenings) I use English and my current target language (Japanese at the moment).

So long story short: I disagree.

[Lynk]

What an interesting idea. I think it would be worth trying to think through the problem in mind in a different language, it certainly could give you a new perspective on the issue. The more time thinking about an issue the better decision you can make on it, so I think there could definitely be some merit to this idea!

[anna3101]

2 hours ago, Wanda Kaishin said:

I disagree with this, because I believe I don't really think "in a language". I consider the dialogue that goes on in my brain to be sort of a side effect that turns off and on, depending on what I'm doing. For example, when I'm typing, the dialogue is loud and clear, but when I'm thinking about members of the opposite sex, it doesn't exist. So when we make a decision, I don't necessarily think in a language.

This is really amazing. I officially envy you now. I can't shut up the dialogue inside my head (well, except for sleeping, and even then when I dream I sometimes think along). Yoga and meditation did not help much, or maybe I was just doing them in a wrong way. I think the rare moments when there are no verbal thoughts in my brain are only those when there are sudden and strong emotions present. Panic or surprise give me several moments of linguistic silence. Other than that, it's bla bla bla all the time and sometimes it's just exhausting

[djordje87]

   I cannot see the relation here. I took some five minutes to clear my head and make a decision about my breakfast in English and it was the same for me. Maybe some bigger decisions or those with greater outcome but for this it didn't work. When making a decision I tend to think about thing that will happen or will not. Everything is related to each other so decisions affect other people to. Therefore we have to think twice before making a new one. It doesn't matter how good my English is, or any foreign language, my native tongue is my tool when it comes to serious stuff going on in my head. This is simply because we feel natural and with no boundaries with our language. No matter how much you try, a foreign language will stay that forever for you, even though you can make it almost as good as your native, you will see that small difference when stressful situations appear.

[pesic87]

Actually, thinking in a foreign language does eliminate feelings and emotions, or if not, it just puts them a bit further from the whole perception and experience. It distances oneself from perceiving life and situations in life way too emotionally, as one would do if thinking in his or her mother tongue. It is strange, but I can tell you one example. If I say 'I love you' in English, which is my second language, to my boyfriend, it would not carry the same emotional 'burden' as it would if I told the same thing to him in my mother tongue. I simply feel is deeper and it is more real and true to me.

I have been using English as my second language, to process my thoughts, even having dreams in English, too, for many years now. The language just wrapped its roots around my cognition and emotions, too. It improved my cognitive skills and competences, yet, at the same time, it somehow does not have the same effect on my emotional side, especially in similar examples as the one I have mentioned in the 1^st paragraph.

[lushlala]

On 15 December 2015 at 8:21:39 PM, Blaveloper said:

Who is "we all" in this sense?
I think in English much more often than I do in Polish or Dutch combined, despite the fact English is not my 'mother language' and will never be.

This isn't because I prefer English over my 2 native languages, this is simply because I use English much more often.
And you simply get accustomed to what you use most and when it comes to languages, it's to English.

I actually feel like my Polish and Dutch skills are slowly getting worse because of this, even though I still use both languages every single day (Dutch at work in the morning and Polish with family), but for the rest of the time (parts of mornings, and entire afternoons and evenings) I use English and my current target language (Japanese at the moment).

So long story short: I disagree.

This discussion is taking a very interesting turn LOL I have to say the idea that we all think in our mother tongue doesn't apply to me too. As weird as it may sound, I spend a lot more time speaking English than my own language. I'm not sure why that is, but by extension, my thought processes play out in English too. If I mutter something under breath, it's almost always in English. I've observed that we all seem to be giving varying answers, so maybe there really is something in the theory that the OP put out. It just DOESN'T apply to ME AT ALL.