13

I speak 4 languages, and I have the least exposure to my native language, since I have never lived in the region where it's spoken. My only exposure to it is speaking to my parents, and some TV. I grew up speaking 1 other language as an infant, and 2 more since Kindergarten. I'm quite fluent in these 3 languages, as I have a lot of exposure. (National language, regional language, and English)

Now, I speak my native language very fluently with my parents and a handful of other people. I can start speaking fast and effortlessly off the bat, like with the other 3 languages. But if any other person starts conversing with me in my native tongue, I'm caught off guard. I stammer, fumble a lot for the right words, don't get the pronunciation right, and take help of English a lot. It takes me anywhere between 2 days (if I'm in constant company of that person) and never to start speaking fluently like I do with my parents.

I feel like I'm selectively fluent, like selective mutism, although google doesn't have any results for it. Is this a thing? Is there a proper term for it?

P.S: This handful of people I mention have been around on and off since my childhood. They're uncles and aunts and cousins.

Improve this question
5
  • Related: linguistics.stackexchange.com/q/15150
    – bytebuster
    Jul 11 '18 at 13:27
  • 1
    @bytebuster Except I am still fluent, but only with a handful of people, I wonder why that is!
    – insanity
    Jul 11 '18 at 13:43
  • Your situation is similar to what mine used to be!
    – OmarL
    Jul 11 '18 at 15:03
  • @Wilson How did you get over it?
    – insanity
    Jul 12 '18 at 10:42
  • 2
    @insanity In my case: practise practise practise, spending a lot of time outside my comfort zone. Moving to the country where my "uncomfortable" language was spoken ... Plus I had some confidence problems in those days which I am glad to say are past now.
    – OmarL
    Jul 12 '18 at 10:52
7

One of my MA instructors, Alex Ho-Cheung Leung, has researched this question with regard to phonology. He says that speakers of 'heritage languages' (e.g. spoken within the family but in the wider enviornment of a different language) may develop less robust phonology because they only hear a limited number of variants of each sound. That makes them less flexible when exposed to other variants. Seems similar to your case.

Edit: Leung, A. 'Input Multiplicity and the Robustness of Phonological Categories in Child L2 Phonology Acquisition'. http://doe.concordia.ca/copal/documents/28_Leung_Vol5.pdf

Improve this answer
2
  • 1
    Some links and references would certainly improve this answer.
    – bytebuster
    Aug 24 '19 at 10:17
  • 3
    I'd expect it to be the same in terms of vocab and perhaps even grammar.
    – curiousdannii ♦
    Aug 24 '19 at 10:34

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.