Приве́т!
wrobel said:
Have you ever encountered such problems? and what did you do?
Yes. I observed several phenomena.
While reading and writing is quite o.k., except the fact that my vocabulary is rather limited compared to my native language, and that I tend do phrase my sentences in a wrong order, I get along. It usually takes me a week or two in order to speak and listen to English on a comparable level, if I'm forced to. That means: English only. This is the time it takes to change the filters, i.e. a) expect another sound, b) answer without preprocessing sentences, and c) change my own setting of lips, tongue and breath. Especially the latter is required in comparison to other European languages.
I observed that I make mistakes I never made at school. I write what I hear in my thoughts and do not check it often enough. Thus the standard mistakes occur: their - there - you're - your - etc. Unbelievable, since I do know the correct usages. It occurs while typing (without reading control). Especially embarrassing is write - right.
A language consists of a lot of cultural specifica. There are words which do not exists in either language, and even more, aphorisms which cannot be translated. You cannot translate: "Here it looks like at Hempels' under the sofa." whereas every German would immediately know what is meant. This is equivalently true in the other direction. Furthermore there are all the slang expressions which you are nowhere taught. It is a second unknown language within the language. This takes considerably longer to assimilate than weeks.
The different size of vocabulary is a problem. I can look up how the sophisticated words I'm used to in German translate into English, however, I cannot look up when and where to use them. The details and technicalities(?) aren't noted in a dictionary, or only to a small extent. Hence although I can appreciate Goethe, I cannot appreciate Shakespeare to the same amount, let alone speak in that way.
And last but not least: subtitles are a horror. I have caught myself reading Hebrew subtitles, a language I do not speak at all, while the original soundtrack was in English; or reading german subtitles while listening to Swiss German which I do understand. It was extremely disturbing.