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Does it have to do with syllables? I use English mostly (and am certainly a native English speaker), but use my mother tongue to memorize numbers, as mine (Can
by kelvie 3y ago
Does it have to do with syllables?
I use English mostly (and am certainly a native English speaker), but use my mother tongue to memorize numbers, as mine (Cantonese) has single syllable numbers. I think I can keep 5-7 numbers in short-term memory in english, whereas I think it's closer to 10 or 12 in Cantonese.
- vladvasiliu 3y agoI don't think so. Neither my native nor adopted tongues are English. My native tongue actually has more syllables than the adopted one, for some lowish numbers. Yet, I still count in my native tongue, e.g., when counting the reps while lifting weights. I'd say I speak better my adopted tongue than my native one. People from my country say I speak with an accent, while locals are surprised to learn I'm a foreigner, since I speak with no accent. When I think about things, I also use my adopted language (I went to school here, so it's easier, since I've learned the concepts in this language). Hell, I sometimes use English for my internal thinking. Just not when counting or adjacent tasks.