Petra van Cronenburg@NatureMC@mastodon.online
🧵
Do you know that feeling when you keep making the same mistakes in a foreign #language and you know exactly that they are wrong? But it happens again and again. How do you get the right answer into your head?
For me, it's always “mites” eating my jumpers, even though I know it's “moths”. When I write about the insects, in biology texts, everything is correct. But in connection with jumpers or wool, it's always wrong.
Now it becomes fascinating: I don't use the
#languageLearning #languages
Petra van Cronenburg@NatureMC@mastodon.online
🧵 English word "mites" but talk about English spoken French "mites" (which is the French word for moths)!
I don't do that mistake in scientific texts because I write science, I don't talk about it in English in everyday life. But I talk a lot about jumpers in French because this is my everyday language.
So ... and now I have to cut this wool thread in my brain! 🤯
😅