From the Life of a Bilingual Writer...(I)

Random Observations

There is no such thing as "the" dominant language in my brain.

I haven't yet have dreamt with subtitles - though I'm totally waiting for the first dream of that kind (and hope that either audio or subtitles will be in a language I understand - it would totally such not to be able to understand my own dream).

Memories of conversations and situations come to me in either language - no matter which language was the original one (yes, Americans in my memory suddenly speak German, and Germans English, and...oh, you get it).

The way I write dates varies with my mood (and sometimes with no reason or logic at all) and doesn't necessarily correspond to the language of what is written below.

When I talk to someone else who is bilingual German/English, I might switch languages in mid-sentence and use whichever language fits best or comes to me first.

My notes are scribbled down in both languages without any logic or system behind it.

My online dictionary is my best friend when I can't think of a certain word in the language I need but remember it in the other language - even if it is not a perfect match (works both ways). The dictionary results usually include the word I was looking for.

It frustrates me to no end when I can't think of a particular word in either language since I can't even look it up, then.

It also frustrates me when I know the perfect word for a situation/emotion/whatever - in the wrong language! - and can't find an equally good match in the other language.

To be continued...