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This time around I've been in Munich for over 8 years (came here and also
eventually met the love of my life but I was planning to stay anyway ;)
Despite all the feedback I get from Germans that I should speak German all
the time so that I can improve, I consciously speak/write English wherever I
can. I do my best to keep up my English since that is where the money comes
from (This is not to say I don't do anything to maintain or improve my
German - I gotta do that too, but English style is a first level priority
since my German is pretty good anyway and me writing German doesn't earn me
money). I constantly watch CNN, BBC and CNBC. I try to only watch films
first in the original (regardless of original language, English, German or
French). I read mind candy books in English. I try to read books in English
in the my specialty subject areas. I talk a lot to English/American friends
in English. There are quite a few Germans who want to talk to me in English
so I let them. I try to have all my work (translations or original
documentation) read by another native speaker. I do the same for them. We
are always getting on each other's case about Germanisms. We are even
considering setting up some sort of punishment system, e.g., every time I
get caught uttering or writing a Germanism, I have to pay the one who
catches me a Euro. I have quite a few grammar and style references not only
for the native speaker but also for ESL students because I am always getting
questions about some grammar point or another. Keeps me on my toes. Oh, and
make sure your CAT tools have those false friends in them to help your avoid
stupid mistakes. Actually, creating/continually reviewing a list of false
friends, not only nouns/verbs but also expressions might be helpful, too.
When I am not sure of my prepositions (German is not the language creating
interference, BrEnglish also has an affect on my AmEnglish, so I use
collocation books to help me on my phrases and prepositions, etc. I recently
got a cool book on proverbs and sayings in various languages...
I haven't mentioned any specific books on reducing language deterioration
itself because I don't know of any but maybe somebody else does...
Cass :) (who invites anyone to point out any weirdness they notice in my
English)
> Hi folks,
>
> I have a slightly unusual problem that I haven't seen discussed
> here before.
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