Do you read books in your first language?

Use this forum for book and reading discussion that doesn't fall into another category. Talk about books, genres, reading issues, general literature, and any other topic of particular interest to readers. If you want to start a thread about a specific book or a specific series, please do that in the section below this one.
Post Reply
User avatar
MatthewAlexander
Posts: 234
Joined: 23 Apr 2014, 15:59
Currently Reading: It's Kind of a Funny Story
Bookshelf Size: 21
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-matthewalexander.html
Latest Review: "Jump" by Michel Sauret

Re: Do you read books in your first language?

Post by MatthewAlexander »

My first language is english so everything I read is in english. I've taken both italian and german, though, and lately I've been interested in buying a favorite book in both languages and seeing if I can read either (a favorite, because then I'd have a general understanding of the book anyway, and have an English reference point).
Latest Review: "Jump" by Michel Sauret
User avatar
1_2_5_am
Posts: 160
Joined: 25 Oct 2014, 02:31
Currently Reading: Once Upon a Time in Korea
Bookshelf Size: 183
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-1-2-5-am.html

Post by 1_2_5_am »

Yep. I currently read in my first language, English.
Once I am able to read fluently in another language, I will SO be reading in it, LOL!
User avatar
shelley_soetosenojo
Posts: 226
Joined: 04 Sep 2015, 16:20
Favorite Author: Nora Roberts
Favorite Book: <a href="http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/shelve ... 21940">the fiery cross</a>
Currently Reading: A Taste of Seduction
Bookshelf Size: 139
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-shelley-soetosenojo.html
Latest Review: "Love Built to Last" by Lisa Ricard Claro
Reading Device: B0716S5G56
fav_author_id: 3258

Post by shelley_soetosenojo »

My first language is Dutch. For leisure I do prefer English books, but for work or education I do prefer Dutch.
Latest Review: "Love Built to Last" by Lisa Ricard Claro
User avatar
fabulasaule
Posts: 103
Joined: 14 Apr 2016, 12:50
Bookshelf Size: 24
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-fabulasaule.html

Post by fabulasaule »

Most of the books I read is in my first language. I think it is because I understand it best, I can fully enjoy the richness of language, follow the author's ideas properly. I hope that when I improve my other languages it will be the same. At this moment I could say I am stuck in one language :)
User avatar
Chabou87
Posts: 14
Joined: 26 Apr 2016, 20:01
Currently Reading: L'Assommoir
Bookshelf Size: 184
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-chabou87.html
Reading Device: B00XKBY94O

Post by Chabou87 »

I read in both french and english. I love reading in french because there are so many different words and expressions. It is a really rich language. I Also really like to read a book in it's original language when I can so when it comes to Jules Verne, Victor Huga and Emile Zola the choice is made. As for english, the majority of my reading is in english and i find that a read much faster in it then in french even if it's my native tongue.
User avatar
Loverockers
Posts: 96
Joined: 20 Apr 2016, 16:39
Favorite Book: <a href="http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/shelve ... lations</a>
Bookshelf Size: 17
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-loverockers.html
Latest Review: "Contemplations" by Lisa M. Gott

Post by Loverockers »

I'm bilingual, but I always prefer reading and writing in English. I don't think I have read any books in my native language which weren't for school.
Latest Review: "Contemplations" by Lisa M. Gott
zebacarts
Posts: 10
Joined: 02 May 2016, 04:31
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by zebacarts »

My first language is english, I never read spanish book but I want to read and learn spanish, that why I take spanish classes.
jungkookblog
Posts: 148
Joined: 04 Mar 2016, 21:26
Currently Reading: Unspeakable Acts
Bookshelf Size: 217
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-jungkookblog.html

Post by jungkookblog »

No. I can't even read my first language haha.
User avatar
starsealsseo
Posts: 7
Joined: 11 May 2016, 02:50
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by starsealsseo »

Pashto is my first language but i did not read pashto book.
User avatar
lily_kh87
Posts: 257
Joined: 31 May 2016, 07:03
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 35
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-lily-kh87.html
Latest Review: Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas

Post by lily_kh87 »

I read in my first language which is Arabic and I read in English. I prefer to read in the original language than to read a translated version because translations aren't always as good as the original.
User avatar
karthic
Posts: 1
Joined: 08 Mar 2017, 11:09
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by karthic »

Tamil is my first languages .I also read english books because lots of reference books in english language. But I respect the Tamil languages ,culture and books.I have read thirukural
Scerakor
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 2146
Joined: 13 May 2013, 13:43
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 315
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-scerakor.html
Latest Review: Gaslighting & Narcissistic Abuse Recovery: by Don Barlow

Post by Scerakor »

Almost all of the books that I read are in my native language, English. The only other language that I am fluent in is French and have fortunately been able to attack a couple of books originally written in French, namely "The Count of Monte Cristo" and "The Little Prince". I think, if one is able, there is something to be said for reading works in their original language.
User avatar
Mailis
Posts: 282
Joined: 29 Jan 2018, 08:36
Currently Reading: The Employee Millionaire
Bookshelf Size: 58
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-mailis.html
Latest Review: There and Back There Again by Andrew Alsup
Reading Device: B00JG8GOWU

Post by Mailis »

I usually read to my children in Estonian, but mostly everything else on my bookshelves is in English. Translated books (from English to Estonian) always seem to have tons of mistakes and weird phrasings in it, so I like to go straight to the source and read it as it was written.
User avatar
heliz_t
Posts: 58
Joined: 28 Dec 2017, 13:35
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 178
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-heliz-t.html
Latest Review: Serendipity Mystery: Diary of a Snoopy Cat by R.F. Kristi

Post by heliz_t »

English is my first language, and I read a lot of books that were originally written in English, or have been translated into English from languages I do not read. I live in a Spanish - speaking country, and also read Spanish. If a book was originally written in Spanish, I don't like to read the English translation. When I was first learning Spanish, I went through a phase (for a couple of years) of trying to read only in Spanish and not in English. Now I read in both languages, and choose the book more for the content than for the language.
User avatar
Camille Turner
Posts: 612
Joined: 28 Feb 2018, 22:24
Currently Reading: Angela's Ashes
Bookshelf Size: 58
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-camille-turner.html
Latest Review: Hippocrates and The Hobgoblin: The Sedes Infernum by C.S. Colvin

Post by Camille Turner »

I almost always read books in my first language -- English -- but I also enjoy them in French and my husband helps me with Spanish books and poetry.
Post Reply

Return to “General Book & Reading Discussion”