Poll: What language do you choose for leisure reading? Haria hasi duena: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "What language do you choose for leisure reading?".
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| | | | Lieven Malaise 
Belgika
Local time: 21:57
Bazkidea (2020)
Frantsesatik Nederlanderara
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| Native language only | Aug 29 |
In my entire life I've basically only read books in Dutch and watched foreign series and films with Dutch subtitling. For some reason I've always had a strong focus on my mother tongue. Needless to say that this has helped me a lot in my career as a translator only translating into his native language. A lot of bad translation work is mainly the result of unsufficiently mastering one's mother tongue, more than a lack of knowledge of some source language.
| | | | Tri Annisa Fajri
Indonesia
Local time: 02:57
Bazkidea (Jul 2026)
Espainieratik Indonesierara
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I read a book or article in Spanish. Then, if I get bored, I move to an English book. Then, an Indonesian book.
| | | | Christine Andersen
Danimarka
Local time: 21:57
Bazkidea (2003)
Danieratik Ingelesara
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| A mix - regardless of author(s) | Aug 29 |
I do not read a lot of fiction. When I do, it is probably English (native language) or Italian (to learn the language).
I read non-fiction - newspapers, magazines and journals, politics, the odd biography, and background reading in whichever language I find it. Possibly more Danish, as I live in Denmark, but I don't keep statistics! Often Swedish and Norwegian online.
I read German if I am really interested in the subject, to follow up on TV programmes for instance, an... See more I do not read a lot of fiction. When I do, it is probably English (native language) or Italian (to learn the language).
I read non-fiction - newspapers, magazines and journals, politics, the odd biography, and background reading in whichever language I find it. Possibly more Danish, as I live in Denmark, but I don't keep statistics! Often Swedish and Norwegian online.
I read German if I am really interested in the subject, to follow up on TV programmes for instance, and I try to find articles in Italian, especially about culture and history, to talk about at Italian classes. ▲ Collapse
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| My native language | Aug 29 |
I only read for leisure in European Portuguese, my native language.
I did read quite a lot of books in French, English, Spanish and Latin during my university years, though.
However, when it comes to audiovisual content, it’s quite the opposite: I watch TV and films in English, French, Spanish and other languages I don't master with subtitles. I rarely watch TV in European Portuguese.
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In general, I prefer reading in the languages I master, but lately I have been reading a trilogy by Leïla Slimani, a French-Moroccan writer, in the Portuguese translation, because the French version was out of stock. So, it depends…
| | | | Michael Newton
Estatu Batuak
Local time: 15:57
Japonieratik Ingelesara
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I read in the languages that I am comfortable with: Borges, Proust, Mishima, Dostoyevsky. I am now reading a Chinese-language history of archeological research on the Dunhuang Caves of Western China (many of the murals, statues and tens of thousands of manuscripts in various Asian languages were plundered by European "explorers" and ended up in the British Museum, the Louvre and Soviet/Russian collections). A gift to my wife was a deluxe Japanese translation of Proust's "A la recherche" ("Ushina... See more I read in the languages that I am comfortable with: Borges, Proust, Mishima, Dostoyevsky. I am now reading a Chinese-language history of archeological research on the Dunhuang Caves of Western China (many of the murals, statues and tens of thousands of manuscripts in various Asian languages were plundered by European "explorers" and ended up in the British Museum, the Louvre and Soviet/Russian collections). A gift to my wife was a deluxe Japanese translation of Proust's "A la recherche" ("Ushinawareta toki-o motomete"). It was several hundred dollars but something like this is forever. Also, I view a lot of streaming series (Prime Video, Netflix) in the same languages. Yesterday, I viewed the newly dropped "The Whisper Man" in English and today I will review it with Japanese audio. I regularly view Turkish, Indian and Korean series with Spanish or Japanese audio. I notice that recently both audio and subtitles for many European and US series are available in Catalan, Gallego and Basque. Some historical Turkish dizis have smatterings of Ladino and Greek. The (Mainland) Chinese streaming series have sumptuous historical detail. I lament the lack of Russian titles on the streaming services and the fact that most Japanese offerings are insipid romcoms. It is the K-dramas that are most engrossing as they feature complex, finely developed plots. There are fewer and fewer Nordic Noir offerings available. Reading and streaming are among the best ways to explore foreign cultures. ▲ Collapse
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expressisverbis wrote:
I only read for leisure in European Portuguese, my native language.
I find it interesting that you as a Portuguese person explicity write "European" Portuguese, twice.
I'd have thought only the other versions (Brazilian etc.) require qualification.
But I suppose we English speakers also qualify "English", e.g. as British, American, Canadian, Irish etc.
Or Pidgin
Just a comment, not a criticism
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Lieven Malaise wrote:
A lot of bad translation work is mainly the result of unsufficiently mastering one's mother tongue, more than a lack of knowledge of some source language.
What do you mean by "A lot"? More than half? Nah.
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Cilian O'Tuama wrote:
expressisverbis wrote:
I only read for leisure in European Portuguese, my native language.
I find it interesting that you as a Portuguese person explicity write "European" Portuguese, twice.
I'd have thought only the other versions (Brazilian etc.) require qualification.
But I suppose we English speakers also qualify "English", e.g. as British, American, Canadian, Irish etc.
Or Pidgin
Just a comment, not a criticism
I see what you mean, but I think the comparison with English is not quite applicable to Portuguese. 😊
In Portuguese, “European Portuguese” and “Brazilian Portuguese” are established designations for two different varieties of the language, and both can be qualified when specifying which variety we mean. “European Portuguese” is therefore not really a qualification that only the “other” version requires.
As a European Portuguese translator, I’m also very used to making that distinction, particularly in an international translation forum. So yes, I deliberately wrote “European Portuguese” both times. 🙂
In case you don't know, both variants are quite different!
And, incidentally, I found your choice of “Portuguese person” rather interesting too. Given that we’re on a translation forum, I would probably have expected “Portuguese speaker/native”. 😊
But you are right, I am a person, a woman, not a bot. 😁
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