Two languages in one head? No one can live at that speed.

Spacey Sunday
Sep 4, 2018 · 2 min read
Photo by Curtis MacNewton on Unsplash

I’m learning two languages, currently. Spanish and Norwegian. Not living anywhere near either Norway or a Spanish-speaking country it does seem slightly pointless.

I picked up Duolingo a few years back. Elizabeth was obsessed with Pokemon Go, and since she was glued to her phone rather than talking to me, I found something to occupy my time. Not wanting to waste time with a game like Candy Crush, I decided Duolingo was a good way to go.


Spanish has always been an attractive language to me, from childhood holidays in the Spanish-speaking world, to enjoying Spanish language movies and Spanish culture. Elizabeth and I used to enjoy visiting a local tapas restaurant and it was a matter of pride for me to be able to order everything on the menu as accurately as I could.


Norwegian came in waves. There was the hot Norwegian guy I met on a surfing holiday in Portugal, and there was the hot Norwegian dogsledding girl I met in the Arctic. There was a childish dream of moving to Norway and having huskies. And besides, it’s something different to learn.


When people ask me if I speak any other languages, I always tell them that because I’m English of course I can speak French. They usually reply with a slightly sarcastic of course, like it’s news to them that one should obviously follow the other. But they also don’t question it. A bit like when I tell people about how the river Thames freezes solid every year and there are winter markets held on the river.

I sometimes tell women how I want to speak French between their legs.

French is considered a language of love and romance, and French kissing still has that adolescent thrill. I like the euphemism of the phrase, I like being subtle with language, but I also like that it conjures up passion and romance, as well as luxurious and dextrous love-making.

It’s little wonder that I work in marketing and advertising when something as simple as sex for me must be sold or branded almost like an ad campaign. Talking dirty is so sexy for me, words hold such power, it’s disappointing when people won’t be encouraged or think that photos are enough.


The trouble with learning two such different languages as Spanish and Norwegian is my brain struggles to keep the two in their separate boxes.

What is your name? It asks me, and my the wheels in my brain spin trying to separate deg from tu.

How do you say “name” in this language anyway?

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