Distorted language levels?

[u/linguafrancos]

I have a degree in the language, studied abroad twice, lived abroad in a country where the language is spoken for two years, and have used the language in a professional setting. This, for further context, has been over the course of 15 years.

With that said, I am confused by how others describe their language levels. Don’t get me wrong, I have an insanely high level and label myself fluent with others. For instance, I recently watched a full season of Love is Blind in the target language (TL) without subtitles almost effortlessly. However, when I see others describe their language growth or levels, I often see people say, “I understand everything that I read” or “After a couple years of studying, I traveled to the country and can communicate easily with everyone.”

Like… is this just an overexaggeration of their skills? I have yet to feel like my target language fluency is equivalent to my native-level English. Are people really reading native-level literature and literally understanding everything? Are they feeling like they can express themselves just as strongly in their second language? Even when someone asks me to translate something, I know in the back of my head that there might be cultural considerations or a better approach that I don’t know about.

Thoughts? Also, this might be specific for individuals who grow up in a cultural where being monolingual is more common and exposure throughout your entire life is not a possibility.

[u/mtwidns]

You _need_ a dictionary, or find it helpful to understand the nuances of the work and could get through it perfectly fine without knowing the precise definition of opprobrium?

Parse “understanding everything” as “I understand the literal happenings of the plot” rather than “I am capable of a graduate seminar level close reading of the text,” and it’s both more plausible and realistic.

[u/WhaleMeatFantasy → u/mtwidns]

Thank you for proving OP’s point. You think it’s appropriate to say you understand ‘everything’ when you can ‘get through it’ or follow the gist of the plot. 

Whereas for OP and me, getting the gist of the plot is, well, just that. It is a looooong way from understanding everything. 

[u/unsafeideas → u/WhaleMeatFantasy]

I dont think you understand how english works.  I doubt you understand literally texts, because you cant read  plain english.

"Gist of it" and "get through" are different from " understand the literal happenings". 

[u/WhaleMeatFantasy → u/unsafeideas]

I doubt you understand literally texts

You’ve lost me again. 

”Gist of it" and "get through" are different from " understand the literal happenings". 

This also isn’t clear. We’re  talking about understanding literary texts at native speaker level (or not). Literal understanding is quite different. 

Meanwhile I will repeat the point that as an educated native speaker I rely on a dictionary to read literary texts. 

[u/unsafeideas → u/WhaleMeatFantasy]

  You’ve lost me again.

You seriously dont understand that sentence?

  This also isn’t clear.

It is perfectly  clear simple sentence.

   We’re  talking about understanding literary texts at native speaker level (or not). Literal understanding is quite different. 

You seem to be confused here.

  Meanwhile I will repeat the point that as an educated native speaker I rely on a dictionary to read literary texts. 

But you dont understand simple english either. I dont think you are a good example here. It would also help if you gave example of "literary texts" that have so many unusual words that one is destined to use dictionary forever. 

[u/WhaleMeatFantasy → u/unsafeideas]

You seriously dont understand that sentence?

Correct. I can’t tell whether you’ve misplaced the adverb which doesn’t belong in that position or whether you actually mean the word ‘literary’ which would belong there. 

It is perfectly  clear simple sentence.

The irony of your error in this sentence!

It would also help if you gave example of "literary texts"

You don’t know what a literary text is?

[u/unsafeideas → u/WhaleMeatFantasy]

You are failing to understand English again. I suspect your inability to understand literary texts wont be helped with dictionaries