Mother's Tongue

To new immigration, language may be the first problem that need to be fixed. In general, it is so challenge to learn a new language when people are at adult age, becuause they are not borned in the environment with this second language. In the US, some of my friends, who are new immigrants, have very limited English skill, just like the writer's mother. However, their next generation have better English skill than their parents', but is also not well enough, compare to Americans who's family live here for centuries.

I think living in English environment in a period of time is helpful to improve English, because my English skill is improved when I have lived in the US since fall 2007. At the beginning I even could not speak a complete sentence, but now I can clearly speak some simple sentence, such as a request or questions, which is because I am listening what native speakers say, and try to imitate them.

Nevertheless, I don't think I will have same English skill like native speakers, whatever how long I live in the US, because English is not breaking into my blood to be part of my body. In my mind, I unconsciously think Chinese first, and then translate into English. what I can do is reduce the translation time, but I cannot competely absorb English.