[emsnu]

Hi everyone

I'm having a problem with my language ability, specifically English. I've been experiencing a rapid loss in vocabulary as well as in my ability to transfer my thoughts into words. I've been learning English for more than 10 years, and after many practices and exposures (reading materials in English nearly everyday, listening to English channels, even thinking in English in every possible scenario), I finally reached the point where I could feel very confident about my language ability. I could have used the language to transfer every thoughts of mine into words without any difficulties, and that I've never run into any situation that troubled me.

2 years ago (in 2013), I began studying French as well as Japanese in college. For my first Freshman year everything was perfect! My English had remained intact even when I spent less time on it, and I'd never lost any words or vocabulary, until 6 months ago, the nightmare began.

For the first time ever, I ran into the "tips of the tongue" sensation, and it became more and more often. Since I thought that maybe the reason was that I spent less time with language, I began reading more English materials as well as practicing it, but it didn't seem to work, the situation still persisted, and even worsened. I also realised that much of my vocabulary has disappeared, leaving me no choice but to use very simple words with similar meaning to alternate/replace the correct words that describe precisely my thoughts but I can not remember/retrieve. Also I became frequently stuck at very simple situations that had never troubled me before, because I don't know which words to precisely describe my thoughts. I have also experienced "strong feelings" that I can't explain or describe when coming across certain words/phrases, and then my brain compelled me to re-read the phrases again and learn by heart it. In some other cases I also have had difficulties repeating/re-summarising without looking at the phrase the I just recently read, a thing that I could have done very easily before.

Yes, it might seem that I've just been forgetting the language due to inefficient exposure to it, but I think it must have been something different. I spent the whole Freshman year and half of my Sophomore year without any problems, why did the problem only started 6 months ago? I've read that to forget a language it could take of to years without using or practicing but I've been reading English materials everyday ever since. And also it seems that for the last few weeks the problem proceeded/worsened even faster than the last few months.

I've been spending the last few weeks in desperate, not knowing what is happening to me while I try to keep the last vocabulary of my from disappearing. I've been googling a lot but still no answers. That's why I post my question here, hoping that anyone could help me with my problem

Thank you for your time!

[LuckyIcecube]

I am also experiencing this and I've only known English my whole life. You just cant find those words you're looking for. From what I know, it could be caused by long term chronic stress, but there are a lot of other reasons behind it. Just try to stay focused while speaking. That's the only thing I can say, I'm no expert.

[emsnu]

Thank you LuckyIcecube. It's been really frustrating going through this. Unfortunately stress doesn't seem to be the reason for my situation, for before this I had led a happy and contended life, with nothing that could have stressed me out. I've been doing a lot of googling for the past few days but they all led to Alzheimer or Aphasia, thins that don't seem very likely :|

[eskielover]

I studies spanish for 5 years in high school & college & lived in an area where spanish was the norm.....but there was no way I could ever have all the words right....LOL....I was chatting with a family who had come to the US from Peru for a visit & I was talking in spanish about playing the organ.....well, the word for foot of an animal is different from the word for the human foot.....& sure enough....I used the word for animal foot when I was talking to them about my playing the organ.....LOL...we all got a good laugh from it....but in reality, I did that kind of stuff all the time & english has so many wierd words for things it's not a wonder that you have problems....especially with the more other languages you are trying to program into your mind.

[emsnu]

Thanks eskielover but I don't think it could be the reason, for I had studied both French and Japanese at the same time for all my Freshman year but everything was finer then, I could still use English well without any problems, and my problem only started around 6 months ago. I'm thinking about seeing a doctor next week. I really hope to find out what's been going on with me