Do you think and dream in English or Greek?

Editor's note: The following question and answer were published originally in The California Aggie.

Do you think and dream in English or Greek?

This is an interesting question because it is one of those things that I believe changed without me really noticing it. I think and dream in English and not in Greek, and I can't say I remember exactly when this began to happen. It's interesting how the brain works that way.

I remember when I first came to the United States and I was working on my master's degree at UCLA, I began trying to translate from Greek to English very early. At first it took some effort, but then I found myself being able to do it without thinking about it. If I had to guess when this began, I would have to say the transition happened within a year or so after I got to UCLA. I don't believe this is something that you wake up one day and realize has happened, but something that happens more gradually over time.

However, words are not something I usually remember from my dreams. I dream mostly about colors and shapes. When I wake up, it's usually the colors that I remember, but when there are words in my dreams, they are always in English.

Got a question for the chancellor? Send it to campus@theaggie.org.