How do you think?

I remember asking my mother, who was German, but spoke perfect English without any accent, what language she thought in, and her answer was "English "

I talk to myself, so it must be words!

I think in words, in whichever of my languages I happen to be speaking at the time, or thinking in, writing or reading.

But when I think of people I know, or my pets, I see them in my mind's eye.

I have a very intellegent friend who told me once, quite recently, that she never thinks in pictures. I did not know that was possible. Art means very little to me, but I think in pictures as well as words,

And in musical phrases, if it comes to that, and dance steps.

Words for me - sometimes spoken to myself i.e. I need a drink - ok then lets have a coffee. Sometimes if I am shopping I will converse with myself and occasionally someone else will join in - good fun and a way of chatting to people. Makes me sound completely nuts.

I asked DD2 if she could imagine sitting on a beach in her head and she cannot. She is very articulate though and has a masters degree. I can do this this without any problem but DH is just the same as she is. They know what an apple is but can’t visualise one whereas I can ‘see’ every variety of apple and stages of ripeness.

I can visualise almost anything and when I read books my mind conjures up all the characters and settings in huge detail. I cant really watch films or dramas of books I have read because they always disappoint me - most of the characters and settings are 'wrong' i.e. not the same as the ones my brain has dreamed up. Radio however is fine, I can still construct my version of everything.

I think in images. I have to picture something before I say it.

Also one of my sons thinks in words which means he’s always had real trouble reading books as he can’t imagine the story that he’s reading. It’s just words.

I definitely think in colour images, but I do a crossword every day and read a lot, but when I read, I do visualise what and who I am reading about.

Made me quite cross when I saw tiny Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher when the book clearly describes a cross between Arnie and Dolph Lundgrun

When my late husband read a book, he told me he could ‘see’ every scene as if it happened to be a Tv programme!

I think in words and also, like others, talk to myself in my head. (I live mostly alone so that's probably why!) I think things like, 'you need to do xyz' as a means of geeing myself up, but if my daughter were present, would then say, 'I need to do xyz'.

I can't imagine thinking in images purely because I can have weeks where I don't speak to anyone. I think I'd go bananas! At least I hear a voice, albeit my own.