The Language That Was Chosen Once

When two people share more than one language, they tend to keep speaking whichever one they used first. The pattern holds even after fluency changes, even after one language becomes more convenient than the other.

I noticed this after learning Spanish in Chile. With anyone I met after becoming fluent, I spoke Spanish. With anyone I had met before, I still spoke English. The original language had never been revisited.

To continue required nothing. To switch would have required explanation.