You are right that translating takes effort, but becomes easier as time passes and you are more adept. Many things “degenerate” with age, but language is not one of those. Au contrarie.

It is interesting. Romans conquered many places in Europe, and it was precisely because people did not have every thought in Latin or every thought in their native language that all the Romance Languages were created. I, for one, renounce to the job of gatekeeper or protector of any language (and I would be highly surprised if I were alone on this one). Peoples mix, borders dissolve (wall or not), communication is the need, sticking to one language is to be left behind. Bilingual and bicultural; that I am, and dividing lines do blurr.

@Rodatheist Having lived in Spain. I loved that the Royal Academy of the Spanish Language every Sunday had a 30 minute program were they introduced the new words to the language with the correct definition, root, use, etc. And if any word was removed, also informed the public. That is Culture and how you keep up with a language. I could bring how the Puerto Ricans in New York invented words in their own... that is not Culture. They used words like "rufo" in spanish, there was no such word... it was taken from the word roof how it sounded and added an o. About your comment of rome and latin... nobody but priests learn latin now days but plenty speak spanish, french, italian, portuguese. Oh the Romance Languages... considered the most beautiful languages in the world. I believe in the Purity and Beauty of languages. There are 3000 to 4000 arab words in use in the spanish language. They were accepted during the Arab occupation in Southern Spain. Some made it all the way to this side of my world like the word "quinque". But it is what culture is about to understand where those words come from instead of just use them and you have no idea. That is how I learned Castilian... not Spanish as my first language.

@GipsyOfNewSpain. The Dictionary of the Royal Academy of the Spanish Language is one of the biggest sources of cultural pride that as a Spanish speaker I could have ever had. Once I contemplated paying the preset equivalent of $400 for the full dictionary in two leather bound volumes (my wallet stopped me). I know and I taste the exquisite full flavor of speaking proper Spanish. I can now also enjoy that same pleasure but with ketchup (English of course). That is what educated people do; I am with you on that one. However, in your comment I can find support for my argument. You say: “nobody but priests learn latin now days but plenty speak spanish, french, italian, portuguese. Oh the Romance Languages... considered the most beautiful languages in the world.” And I say: that is exactly my point: if people speaking Latin would have to have their every thought in Latin, and people speaking the local European languages would have to have their every thought in their language, the Roman Languages would have never been developed; but they did, because languages merge. The same way, all those Arabic words would have never been accepted into Spanish, or all those French words into English, and don’t even get me started about Greek!! So, we can try to hold on to the purity of the language, but in doing so we will be missing the train of the inevitable language transformation and mixing. Your own comment contains a sample of this mixing; and this is it: you and I know that in Spanish we refer to “cultura” as “education”. Tener cultura es ser educado. Ser culto es tener conocimientos. And now when you are using the word “culture” in English you are giving it the meaning it has in Spanish. In English the first generalized meaning of culture is “the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group” (from Merriam-Webster). English speakers would more easily get the exact meaning of what you wanted to say about Puerto Ricans using “rufo” if you refer to it as “education” or lack thereof. When you say “that is not culture” some English speakers scratch their heads. Yes, in Spanish cultura is also the customary behaviors of a group etc. etc., and yes in English culture is enlightening by intellectual training; but not the way you were using it. And I say this not with the intention of denigrating you or your knowledge; you are obviously a very intelligent and educated person. I use it to illustrate the way in which languages melt when their speakers are in proximity. The use of “rufo”, at one lexicographical level, and your use of “culture”, at an obviously very different lexicographical level, are samples of what I argue.

@Rodatheist they brought the word "rufo" to Puerto Rico... we have no idea what they were talking about. It is what they knew. What they used.... we named that "span-english". Many years later americans catched up and made a movie with that name but not about the Puerto Ricans that originated it. It is the anglo assumption... all latinos speak exactly the same language. What can I say? I will protect my language even with its idiosyncrasies. I have to learn that in Spain in 1988 they called personal computers... "ordenadores" not "computadoras"... because they saw it as a continuation of the "word processor" something they called "ordenador de ideas". Spanish is going no where. It is here to stay in our land.

Oh, and I missed one point about what you said earlier: knowing the meaning and origins of the words, as opposed to just using the words without knowing why or what they really mean, is essential. Etimologías griegas y latinas del español was one of my favorite classes. And about Spanglish!! Check this abomination out: voy a parkear mi troka en la marketa para comprar mis groserías. ????
But the problem I see with coming up with proper words in Spanish so that we don’t use the foreign words, with the end goal of using pure Spanish or keeping it pure, is that words are created that nobody use. Qué es más usado: ordenador o computadora, aeroplano o avión, automóvil o coche o carro, espejuelos o gafas o lentes, transatlántico o barco, superventas o best-seller. The first terms are clearly correct, but what about their popularity among users of the language? And finally, granted, mixing of the languages will occur more often among people with less access to education who don’t have command of their own language.

@hammerhead In Europe is not "amazing" is the normal... you learn your country language and the language of all your neighbors (in case of war), plus you learn English. French is still the diplomatic language of the world I believe. At least it was last century. In the past all diplomats learned and communicated in French. I believe the Court of La Haya still uses French as its language. English is the commercial language. Some languages are easy, some languages are hard.

@GipsyOfNewSpain The Dutch and Norwegians are seriously multilingual - partly because it is state policy not to allow foreign language movies to be dubbed, only sub-titled. As a result, children grow up understanding many languages.
The flip side of this, though, is that almost nobody except Norwegians and Dutch speak those tongues!
Because I was exposed to Norwegian and Afrikaans (an offshoot of Dutch) I have a smattering of those languages, but am better able to communicate in Italian, as it has similarities to Spanish and I often visit my sister who lives in Northern Italy. (However, I am not fluent enough in those three tongues to be able to speak rapidly in them.)

@hammerhead I found that it helps a lot to immerse myself in the language I'm learning or speaking. I hope it works for you too.

It will get better. You will become more adept. Keep going. Be like a fine wine.

@hammerhead My grandkids are Polish/English ... And switch back and forth with no effort at all .... In fact they seem to have invented a language of their own . Oh to be young again !

@hammerhead. That’s what I mean.

@MarcIveson In Kenya people would often wonder what language my mates and I were speaking. We would switch effortless between English and Swahili, changing whenever there was a better word to use in the other language, then continue in that tongue until there was again a better word in the other. We never even realised we were switching. However, I haven't used Swahili much in the past 30 years, other than a visit to Kenya 5 years ago, so my full fluency has faded a bit.

@hammerhead Although sometimes, I could write the same thing in Spanish in fewer words than in English (I published a bi-lingual weekly for many years)