I think formulas throw me because it’s hard to understand their meaning unless they are surrounded with something to give me context. Coding is easier, because there is syntax and everything is written. I notice a big difference when speaking/hearing different languages, too.
A word in Italian might remind me of something in Spanish or French, and in searching for meaning, I sometimes forget how to express myself in English. Using French-based dictionaries for whatever language I was trying to learn helped, because that’s what kept popping into my head. If there was a way to make sure of a visual/text reference back to my native language, maybe that would involve flashcards. It would be an interesting experiment to try with a new language, to see if that makes it easier to learn.
