One thing the non-expert should get rid off - the sooner the better! - is the fond myth that familiarity with your mother tongue implies that you know all about language and its social ramifications.
And it's not about lack of command of a foreign tongue either - more often than not, it's the basic concepts which are flawed, such as the belief that a word-by-word translation, though admittedly not very elegant, will at least give you a "general idea" of the source text's content.
While this may actually be true to some extent within the very limited context of highly specialized technical fields (academic papers on chemistry rich in formulae and procedural descriptions being a case in point), the old law school adage "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing" rules even here. Needless to say, relying on imperfect automatization can make matters even worse. Which means it is better to practice a little than talk a lot.
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