I speak English better because my studies of several other languages taught me to

Did your studies of those other languages teach you to drop the "I spoke English since I'm a young boy" structure? Someone challenged you on that form once, because it's not good English. You replied you'd been using it all your life and it made you feel you were speaking in a "more immediate" sense, that you were more present in the setting of your past. And you continued resolutely using it, making my ears hurt every time you did. I'm willing to bet it was the product of some relative who grew up speaking Yiddish, perhaps your grandparents, or else you unconsciously imitated some adults you often saw as you were growing up.

I was unable to listen to you for a year, but when I found a radio station that carried you and I was able to start listening regularly, you had dropped that construction, so I don't know why you did, but I doubt it was learning another language that did it.

I have to tell you that I don't think I speak better English because of my knowing a six or ten* other languages. I think my English is good because of my extensive reading in works written before 1948.

_____________________

*Is it kosher to count languages I've forgotten?