It was bad skill hygiene on my part and, I have known it for the almost 16 years I have lived in Finland. Why didn't I just learn?

Don't worry mate. Not having learned enough finnish through 16 years of having been there actually never was necessary for you or anyone else. You've achieved and done everything outstandingly well without knowing it until very recently.

You are simply noticing this as a disadvantage 'just now' because you probably are going thru that hideous but very transitory Aching Big Toe syndrome.

You know, those transient times when you start to notice that must exist more pebbles in your way than usual. Only, because you have now the sensation that you aren't failing to kick not even a single one of those pebbles precisely with your bad toe all the time.. ;)