BABIES

[hearsay 1]

Just wanted to get some advice about children. I would imagine quite a few couples on this site have had this experience, so just wanted som advice, wisdom, or just general story telling. My wife and I are going to have a baby this summer. What is it like having an interracial baby? Is it complicated to teach the baby two languages? Is it okay to speak to the baby in two different languages, and frequently changing from English to Spanish. Example: Say the baby can't sleep one night. I get up to comfort the baby, I will be speaking english, such as "whats the matter" "Are you hungry" blah blah, (not sure if this is what I will say) However, when my wife gets up she will be speaking in spanish. As the baby grows, will she be able to decifer between the two. Or will she be saying sentences like. "Yo quiero play outside" lol. Okay, writing, this I am pretty much answering my own questions. But your real life experiences is what I am looking to hear about.

Note: Moderator I imagine you will move this post, I simply posted in this forum because it is where I spend most of my time.

[stevey 0]

The baby will learn both english and spanish with ease. The most imporant thing to remember is to speak in one language at a time. What i mean is, dont speak spang-lish. When you begin speaking in englsih finsih your thought in english. When you speak spanish, finish your thought in spanish. There are many books you can pick up on the topic that can help you along. Good luck.

[Anastasia 1]

Kids are capable of learning languages much better than the adults. I'm from Israel, there's lots of immigrants and there's many biracial babies. They grow up normal knowing few languages, sometimes they get confused a little bit before they start going to kindergarden/school, but afterwards they learn even quicker to communicate and can distinguish between the languages. There's all kinds of games you can play with the kids to help them learn, for example saying a word in one language and the kid should say it in the other. It's a fun experience and can teach you spanish in your case, if you don't know it already, and also I'm sure your kids will appreciate it that you gave them the chance to know more than just english once they grow up.

[Autumnal 25]

The rate at which children learn languages is tremendous, it really is. They pick them up almost effortlessly compared to their parents! Biracial children are getting to be very common too; though I'm not quite one myself (Canadian and British doesn't count, really!), many of my friends are/were. They all were more or less exposed to both cultures very early on, and those who were bi/tri/quasi-lingual picked it up like that.

[myfellah 0]

Very good question and I enjoyed reading the reply. Congratulations on the coming birth of your child.

Doreen

[Kanyiri 0]

Kids learn these things really quickly. From the research that I've made, the child will normally take a little bit longer to start talking, but once he/she does, he/she will be able to speak both languages. Babies minds are little sponges that will accept almost anything you give them. I wish my parents spoke to me with two languages when I was little.

[Girona40 0]

My nephews all speak, French, English and Italian. Their mother is an interpreter and speaks 8 languages, fluently. My brother has learned to speak French and Italian with relative ease.

The one thing they did (with all three boys) was to teach them French first, then English, followed later by Italian. I think there is something about teaching a latin-based language first, which makes the whole process easier.

Their youngest, who is now two, doesn't speak any English yet. Everyone speaks to him in French, but they will start introducing English very soon.

I am sure your child will do well, whatever method you choose.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

We're looking to raise our children tri-lingual (neither Nani nor myself are native English speakers).

The way I understand it, it is best to give the child someone and/or something specific to associate with each language as it grows up. The plan is for me me to speak German with the child at home, for Nani to speak Amharic with the child at home and both of us to speak English to the child when we're outside of the home. That way, the child can associate each language with either a person or a locale. That should enable the child to keep things apart when the time comes.

There will be a period of mumble jumble from all I've seen so far where the child will use vocabulary from both (or all) languages indiscriminately. It'll be by the time the child is 4-5 years old that the understanding of the separation of the different languages kicks in. At that point, the child will be able to speak all acquired languages and know when to use which. In my example: German with me, Amharic with Nani and English outside of the home.

Hope it works that way...

Edited April 29, 2006 by ET-US2004

[Jaylen Brit 0]

ET - Ive known couples who did EXACTLY that - one because the mother, who was a Polish speaker had little English, but her husband spoke both languages fluently. Their kids all spoke Polish to their mother (and also grandmother) and learned English from their dad.

Don't know WHICH language they spoke first tho.

[Rocio 0]

The baby will learn both english and spanish with ease. The most imporant thing to remember is to speak in one language at a time. What i mean is, dont speak spang-lish. When you begin speaking in englsih finsih your thought in english. When you speak spanish, finish your thought in spanish. There are many books you can pick up on the topic that can help you along. Good luck.

i agree

[dollface41601 0]

i agree about speaking one language at a time....sofyan has a cousin who is 4....she speaks half english half arabic sentences, and i belive will have alot of trouble in school....although with time...the child shuold catch on fast

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

i agree about speaking one language at a time....sofyan has a cousin who is 4....she speaks half english half arabic sentences, and i belive will have alot of trouble in school....although with time...the child shuold catch on fast

No worries. I've met so many (particularly) Ethiopian childen in the US that speak this (fairly cute) mumble jumble Amharinglish when they're 2, 3 and maybe even 4 - this varies from child to child. But by the time they turn 5, they have it all down, speak either language with ease and without accent and know exactly which is which.

I remember that I read somewhere that by the time the language separation takes place in the child's brain (which doesn't happen until around age 5), the biggest opportunity to acquire a language is about to pass. While children maintain a fairly strong ability to learn additional languages throughout childhood, it does get more difficult from that point on.

[MrMrsKnight 0]

We're looking to raise our children tri-lingual (neither Nani nor myself are native English speakers).

The way I understand it, it is best to give the child someone and/or something specific to associate with each language as it grows up. The plan is for me me to speak German with the child at home, for Nani to speak Amharic with the child at home and both of us to speak English to the child when we're outside of the home. That way, the child can associate each language with either a person or a locale. That should enable the child to keep things apart when the time comes.

There will be a period of mumble jumble from all I've seen so far where the child will use vocabulary from both (or all) languages indiscriminately. It'll be by the time the child is 4-5 years old that the understanding of the separation of the different languages kicks in. At that point, the child will be able to speak all acquired languages and know when to use which. In my example: German with me, Amharic with Nani and English outside of the home.

Hope it works that way...

That's exactly how Dave and I are gonna do! I'll speak portuguese to our kids (and so will my family) and Dave will speak English to them. I'm aware that they'll speak English more often once they go to school but it's okay.... I'll have the whole time before that to make it up for it.

And for all I've read, you're right..... they'll only start understanding the separation of the languages when they're about 4-5 years old!

Good luck to us!!

[Ban Hammer 13,293]

i figure nessa will teach our kids portuguese, the schools will teach them english, and i'll teach them texas talk

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

i figure nessa will teach our kids portuguese, the schools will teach them english, and i'll teach them texas talk

I thought you'd have to chew tobacco to master texas talk.