Bilingual speaking to baby

[KatelynsMummy]

Can I just ask, those who have done/do 2 languages... Does your LO tend to mix it up? Like during a sentence say half english & half french (or whatever language you teach) or are they able to distinguish the difference between the 2 iykwim?

 

[aliss]

Can I just ask, those who have done/do 2 languages... Does your LO tend to mix it up? Like during a sentence say half english & half french (or whatever language you teach) or are they able to distinguish the difference between the 2 iykwim?

Mine doesn't talk yet but from my studies and personal experience, they really don't distinguish them in the sense that adults do - it's like an automatic reaction.

For example, if you were studying French, you would be reading a French sentence and probably be translating it in your head in English (until you became fluent).

For bilingual children, they don't go through this step - there's no conscious thought of distinguishing language, it's just a thought that comes out of their heads. Part of the bilingual "problem" that people also forget is that children don't even speak their own language perfectly - well, nobody does, but (misinformed) people seem to want to blame bilingualism for errors in child speech.

It's like baby talk. You have fall before you walk properly each time. Baby talk, "INCORRECT" grammatical structure (it's not actually incorrect, there is a process when a toddler says "me cookie" that is standard for that age), bilingual babies using the "wrong" language from time to time - it's all part of the natural process of acquiring adult speech.

The problem is when people talk out of their ass and seem to think that this is wrong. It's not. It's part of learning. But that's very typical - people expecting babies to have the same mental processes as adults

 

[Lellow]

Another Q....Will the likelyhood be that bilingual babies speech may be delayed compared to those babies who will only learn one language?

 

[aliss]

Another Q....Will the likelyhood be that bilingual babies speech may be delayed compared to those babies who will only learn one language?

It used to be a thought that it would cause delay but it has now been shown over and over, overwhelmingly, that it does not.

It is also important to keep in mind that "one language" is very much common to many modern western countries BUT an infant/child learning more than 1,2, or even 3 languages from birth is very common in many places in the world.

 

[KatelynsMummy]

Another Q....Will the likelyhood be that bilingual babies speech may be delayed compared to those babies who will only learn one language?

It used to be a thought that it would cause delay but it has now been shown over and over, overwhelmingly, that it does not.

It is also important to keep in mind that "one language" is very much common to many modern western countries BUT an infant/child learning more than 1,2, or even 3 languages from birth is very common in many places in the world.

Are you some sort of genius?

 

[aliss]

Another Q....Will the likelyhood be that bilingual babies speech may be delayed compared to those babies who will only learn one language?

It used to be a thought that it would cause delay but it has now been shown over and over, overwhelmingly, that it does not.

It is also important to keep in mind that "one language" is very much common to many modern western countries BUT an infant/child learning more than 1,2, or even 3 languages from birth is very common in many places in the world.

Are you some sort of genius?

Haha no, I did my degree in language acquisition and TESL (teaching English as a second language),

 

[Lellow]

Thanks for that aliss

 

[KatelynsMummy]

Another Q....Will the likelyhood be that bilingual babies speech may be delayed compared to those babies who will only learn one language?

It used to be a thought that it would cause delay but it has now been shown over and over, overwhelmingly, that it does not.

It is also important to keep in mind that "one language" is very much common to many modern western countries BUT an infant/child learning more than 1,2, or even 3 languages from birth is very common in many places in the world.

Are you some sort of genius?

Haha no, I did my degree in language acquisition and TESL (teaching English as a second language),

I'll stick with calling you a genius

 

[cowboys angel]

Another Q....Will the likelyhood be that bilingual babies speech may be delayed compared to those babies who will only learn one language?

It used to be a thought that it would cause delay but it has now been shown over and over, overwhelmingly, that it does not.

It is also important to keep in mind that "one language" is very much common to many modern western countries BUT an infant/child learning more than 1,2, or even 3 languages from birth is very common in many places in the world.

Are you some sort of genius?

Haha no, I did my degree in language acquisition and TESL (teaching English as a second language),

I'll stick with calling you a genius

I second that!

 

[Natsku]

Can I just ask, those who have done/do 2 languages... Does your LO tend to mix it up? Like during a sentence say half english & half french (or whatever language you teach) or are they able to distinguish the difference between the 2 iykwim?

I was raised bilingual and would mix the two languages because some words came more naturally to me in one language and some in the other. I still mix both languages sometimes!

 

[M&S+Bump]

I was told the best way to do it is one parent, one language, so your OH speaks one language and you speak the other. Not sure how it works for more than one!

I started off speaking only in Finnish and my OH in English, but I didn't last very long - I understand and read fine, but my speech is a little rusty because I'm out of practise and don't hear it day-to-day - I'd need to go and spend a few weeks back in Finland to get it flowing properly again, and even then my speech isn't very baby-friendly lol as since we left (when I was 10) I've only ever spoken to adults! I figured he's a bit young to really bother right now and I've got more than enough on my plate to be dealing with without trying to put pressure on myself and ending up not speaking to him at all because the words aren't coming naturally.

I take him to my dad's for now to get his Finnish fix lol!