I suppose that there are many members in this forum, who grew up in multilingual surroundings or/and who have children learning two or more languages from the beginning of their life.

My children, now teenagers, have Norwegian and German as their mothertongue. I have spoken German to them from their birth. Their father has always been speaking Norwegian to them. During their first years of life German was the language, in which they did express themselves best. When they started to have more contact with our Norwegian surroundings, like in the kindergarden, Norwegian took the first place in their language abilities.

Now my son speaks and reads German very well, but he lacks the training with grammar and writing. My daughter reads German books and watches the German children’s channel on satelite TV with only few words she doesn’t understand. But she is answering me in Norwegian, when I speak German to her. When I ask her to speak German, she comes with a mixed language of German and Norwegian.

Both of the children master the Norwegian language very well. They have English as a foreign language since the first grade. My son is now having French as a second foreign language during the last two years with good results. He is planning to take German courses outside the school later for learning the grammatical background.

For the next grade in autumn my daughter has to choose, if she should have German, French or Spanish. I sometimes think she should choose German, to give her the opportunity to get a solid basis in German instead of starting a new foreign language. But I really don’t know, what would be the best choice.

I would appreciate to hear your opinions and your experiences about growing up multilingual.

Best regards

Calendula

Hi Calendula,
I think you are right if she can go for german in order to have a solid base.
It is also an advantage since she has already a good backgroung . On the other side, the desire from her side should there in order to enjoy learning and not just to do a favor for daddy.
In my case, my 6 years boy is in an european preschool, German/ English. The other one is in an international kindergarden also learning german /english.
We still have time to think about the third one....probably french.
Take care
Krim






Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/02/2005 04:07 by Krim.

Hello, Krim!

Thanks for your answer.

It is difficult to know, what would be the best. We think it might be boring to start German lessons from scratch, as my daughter can understand and read German well. But since she only has learned very little about the grammar and lacks practice to speak and write, she will not really be able to use it later in studies or job. Learning Spanish or French will on the other hand only give her the basics in those languages, so perhaps it will be better trying to achieve profound knowledge in German.

You write that your eldest children learn German/English at school/kindergarden and you consider French for the youngest. Do you speak any of those languages at home or are you speaking Arabic or Tamazight to the children?


Hello, all!

I would very much like to hear experiences about growing up in a multilingual family and/or surroundings from those of you, who are adults now. In Morocco there are families speaking Tamazight and/or Arabic and/or French, so I think there might be some experience among the members here, about growing up multilingual.

In Norway I have met several adult persons from bilingual families, who all regretted that they did not learn the non-Norwegian parent’s language, when they were children. They say something about that their father/mother should have been more persistent in trying to teach them the non-Norwegian mothertongue. I have never met anyone, who as an adult actually has acquired two well functioning mothertongues.



Calendula

Hi Calendula,
We do speak generally german and I am now speaking more and more english.
We decided german with my wife. English with me.
The kids are doig good with this deal.
I do not speak Tamazight but arabic and there are no good schools for arabic in Berlin. So english
Take care

If I understand you don't speak arabic with your children and they don't learn it



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/04/2005 08:57 by Belle.

Dear Calendula,

I would be very short : for a baby it can be a messy world, and I have an example here, his mother is moroccan (and talks only dialect) his father is syreen his antie morrocan, family from father speak with him syreen and the other world speaks english


now he is 4 year old and still get blocked to formulate a full sentence in one language

salam everyone,


in your words l9bi7 there is some truth....particularly for some of our compatriots living in the western countries I realised they don’t like to talk Arabic with their children at home....is it an inferiority problem?....the children are talking the local language everywhere and at home as well...when they become adult they can’t talk the native language of their parents, they don’t like to go to Morocco anymore ....consequently they lose their Moroccan identity...of course the parents will complain about this fact later ignoring that they were contributing on it all time...

Dear Belle,
Their mother´s language is German and not Moroccan.
They can say some words in moroccan which they learn late when I come home.
I wish they can speak moroccan. I did have difficulties finding a babysitter speaking moroccan. So please understand that has not to do with any of inferiority problem. However my kids enjoy every second they spend in Morocco.

Allah Ghaleb

Dear Krim, Belle, l9bi7 and Ilhem2!

Thanks for your answers.

I think the question of languages for children of multilingual families has no easy answer.

One might think, like I understand Belle, that each parent always should talk her/his mothertongue with the children. But in my opinion the most important thing is, that the children master at least one language at a level which would be normal for native learners without multicultural background.

My children attend a school, where the language of education is Norwegian. There are many children at the school coming from families with roots from other countries. My impression is, that there has to be support for Norwegian at home, in order to help the children to be at good command of the language.

I don't think we do our children a favour giving them the opportunity to be exposed to many languages but not learning any of them properly. It seems very difficult for the boy l9bi7 tells about to sort out the languages and being able to express himself.

My children had German lessons for German speaking children at the Norwegian school in their first grades. But then the Norwegian state was "short of money" and stopped education in foreign mothertongues for children, who were able to follow the Norwegian lessons. German mothertongue-lessons were only to hours per week, but I think it would have given my children the chance getting closer to the aim of really being bilingual.

So in my opinion children easily pick up several languages, but it requires a lot of work also for them to be able to master a language.

But again my question to those of you in this forum, who grew up multilingual and who are adults now: What are your experiences?

Best regards

Calendula

Hello Calendula,

I grew up in a multilingual family. My mom spoke to me in Amazigh and my dad in Arabic, then we moved to France when I was 7, hence, learned French. In high-school, I excelled in languages, specially Spanish and English. I spent 1 university year in Edinborough, Scotland.

Anyway, i truly believe the fact that i can navigate from 1 language to another is due to my upbringing. For instance, while in Ethiopia, few yeas ago as an NGO volunteer, i almost mastered the local language known as Amric. My siblings and i speak to each other in different languages dependant on the place or people around us.
This also explains as to why I like my life here in Canada which truly a multilingual and multicultural country.

I feel truly blessed to have these skills. Currently, my children master 3 languages and hoping that they will lear more in the future.

All the best,

Najib

I am not here to make you a trial. Thanx for your testmonies. My oldest brother is married with a europeen woman. I see that’s not easy.

I have a question. Do you live as far your family ? If you want, you musn’t reply.

I think it’s more difficulte than if you live to far your family. When you live near your familly your children can learn and speak arabic easily

Dear Belle
I see my kids every evening and of course I spend the weekends with them.
It is not easy or probably I am not consistent in speaking with them our dialect.
I can understand your reaction. In the case where the mother speaks arabic, it is easy to make the kids familiar with arabic. However in our family discussions, everyone needs to be involved, so the language which is spoken by all happens to be german.







Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/10/2005 09:29 by Krim.

My english is more worse than that Si je te réponds en français nous risquons de nous faire censurer



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/10/2005 09:04 by Belle.

Hello,
In my case, It’s exactly like Krim, I speak English with my children, one of them is taking french as second language at school, my wife is taking Arabic right now, but I have to admit, I don’t use lots of Arabic with them.

Salaam Belle,

Just very quickly I would like to salute your English.

When are you coming to the States for a visit?!


By the way I do not have children yet [one day inshaAllah] and I am interested in your conversation on how to deal with a child growing up with different [sometimes conflicting] identities.

mdlazreg
>>>Salaam Belle,
>>>Just very quickly I would like to salute your English.
>>>When are you coming to the States for a visit?!


Dear Md

Last year, I really want to work in abord, I was looking for the rules, obligations and some advices for that. I also transleted my CV in English SI SI I swear

Since many things had happened. No no no I’m still single
Now, I always hope to travel not for to work, but for some holidays inchallah

I found a advertissement for flight attendant in the arabic company . It's a great occasion : the work is interesting, I'll travel around, I'll meet different people, I'll have a lot of holidays. and and and I hoped to find a rich arabic “Dont laugh” , I said I would do it...... But there is a read that.

They require :”

-If you are female and interested in joining (company’s name) as a Flight Attendant

Yes I am.

- please apply now”
J’y cours même

After

-2- 3 years proven experience in food and Brevage or customer’s service
-Strong interpersonal and communications skills dispalying a genuine cultural sensitvity and appreciation...
-You will also need to satisy the following minimum criteria:
Aged between 20 and 34 years of age.
Over 156 cm tall Height and weight in proportion.

Jusque là tout va bien and I can to lie. But The next


-« Able to swim a minimum of 50m in open water. “

I say don't laugh




Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 05/15/2005 06:00 by Belle.

i am moroccan my childrens are japanesse,americans,morocans,and they do speak 5 languess each its up to you from day one my wife and i take time to teach them wen they fell like it so dont push them to learn somthing they dont like by the way he is 14 she is 7 you my want your child to be a doctor but a the end of the day he my change he want to be mecanic thas life nothing is garante
all the best to you and your childrens
aloha from hawaii

Salaam Belle,

Sorry for ma belated late reply!

Do you know that the prophet SAAWS said :

Teach your children swimming...

So you'd better learn, get the job and land in the states.[or maybe the ocean]

There was a yabiladienne (soumaya53 I love her ou plutôt her topics) who asked us “how many languages do you speak ,” She speak 4 languages, some pepeole said “4 6 7 . There was one who told us a story, I translate it... I try to translate it.

There was a man who speak several languages “et dilectes”, he is proud, he boast and hate all who speak only one language.

A day, he travelled to an island for to learn a “dilecte”. Only a poor fisherman can give him a lift.

-“how many languages do you speak
-you know !!! I’m a poor fisherman and I only speak my village’s language.
-If you speak one language, the alf of your live is worthless

The fisherman does not reply

little by little, there is a strom blowing and the small boat pitch

The fisherman ask him.
-Do you know to swim
-No I don't
-If you don’t know to swim, all your live is worthless

well mdlazreg

How many languages do you speak and for how many metres can you swim ?




Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/25/2005 11:18 by Belle.

Salaam Belle,

>>>>>>>How many languages do you speak and for how many metres can you swim ?

Well, unfortunatly I did not grow up in multilingual family so I ended up with only one language...

Later on I managed, not without pain, to learn another two...

Fow swimming, I do swim, I get tired very quickly however, so do not count on me to save you in case your plane lands in the ocean.

Salam Belle amd Md,

Are you guys replaying "Cast Away" with Tom Hanks?

Don't forget signing the "droit d'auteur" before jumoing in that plane.