tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6454634329009534853.post4947197789907471696..comments2024-03-11T19:41:06.770-07:00Comments on Non-native Bilingualism: Madam Mix-a-lot: Interpreter ExtraordinaireAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05895245202923024753noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6454634329009534853.post-90132462275308706172011-04-17T14:01:40.233-07:002011-04-17T14:01:40.233-07:00Omma,
Thank you for your lengthy and thought-prov...Omma, <br />Thank you for your lengthy and thought-provoking response. It definitely gives me a lot to consider, and, as you said, provides immense reassurance in those challenging moments, which have been many of late. <br />I'm on the brink about writing about my latest views and thoughts on OPOL...on what to do about my feeling so bound and challenged by not only toddlerhood, but 2-ness mixed with the challenge of non-nativeness...Hopefully, I'll crank it out soon, and I hope you'll consider adding your input to that post, too!<br />I like the idea that you reinforce the idea to re-asses as the years go by. That is helping me a lot right now!<br />TamaraAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05895245202923024753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6454634329009534853.post-58130487067082737172011-04-13T22:50:44.002-07:002011-04-13T22:50:44.002-07:00Hi Tamara, yes sometimes I think talking to other ...Hi Tamara, yes sometimes I think talking to other parents raising their children with a non-native language is the only thing that gets me through the tough moments... and there are a few of those! I've always seen it as a balancing act of bilingualism - something *is* lost when you talk a non-native language with your child (or is in my case, I think this also depends on your own language level - mine is good, but far far from fluent!), but something very precious is also gained. And I realised early on that so much of communication is through other means, touch, expression, tone of voice, etc, that there was no danger of my children doubting our connection, whether I could express it adequately in words or not! However, as you may've read from my own blog, I think it's something you can reassess as the years go by and I am now slowly easing off the minority language, which we can get away with since they go to an immersion school. I do notice that my eldest child's English at 6 is probably not quite at the level of a monolingual 6-year-old - I'm being super picky here, we are talking a few gaps in vocab and grammar, but she chatters away in both languages with an ease that takes my breath away! - but I know she'll catch up - as one of my adult friends raised in the UK with the minority language at home and school said, 'My parents only ever spoke to me in French, I went to school in French, all my friends were French - but I somehow speak English!' (and you cannot tell she is not monolingual English)!<br />Take care,<br />OmmaOmma Veladahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02569279888058635631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6454634329009534853.post-53013084002635418702011-04-13T12:41:27.571-07:002011-04-13T12:41:27.571-07:00Hi Dimberaidel,
Thank you, once again, for you in...Hi Dimberaidel, <br />Thank you, once again, for you input. It continues to be helpful for me to connect with other parents about this stuff...makes a massive difference to know that you are all out there, "suffering" with me at times. =) <br />I completely concur with the OPOL challenge, and I'm constantly shocked at how often I am tempted to give up. I went through a phase where I would speak English in my most frustrated moments...also went through that lack of guilt phase, too. Not to imply it's a phase for you...it simply was for me. Since then, my German has improved to the point where I can express more frustration in German...but at the same time, I hear all my mistakes and that just adds to my steam!! Today was really bad for that, for example. I'm learning, though, to just stop talking in those most challenging moments...which is good for both of us--most of what comes out of my mouth, in either language, during those moments of severe frustration isn't very helpful to either of us. <br />It's GREAT to hear that she's saying HI. Results will definitely come. Keep up your stamina...your continue to inspire me with it. Look forward to hearing more from you in the future!!<br />TamaraAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05895245202923024753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6454634329009534853.post-82276655861962797312011-04-11T01:53:42.075-07:002011-04-11T01:53:42.075-07:00Dear Tamara,
I'm trying OPOL but I must confes...Dear Tamara,<br />I'm trying OPOL but I must confess it's really hard sometimes since none of my relatives and friends speak English. Italy is very "narrow" environment when it comes to foreign languages: we don't like to learn foreign languages! That's why it's really difficult to do OPOL outside the house...but I'm trying my best with the support of dvd's, books, cartoons. I'm thinking about trying some playgroup when she's older because the English school is too expensive.<br />About being overwhelmed, yes, I feel overwhelmed sometimes and...I just give up. I mean, sometimes I switch to Italian especially in "extreme situations": I can't find the feeding bottle, we don't have the nappies around, a friend is waiting for us and we are terribly late because Elanor doesn't want to be dressed. I used to feel guilty the first times but I understand it's normal because Italian is my mothertongue and - as I read somewhere when I was studying for my M.A. - it's simply easier to express some feelings in your mothertongue.<br />At the moment, my only result is the word "hi" which she uses properly sometimes...I guess results would come in due course :)Dimberaidielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04340304419710705056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6454634329009534853.post-89434256916774097012011-04-08T13:49:30.834-07:002011-04-08T13:49:30.834-07:00Dear Dimbaraidel,
I really appreciate hearing you...Dear Dimbaraidel, <br />I really appreciate hearing your validation through your comments. It's great to hear from others, as opposed to just my own internal dialogue, the value of trust in the process. <br />I'd love to hear your plan with Elanor...do you do OPOL? Do you get overwhelmed sometimes? What do you do then?<br />THANKS!<br />TamaraAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05895245202923024753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6454634329009534853.post-23203333758412521582011-04-08T05:49:28.155-07:002011-04-08T05:49:28.155-07:00Oh, by the way, Elanor is still 5 months oldOh, by the way, Elanor is still 5 months oldDimberaidielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04340304419710705056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6454634329009534853.post-69397002363349926592011-04-08T05:45:11.757-07:002011-04-08T05:45:11.757-07:00I think you shouldn't be worried for or disapp...I think you shouldn't be worried for or disappointed by Kaya's mixing. I was born and raised in Italy and my mothertongue is Italian but, luckily enough, thanks to early study, continuous efforts and long-term experiences abroad I came to develop a near-native knowledge of English. I realised soon that the more I practised English the more I tended to mix the languages...and it happens all the times, even while I'm not talking to my daughter. Some words come to my mind directly in English or Italian and translating them whilst speaking is hard, and sometimes impossible for some seconds. For this reason, we have reached a sort of linguistic compromise in the family: I try to speak English with my husband too when Elanor is with us and if my husband doesn't understand - which happens 70% of the times since he never studied English - I repeat the whole sentence in Italian.Dimberaidielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04340304419710705056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6454634329009534853.post-7172930643095873582011-04-06T17:05:27.856-07:002011-04-06T17:05:27.856-07:00Federico,
Thank you so much for your comment and ...Federico, <br />Thank you so much for your comment and your validation. It's SO helpful to know that you are out there, obsessing at times as I am, fearing that they will keep us from having the relationship that I want to have. <br />I'd love to hear more about what you mean by the educational process of parental love...will you expound?<br />And, thank you, as well, for sharing your thoughts on Kaya. It's a really really good reminder to me that she is progressing well, regardless of how frustrated I grow at times. I'm inspired to add a video of her language in action, in part for me to see later and compare the progress. <br />THANKS again!<br />TamaraAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05895245202923024753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6454634329009534853.post-49440983802246792352011-04-06T01:17:00.799-07:002011-04-06T01:17:00.799-07:00You totally have my understanding. Sometime I real...You totally have my understanding. Sometime I realise I'm so obsessed by linguistic matters and I don't want them to get in between me and my Son.<br />I know it sounds cheesy but parental love is part of an educational process and cannot be just left aside in the corner.<br /><br />P.S. I am amazed by what Kaya reached. My Son (Italian/English) is just a couple of months younger than her and doesn't pronounce much at all. Lazy males...<br /><br />FedericoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com