Comments on: Becoming Bilingual in an English Dominant Country

By: suzanne

suzanne — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 20:15:31 +0000

Thanks for the words of encouragement! Kudos to you too for making the effort to raise your daugther bilingual as a monolingual.

By: suzanne

suzanne — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 20:14:30 +0000

Absolutely! Adelante vamos!

By: suzanne

suzanne — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 20:13:44 +0000

Thats a good point about her being little and people not expecting such a tiny person to initiate conversation. Makes me feel better

By: suzanne

suzanne — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 20:11:44 +0000

Perfect example as to why speaking multiple languages can open up your mind and a whole new world

By: suzanne

suzanne — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 20:10:26 +0000

I think its perfectly ok to mix the languages. I think its a misconception to think those that do arent proficient. Actually studies have proven that those that switch actually have to be pretty proficient in both languages in order to do it. I do it ALL DAY LONG, though not towards my daughter because I want to make sure she chooses Spanish with me.

By: suzanne

suzanne — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 20:08:35 +0000

I actually replied to you under Anitas comment….lo siento.

By: suzanne

suzanne — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 20:07:53 +0000

That is awesome! Sometimes I think its a litttle awkward to ask the people I know who speak Spanish to PLEASE reply to her in English. They are just used to speaking to their kids or kids in general in English. I just want her use of Spanish to be validated.

By: suzanne

suzanne — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 20:05:56 +0000

I get the pre-school thing except shes a spanish immersion one. Its just that she is the only one that comes from a bilingual/spanish speaking home. THOUGH glad to know it sounds like things will turn out alright Thanks, Ana.

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 15:51:47 +0000

Dissapointing to hear people just don’t respond to her when she asks them if they speak Spanish. I would be thrilled to hear a young child ask me if I speak Spanish and would love to try to talk to her with my very poor Spanish! It’s such a wonderful thing to hear children learning other languages, and too bad everyone doesn’t embrace it like the community here on this forum does!

As a monolingual raising a bilingual daughter I applaude you! Keep up the good work and don’t let any of the bumps in the road discourage you from giving your daughter this gift. I am confident she will appreciate your dilingence one day!

By: Annie

Annie — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 03:16:35 +0000

I was raised the other way round. My British mom was the only one to talk to me in English while everyone else (living in Spain) talked Spanish. I remember being in preeschool frustrated because the other kids didn’t understand me. I stopped talking English, even to her, although she never stopped talking back in her native language. Forward 30 years and I’m perfectly bilingual and I really apreciate her efforts. Now in California my daughter is being raised in English, Spanish and Arabic. I have no doubt that English will be her first language, but I will keep encouraging Spanish speaking and my husband Arabic. I know that one day she will feel blessed to be trilingual. It’s worth any odd moments that may happen along the way!