bilingual

Editor’s note: We are so incredibly excited to be able to share the first in a series of posts which will document an LA family’s incredible adventure as they move to Mexico for a few months so they can immerse their three children in the culture and language of that beautiful country. I’m at the edge of a cliff with beautiful sparkling water below. The meadow is great where I’m standing, but I’m going to jump anyway – I haveRead More ...

I’m worried. I know I shouldn’t be. But, I’m a mom. And moms worry, right? I know that what I’m going to say is going to sound crazy considering all the research I’ve been doing the last couple of years, all the tips and studies shared by our knowledgeable experts, and all the support we’ve gotten from the awesome community SpanglishBaby has become. But here it is: I have started to think that maybe I should’ve spoken more English toRead More ...

My varied experiences with the Spanish language have taught me that there is one thing bilinguals will always have a surplus of: questions. Fluency is a relative concept; everyone has a different definition of what it means to be fluent in a language, and my most pressing question seems to be Am I really fluent? At my son’s age (3), the questions are more basic, like Why do we say “his” and “her” en inglés, but only “su” en español?Read More ...

I have this extreme obsession with language. It can lead me to analyze almost every utterance that is produced although lately I have been scrutinizing the trilingual toys I have for my baby. I have been staring, analyzing, and pressing the button over and over to listen to the French, Spanish, and English words spoken. I can’t help it! They can sound so silly! For instance, the one in the car says “mo-rah-doh (purple in Spanish),” like the Anglo kidsRead More ...

When I was 22 and just out of college, I joined the Peace Corps and was shipped off to West Africa.  After a few months of training, a Peace Corps driver dropped me and my few possessions off in a remote village of 900 people, which was to be my home for the next two years.  Fortunately, I was able to talk to the handful of people of my village who spoke French, which was the official language.  Everyone elseRead More ...