A mum and a wife and sometimes just me


Thursday 19 September 2013

On being bilingual



It's always a question we get asked as my wee man's daddy is Italian "Is he bilingual?" and for a long time it's been a hard question to answer. When the wee man really got going with his speech Italian was never at the forefront. It was obvious he understood what his daddy was saying to him as he clearly followed instructions that were asked of him. Well when he chose to listen anyway. 



Then eventually we were getting one or two words as he was reading his Italian books. It was never a common occurrence though and never really in general conversation. I would occasionally get him to say a word in Italian for me and we knew he could count to ten in both languages.



Then this summer while in Italy something seemed to just click. He kept asking his Nonna what she was doing and I said to him he had to ask her in Italian and he did. Then he was really copying what everyone was saying to him and repeating it back. Then he was saying sentences on his own in the right context. Not just a word but words strung together. Finally he was speaking to his Nonni and daddy in Italian and would turn around and tell me the same thing in English.


To say I am pleased and proud is possibly a slight understatement. Now we are back in Glasgow thankfully he continues to speak to his daddy in Italian. It's quite funny as his daddy is the only person he speaks Italian to unless on skype with his Nonni. We are really hoping that it continues and hopefully I can find new ways to immerse him in the Italian language. 


Ethans Escapades


8 comments:

  1. It amazes me how clever they are. Their so much better at learning languages than us that's a fact. My cousins speak to their dad in English and their mum in Polish, I think its fab!!

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  2. This is fantastic and something that will come in very handy in the future. You have every right to be proud, this is amazing. I can just about speak English lol

    Thanks for linking up with Small Steps Amazing Achievements :0)
    x

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  3. Wow. What an amazing skill for him to have, such a clever boy. It never ceases to amaze me how children just acquire language by being immersed in it. It's just so fascinating how they just get it. And I'm sure as long as he continues to talk with Daddy in Italian, he'll keep learning more. x

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  4. That is very cool, I'd love to have spoken another language and that age is just perfect isn't it because they are such sponges.

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  5. How wonderful Sabrina, what a clever wee boy he is. I think it's fantastic that he will have fluent languages, it really is a wonderful achievement. x

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  6. I find it amazing how children learn to speak one language, never mind two! I bet his Daddy is over the moon! x

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  7. I cannot even imagine how proud you are of him. I would love my girls to be bilingual. I have two very close friends who are French and their children speak both languages- I find it absolutely amazing how they one minute speak to their Mum's in french before switching to English to talk to me. I honestly think it is so amazing. And what an amazing skill to have too as he gets older. x

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  8. that's just brilliant, you must be very proud! :)

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