What languages will your future kids speak?

[Irishman]

I was chatting to a new colleague in work today. She's Italian and speaks at least 5 languages (I lost count as she rattled them off) fluently and several others non fluently.

So, anyhow, I very much would like my future kids to be able to speak Mandarin as well as English I was naturally curious as to how she managed to learn all these.

She also has a 2 year old kid who already speaks three languages!!, my eyes just about popped out of my head when she said that so she explained.

She is bringing up her kid as she was brought up..basically, she speaks Italian to the kid exclusively, the father who is Irish speaks English exclusively to the kid, and get this, they talk to each other exclusively in French!!

So the end result is that the kid of two years of age understands three languages just fine!! She said when he starts school she will encourage him to study two more as her parents did. She says to such a child its much easier to pick up new languages ,amazing.

So, with this new knowledge I think I will try to speak Mandarin to my future wife exclusively, English to the kid and she will speak Cantonese exclusively to the kid. In school I would encourage them to learn French and German which are the two foreign languages thought widely in Irish schools, though If Spanish is available might drop the French.

I think an Irish kid that speaks Mandarin and Cantonese fluently would have some pretty big business advantages here and a real head start on life on other kids.

Do any of you guys have similar plans or come from such a background yourself? I am fascinated by the whole thing.

[mustfocus]

I think your child is off to a great start.

Being of a chinese background, I would like mine to speak (at least some) Mandarin and Cantonese as well as Minan (the dialect of my ancestors) as well as English.  Malay is also a possibility (I have family from Singapore and Malaysia), but not necessary.  Being in Canada, he/she will also learn at least a little French.  Depending on where my loved one comes from, perhaps her dialect as well.  It won't be easy, but something worthwhile never is.

In my family, my parents spoke primarily Minan although I picked up quite a bit of Mandarin and Cantonese while I was growing up.  I'm still learning Mandarin, but I would be lying if I said I was fluent (at least speaking it).  I speak a smattering of a few other languages that I've picked up along the way (some Japanese, some Korean, some latin-based languages).  It's not easy, but the more exposure you have to it, the easier it will be.

I will say this much though.  I find a lot of Mandarin speakers have problems learning Cantonese and vice versa.  Not sure why, but I do see that case often.


In-Jaul

[maxx]

My son is almost 2 he is just learning to talk.He speaks a little English.About halfe a dozen words.And can count to 2 in Chinese.His understanding Of Chinese is what I find really impresive.His mother or grandmother will tell him to go do something.And he doesn't hesitate he runs off and go does it.

[brett]

Yes I wonder about this as well. I will bring up my kids in England. I would like them to speak both Mandarin and English. But I wonder how feasible this is.

I also wonder how they would be able to learn to write Chinese characters. I know from experience that somebody who writes Chinese characters is often terrible at writing English letters. Maybe it's the same the other way round. I am left handed so I have a big disadvantage to start with! I also wonder how they would learn all the characters, given that Chinese kids spend a big proportion of their childhood learning them (and they also encounter them all day, every day).

[David5o]

Mike,

This old girlfriend of yours, did she have any connection to Cyprus?? It's the only place i know of, that would have Greek and Turkish as a combination!!

David.....

[Arnold]

Between Qing and myself , we know four Languages . we for sure want our Boy and our own someday ( that we are planning ) to speak both Chinese and English . Japanese and German is not a must know . One reason , we decided to leave Qing's little Boy in School still for a couple of year's , till she herself is comfortable living in the States . So he could learn the chinese language and writing skill's BEFORE coming to be with us here in the US . Also , he is getting quite good english lesson's there too .

[brett]

Just had my first Mandarin lesson today. My goodness it's difficult :huh:.

[Hans]

If I have kids with a Chinese woman in the future, our kids will speak Mandarin, English and Swedish. On top of that, the child can choose to study a fourth language of its choice later on.

I have friends who have married foreign men and their kids speak both the language of their mother and their father. And English, of course. Children get used to it very fast and they get it for free. Being able to speak several languages at home is something children can use for the rest of their lives.

Just had my first Mandarin lesson today. My goodness it's difficult :huh:.

Mandarin is actually not more difficult than other languages. It is just so different from the languages we are used to in the West. And I think it will be easier with time (while other languages get more difficult with time) because the Chinese language structure is pretty logical and simple. It's the ?? that takes time to learn.

[JimB]

I speak English, Southern, Viet Namese and Geek. i do not mean Greek and very little Mandarin.  I plan for our child to speak at least the 2 languages plus Spanish That will be a must, after that it will be his/her choice.

Mike, I didnt plan on having anymore either.  I was pretty adamant about it, but she finally wore me down.  Well, her and her family.

[Chong]

I plan for our child to speak at least the 2 languages plus Spanish That will be a must, after that it will be his/her choice.

"Spanish" .... Where does that come in   Sarge ... As you fought in the 1898 Spanish-American War, I'm sure that you fathered some kid ... just like me and my twin brother in 'Nam. So you HAVE a kid somewhere that speaks "Spanish".   :icon_cool:

Sunny speaks Taishanese ( my dialect ), Cantonese and Mandarin. I would like our future kids to speak French as well. I grew up in Montreal, Quebec so I can converse in basic French. Work opportunities in Canada is much better if one is fluent. There are many French Immersion schools here in Toronto.

[Vince G]

Mr Big, "Southern Californian dialect"?  is this the dialect that, a sentence always ends in a question? With the upper question tone? Is it still used?

[heckerd]

English, Putonghua/Mandarin and Cantonese. I speak two of the 3 and my wife speak all 3 with English being her weak point. I think Mandarin is the language of choice as a second language with China emerging as an economic power. It could probably overtake USA by the time our kids grow up.

[Scottish_Rob]

Mine will be Scottish/Gaelic, and the NEW Mandarin..."NI Hao  see you Jimmy?":icon_cheesygrin::icon_cheesygrin:

[shaun]

I hope at the age of 54 and having had one of the kindest cuts known to man that I will have to revisit this issue. :icon_eek:

[Vince G]

gnarly dude?