Every since I was born I have been speaking French at Home and english at school. How is it possilb to have 2 languages going in your head at such a young age. And for some reason we dont get mixed up with the languages either. My parents tell me that when I was little I did lots of mistakes and bad pronunciation but it is better. How does the mind do it? Even fot the mexicans who speak spanish and the asians and other people like me?
2006-10-13 15:56:20 · 12 answers · asked by avalentin911 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
There is no end to what the mind can do given training at the right age. Children are not born with language, but learn it by imitation of the adults around them. There are a couple of developmental "triggers" that turn on areas of the brain that absorb language and later reproduce it, and if you teach a kind 2 or more languages while those triggers are activating, you will produce a true multi-lingual child.
Same thing for musical ability. These 5 yr olds playing piano like virtuosos were being taught already when the "music" sections of their minds "switched on"
2006-10-13 16:07:31 · answer #1 · answered by chocolahoma 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You actually speak a lot of "languages" simultaneously anyway. You use a different language when you are in school than when you are at the office. You use a different language when you play sports than when you are in church. Yes the language is always English, but your word choice, vocabulary, and sometimes even your pronunciation change as you put yourself in different situations.
For those of us that are multi-lingual, we use those languages just in certain situations. When I see Korean people, I speak Korean. The only time when it gets tough is when the person who is Korean speaks only English. Then I have to try to consciously remember to speak English, because for years when I saw a Korean face, Korean came out of my mouth intuitively.
Likewise, when I am in Germany, I have no problem speaking German. However, when I come back to America, sometimes I have to think about what to say to a German. However, in most situations, speaking is intuitive, just like you intuitively change what you would say in church as compared to the office, my switching between languages is intuitive.
2006-10-14 01:27:49 · answer #2 · answered by Big Blair 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
You learn quicker a foreign language at a very young age - probably because you don't have to think so much about grammar rules - and you learn it naturally.
It's also a question of language competence - some people are very good at learning foreign languages.
I myself have learnt English since I was 3 and French since I was 6. My mother tongue is Romanian. Last year I started learning Yiddish and now I am learning German.
2006-10-14 07:02:11 · answer #3 · answered by Analyst 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, my nephew speaks 3 languages; when he was a little boy; we spoke Spanish to him; his father spoke polish; and when he went to school he spoke English; the only sad thing was, he was so frustruated when he went to school; because the kids teased him for not underastanding directions too well when he was on the playgrown; but now anybody would be proud to say he is a relative.
2006-10-13 23:47:06 · answer #4 · answered by COCO 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A lot of people have already answered that question. I just wanted to add that, if you're really interested in that, you can find small books which deal with the subject. Ask at a book shop. I'm sure they'll be able to help you.
2006-10-14 14:10:03 · answer #5 · answered by Offkey 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am bilingual too . My mum is french and dad english . I'm thirteen . I count in french think in english when i'm with my sister and english when I'm sad !! I never get comfused ! We're lucky ! And not many people are bilingual ! Our brains are very clever !! lol
2006-10-14 11:20:42 · answer #6 · answered by La parisienne ! 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
there is a lot of space in your brain, it can hold a lot of different things. try learning a new language now. it gets easier with each language that you learn, you have a big advantage.
2006-10-14 01:05:23 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well in my opinion: I think that is because you learned everything twice, the first time in french and then in english
2006-10-13 23:06:15 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
C'est pareille, comme on conduit une voiture et une moto!
T'en fais pas. Pas de danger, et meme tu peux t'en donner a' une...3e`me!!!! Give yourself a try!!! Good luck!
Ciao......John-John.
2006-10-14 16:08:54 · answer #9 · answered by John-John 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
its just a matter of getting used to it. no matter how many languages u learn, the neurons still work the same way.
2006-10-13 23:04:58 · answer #10 · answered by Mark T 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋