If parents want to teach their baby 2 languages, is it best to designate one language to each parent to teach?

Question

I mean like the mother will speak to the baby only in..Arabic, for example, and the father will only speak to the baby in like French. Will the baby (newborn) grow to learn both languages? How about if the baby is living in U.S, how should they teach the baby English as well as the 2 languages?
Just wondering =)

Answer 1

It is best that no later than 6 months old a multi lingual household consistently uses the languages they want their child to learn.
It doesn't matter if both parents use both languages or each uses one with the child.
For example my husband was raised in a house where they used 3 languages. His parents always spoke Arabic to him but his grandparents used Tashelhiyt with him. His parents only spoke Tashelhiyt with each other but in his presence. French was always mixed in with everyone except the grandma who didn't know it. He learned Arabic and Tashelhiyt fluently by the time he was ready to go to school.
Another example. My husbands aunt has two daughters. The aunt speaks only Tashelhiyt to them and their father speaks only Arabic to them (he doesn't know Tashelhiyt). The girls in turn only speak Tashelhiyt to their mother and only Arabic to their father. If their mother happens to talk to them in Arabic (which is very rare and usually to show people what I am about to say) they only respond in Tashelhiyt. The girls are fluent in both (ages 4 & 7). The 7 year old is now nearly fluent in French and that is from schooling.
Sorry this is so long. My own house I speak English to my daughter and my husband speaks Tashelhiyt to her. She will learn Arabic inshaAllah inside and outside the home but we feel it is important for her to learn Tashelhiyt in the home since there is not opportunity for her to learn it elsewhere. There is an orphan child in the house of my mother in law who until the age of 6 did not speak Arabic. He lived in a small village where people used only Tashelhiyt (though they know Arabic). The boy did not attend school and did not have a chance to learn Arabic. When he came to the house of my mother in law it was summer time so it was a few months b4 he would start school finally. He picked up a LOT of Arabic just playing with the kids in the neighborhood.
A kids brain is a sponge....soak it!

Answer 2

if you teach the baby all three languages at once, it would probably makes sense to designate which parent speaks which language. like only at home you speak arabic, and only at home dad speaks french. but in public both speak english. that way, baby will be able to know when to speak what language. and babies absorb everything like crazy! so its best to start ASAP!

Answer 3

It's not necessary to designate one parent for one language. If two languages are used in the home or are present in the home in some way, the child will most likely learn two languages. Parents can teach their child two languages by speaking in two different languages with their child as well as buying books and movies in different languages.

I plan on teaching my child sign language - and not just "baby sign language" - the real deal. I went to school for sign language and I think it's a wonderful tool to help you communicate with your child before they are vocally able to do so.

Answer 4

My grandson's other grandparents are from Chile. Though English is the main language, they do speak to him in Spanish and I think it's great. For the life of me, it's hard for me to learn another language! I'm hoping that he can pick up Chinese formally (he's also learning some sign language in pre-school), because Chinese will be important in the business world.

Answer 5

Well i grew up learning English from my mom and Arabic from my dad.

my other friend, she learned Arabic from her dad and Italian from her mom, and English from her friends. now she speaks fluently in all three.

another friend of mine learned Arabic from her dad and Spanish from her mom and English from friends..

i have taught my bf how to speak English, b4 he didn't even know what Wednesday was :P
and he only knew Arabic.. but now hes actually pretty good in English :D

They will learn from friends, and especially living in America, its quite possible they will even get the accent going on. But basically if each parent speaks a language separate from another, they will learn both, and if they r in a foreign country they r bound to learn that language also.

Answer 6

My husband speaks to my son only in Arabic and I speak only in English and some Arabic and that is how were trying to teach him both!

Answer 7

well my parents are form china and they spoke shanghainese to me, but they were soposed to speak chinese to me so in the end i can speak shangainese, english, some chinese. hmm i think it comes naturally if you keep speaking it. but i think 2 languages is enough. when your baby gets older, teach him the 3rd language. that what my parents did, and now i can speak 3 languages and alittle but of indonesion (my school teaches it) and alittlebit of japenese. hope it works MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

Answer 8

both languages can be the main languages.If the child will be living in the U.S English should be taught as well including the language of both parents.
It's great when a child learns other languages !
They become very valuable in the work force later on ! ! !

Answer 9

My friend is going through the same thing. His Pediatrician said to do exactly that. One parent speaks only Portuguese and the other one speaks only English. It seems to be working quite well.

Answer 10

this is how i was raised.
except only english and spanish
i was raised with only my mom speaking to me in spanglish
and my father speaking in only english
so now i speak 4 languages and im 14
i think its effective
the child would learn english at school