I’m used to being the designated interpreter whenver we’re around my family or my old friends, few of whom speak French. Whether my dad comes visiting, or we stay for Christmas at my mom’s, I’m always glad when I make it through the days without mixing up languages. I don’t mean mixing them up in a sentence, but speaking the wrong language to the wrong person. It usually happens at least once, mostly when I’m tired.
So I was wondering what it would be like with the baby, juggling two languages at home, day in, day out. I worried that I would end up speaking French to her, not only out of confusion, but also out of habit – I do speak French all day long, after all. Had nine months talking to my belly prepared me?
I’m three and a half months into life with the baby now, and I am happy to report I hardly ever get confused. I don’t even have to think consciously: as soon as I address my baby, I speak German.
And since tiredness is a permanent condition for me now, I believe I’ve definitely got used to it. 🙂
Now let’s hope baby gets used to doing the same when her turn comes to speak up.
Oh, a related info on the subject: In a recent interview with the French magazine Parents, Barbara Abdelilah-Bauer, author of “Le dĂ©fi des enfants bilingues” and creator of the CafĂ© Bilingue, said it is not indispensable to stick strictly to OPOL as long as you expose the child as much as possible to both languages (Parents October 2010, page 77).
