It is fascinating to watch the process by which Philippe is learning French and English at the same time. Linguistics literature suggests to use a consistent framework to work within so the child understands that a different set of symbols (words making up a language) is used in different circumstances. For us, it is French at home, English elsewhere (mainly at childcare, playgroup and also some TV) and it really works. Philippe responds equally to people talking to him in English at childcare or to me and Marc in French. In fact, it works so well that when we visited friends from Quebec a couple of weeks ago, Philippe was puzzled to hear other people speaking that funny lingo we use at home! The only thing he doesn't seem to get is No, or Non... but who would think this is a language issue? Definitely not a parent! My only wish at the moment is that we could eventually move in a strange country, that way Philippe could pick up a third language before he reaches 7, the ultimate age before which you can learn any language without a foreign accent (or so they say).
In the meantime, here are a few things we now hear non-stop through the day (Did I ever mentioned Marc's nickname as a child was motor-mouth? Well, I'm sure it's a dominant gene).
In the animal kingdom:
- Doggy: when I say chien or dog
- Minou: (Cat - Kitty) At first pronounced the English way "menew" but now fully Francais!
- Badda: (from bird?) pointing at trees and the noisy birds in them (can't say oiseau yet).
- Ducky: Bigger birds and proper canards
- Totu: Do you get that one?
- Rooooaaaarr!: Any wild animal (lion, zebra) and the farm animal he doesn't know (lambs!)
- Toala: (Koala) As a mantra, is the bath, as a war cry, pointing at the tea towel, ad nauseum
- Moo: The English cow, obviously, as everyone knows that the French one goes Meuh
- Kh-Kh: (Horse) or the sound you make with your tongue when you call one
- Toutou: Any teddy bear or other stuffed animal not comprised in one of the above
- Ah oui! as a parrot when I talk to Marc or think out loud (very dangerous now with that talking toddler around!)
- Tapete (T'as pete), meaning "you farted" which he now use in the right context when he or Marc farts (because I don't).
- Recent combinations: Papa paati (Dad gone), Bu paati (bus gone), Minou dodo (Cat sleeping), Tapete Papa!
- Baba: truck or bus or anything big on the road
- Nono: Milk or water, you have to figure out for yourself, but you usually find out with the reaction if you guessed the right way
- Fa-Fa-Fa: I couldn't see any connection at first, then I realised what it meant and I was ashamed of myself. Let me know if you find it...
- Pitou: A motorcycle... no idea where he got that one from...
Given that list, my guess is he probably knows around 30-40 words right now. Not bad for a bilingual baby, hey?
1 comment:
yep.. motor-mouthing is in the genes!! I too was surprised that Pipo seemed to respond to me in my aussie twang.
That he points out someone farting is hi-larious! =)
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