Comments on: This Spanglish Hurts my Ears

By: What is Code-Switching and Why Do Bilinguals Do it? « SpanglishBaby

What is Code-Switching and Why Do Bilinguals Do it? « SpanglishBaby — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 08:24:31 +0000

[...] I had never really thought about this as an option, but the more you think about it, the more it makes complete sense. It’s crazy the bad rap that code-switching has been given—and I am the first one to admit I propagated the myth—when in reality is an intrinsic part of being bilingual. I would like to point out; however, that code-switching is not the same as another type of behavior common among many bilinguals: borrowing. According to Prof. Grosjean, this has more to do with using a word of short phrase from the minority language and adapting it in form and sound into the majority language. Something similar to what I described my daughter doing in this post. [...]

By: Summer

Summer — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:46:02 +0000

I know it’s very late, but I just had to chime in. I’m an elementary bilingual teacher, and it absolutely drives me LOCA when the kids use words like “me esquipió” for “he skipped me (in line), “parquear la troca” for park the truck, etc. My first year of teaching, I was attempting to teach the children the concept of palabras compuestas – compound words. I asked the students where one would put the dirty dishes, hoping they would respond with “lavamanos,” which is a compound word. A child very eagerly responded, “En el sinque!” I was crestfallen.
I realize that this is the language that is spoken in their Spanish-only homes, but it’s NOT Spanish. It’s some other language entirely. I have no problem with the children using those words, but I always repeat what they said with the proper word. For example, if they say, “me empuchó,” I’ll ask them, “¿te empujó?” That way I’m not criticizing their (or their parents’) language, but I’m reinforcing correct grammar.
Incidentally, I would treat “yo sabo” in the exact same way. Of course, as Ines and others have mentioned, mis-conjugations like that are not the same thing as making up new words that are “cognates” of English, like “fixear.” Children learning Spanish as a first language will make the “yo sabo” mistake. In fact, when I was in Argentina and learning Spanish, many people told me I sounded like a two-year-old when I would make some of those same grammatical errors. (That comment sounds a lot more devastating than it was — it was cute and not meant to be degrading in the least.)
So, like many others have said, the mis-conjugations and the made-up, English-sounding words are not the same thing, but both should be corrected in a respectful, loving way (IMO).

By: AnaGloria Rodriguez

AnaGloria Rodriguez — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 06:29:55 +0000

Divina:
Don’t switch. Do OPOL and each parent stick to the one language 100%. You’ll be glad you did.

By: AnaGloria Rodriguez

AnaGloria Rodriguez — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 06:28:00 +0000

Great discussion and post. And since it’s late I only have a few words to say:
Don’t worry. It’s fine. It’s a natural developmental milestone. Ya sabes ques estas loca. Y si, you are overreacting. Keep speaking your perfect Spanish to her and she’ll figure out the correct words for each language situation.

By: Divina

Divina — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 01:21:38 +0000

I will have the very same problem in the future. My husband and I have a 1 year old son and we switch back and forth between Spanish and English. We know it will confuse Baby Boy Thomas but we want him to be able to communicate with his great grandparents.

P.S. See you at Blogalicious in Oct.
Divina´s last blog ..Fiber One Yogurt Giveaway

By: Exciting Distractions « Multilingual Mania

Exciting Distractions « Multilingual Mania — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 00:34:02 +0000

[...] leave a comment » I’m trying to finish up my guest post for Spanglishbaby, but I keep getting distracted with the conversation that is happening in the comments section here. [...]

By: Multilingual Mania

Multilingual Mania — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 00:30:08 +0000

We’ve also got to take into account that there is a continuum of biliteracy, first and second language acquisition. Even so-called balanced bilinguals went through a developmental process/stages of biliteracy and commit a lot of errors with language due to developmental issues. Krashen calls this construct the natural order of learning language, and there are certain skills, etc that students acquire while other skills come later when students are developmentally ready. Students don’t even speak their native languages in a standard way when they are learning languages. Even within sequential and simultaneous bilingualism, students are going to use their background knowledge in one language and apply it to another when learning the two languages. It’s actually a brilliant, active way that students are using their problem solving abilities to construct language. I think they are little geniuses.

Now I’ll get my nose out of this conversation and get back to writing my guest post.
Multilingual Mania´s last blog ..Blue

By: Multilingual Mania

Multilingual Mania — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 00:09:29 +0000

Jaha, haja! I didn’t even notice that I did that.
Multilingual Mania´s last blog ..Blue

By: Ines

Ines — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 23:59:35 +0000

Rox, I got the book and love it! Hence I’m already throwing around the terms I learned (ie sequential bilingualism
I’ll one last thing before I finally shut up… I’m sure you are all so tired of me by now. I think that it’s important to define to ourselves what we thunk it means to be bilingual and set goals and expections for the family. A minority language is a difficult thing to cultivate and grow. I was born and raised in te US and my parents taught me Spanish using ML@H; I cannot emphasize how strict they were about Spanish only at home. With no formal Spanish education until high school and college, I am not a balanced bilingual… I consider myself a one language dominate bilingual (I speak fluently, I read, and I write… Though I feel uncomfortable with technical Spanish). Though I wish my Spanish was like if a native speaker… My parent’s goal was for me to communicate with ease with my family in South America. I think they accomplished that. My point is, that the level of intensity of the minority language should take into consideration what the end goal is. If it is enough that the young bilingual in your family understand a story in Spanish then a passive bilingual route that is more laid back will work. If you want your child to be able to hold a minority language only conversation like I can- then a strict household will get you a one language dominate bilingual. In my case, I’m hoping that my son is a balanced bilingual and I know this will require not only strict rules at home but also a formal minority language education early on…. Though I’d settle for one language dominate bilingual, I won’t let him know that!

By: Ines

Ines — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 23:36:10 +0000

Maria, I can totally relate to your post. I always think of myself as biligual until I am in a work situation and realize that perhaps I am not.
That’s why I liked learning about the different degrees of bilingualism…