How to raise a quadrilingual child in a predominantly English environment?

[Anonymous]

That's pretty impressive. I hope she has the opportunity to become literate in all three.

[Anonymous]

I wish I knew. This was many years ago. This child could even translate--which most of my bilingual first graders could not do. They could respond but not translate.

[Anonymous]

My son (kindergarten) is in language immersion (international school) and translates pretty well. Thank goodness - I don't speak the language of the school, but I am learning!

[Anonymous]

Yes. I used to assume that if you could speak two languages that you could translate. However, young children sometimes have great difficulty with it. I think they don't understand why you don't understand......

[Anonymous]

Please drop the French for now.Let her concentrate on Mandarin and continue with Spanish.
Signed by somebody who besides her mother tongue, studied Russian, Latin, Finnish, German, English and Spanish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. I used to assume that if you could speak two languages that you could translate. However, young children sometimes have great difficulty with it. I think they don't understand why you don't understand......

Not just kids! Simultaneous interpretation is hard for many people - even those who speak both languages very well.

[Anonymous]

At one point I could do it between English and a second language -- but not if I wanted to also participate in the conversation, or have any memory of what I said.

It usually meant that when my family went out with these relatives of mine, I never got to eat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. I used to assume that if you could speak two languages that you could translate. However, young children sometimes have great difficulty with it. I think they don't understand why you don't understand......

I know one little girl who translated 'the taste of honey' as 'the smell of honey' in her language

[Anonymous]

I don't think it's possible, at least, not without making your kid really miserable.

Our daughter has arabic-speaking grandparents who live in our basement apartment, and she's in her 3rd year at a French immersion school. So despite having daily interaction with her grandparents in arabic (including reading, cartoons, etc), and doing very well academically in french, the only language she speaks comfortably and fluently is English. Sure, she can communicate in the other two, but I wouldn't call her trilingual. Even in ideal conditions, she hasn't shown that level of mastery.

[Anonymous]

Why your child should be learning French

http://www.businessinsider.com/why-we-still-need-french-2014-2

Then again, stick with Spanish so he can communicate with the housecleaners and landscapers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it's possible, at least, not without making your kid really miserable.

Our daughter has arabic-speaking grandparents who live in our basement apartment, and she's in her 3rd year at a French immersion school. So despite having daily interaction with her grandparents in arabic (including reading, cartoons, etc), and doing very well academically in french, the only language she speaks comfortably and fluently is English. Sure, she can communicate in the other two, but I wouldn't call her trilingual. Even in ideal conditions, she hasn't shown that level of mastery.

how old is she?

[Anonymous]

I know a truly trilingual kid, but she was 6 at the time I met her. The three languages are part of her everyday life-parents speak in their respective languages to her and she live in English speaking country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC just turned four years old and speaks fluent English, knows some Spanish (DC had a Spanish speaking nanny and also takes Spanish class in preschool), studies Mandarin at an immersion school on the weekends since three, and recently started taking French lessons (as enrichment) at the preschool. DC speaks English at preschool and communicate to us in English at home but I would like DC to know Spanish, French, and Mandarin. Is it better to learn all languages at the same time, or is it better to master one langue before learning another?

Why are you doing all of this?

[Anonymous]

op might be a troll. she hasn't come back and is probably enjoying the show.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why your child should be learning French

http://www.businessinsider.com/why-we-still-need-french-2014-2

Then again, stick with Spanish so he can communicate with the housecleaners and landscapers.

You're an idiot. This is one of the most stupid things people say and only shows your own ignorance of the world outside of your little bubble. Spanish is the 3rd most commonly spoken language in the world - it's not all housecleaners and landscapers speaking it…learn something about the world before posting idiotic statements based on your own small world.

My kids are trilingual through school, home language and living in an English-speaking environment - meaning they speak, read and write in all 3 languages (they are older). My nieces and nephews speak 4 languages. It's hard work and takes time and patience but IT CAN BE DONE! The US is one of the only countries where people question the ability to speak more than one language. Go to so many other parts of the world and many people (both highly educated and only moderately educated) are able to communicate in more than one language. The benefits of learning another language are also not simply for the ability to speak the language. Research suggests that language acquisition from an early age helps with math skills and also analytical thinking and processing.

Having said that I think the OP is pushing too much at one time without enough support in the home for each of these languages. OP - you should pick one (or even 2) of the languages for your child and concentrate on those. You will need a lot of back up in order to support those languages.

Good luck!