Monday, September 29, 2008

Bilingual

So as the worrisome mother that I am, I am starting to get worried about Handsome still not being able to speak. I decided to do some research and found the site http://www.bilingualbabies.org/ which states:

"Do bear in mind that it isn’t unusual for multilingual children to reach their second birthday with four words in their vocabulary."

Grr.

But then there is this:
"Speech disorders do occur, however, in bilingual children as in monolingual children, so if you are truly worried that your child is not understanding you (in any of the languages) or able to carry out commands by age 2, you should ask a professional’s advice."


He is already able to carry out commands in both languages, so at least we have that going for us.

And then:
"By halfway through your child’s third year, you can expect to have heard a few first words at least, and in other children you may have as far as the two-word stage or the telegraphic stage. Next you can look forward to the development of grammar and structure – a new and exciting adventure that is fascinating in that it reveals so much about your child’s thought processes and hypothesis-building strategies in the world of language. Hang on tight – it’s a rollicking ride!"


Rollicking? Really? Sure doesn't feel that way right now.

1 comment:

Topaz said...

Kitten didn't really "speak" until he was halfway to his third birthday though he did use ASL. Then his vocabulary and mastery of grammar grew at a dizzing rate once he turned 4. Now he will talk anyone under the table (honestly I wish I could turn on the mute button sometimes!) and this in 3 languages! You will see that the ride is dizzying once Handsome will start deciphering the linguistic rules of each language.