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Based on an idea by Patricia Posadas. Patricia is an English and French into Spanish translator based on the Basque Country (Spain) and has a PhD in Education and Social Sciences. She's also the proud mother of two translation victims.
I'm often asked why my children only speak one foreign language (other than english) if they have me,their mother, who speaks 5 different languages. I normally answer: "What do you suggest to me: do I have to speak a different language each day or is it better to change language every hour?... :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm also the mother of two translation victims... I must admit... :(
ReplyDeleteI have a translation victim in the oven ;)
ReplyDeleteI've never given much thought to what my future children should be called, but I already have several different language strategies planned, so that I will be covered for any situation I might find myself in :D
ReplyDeleteThanks Alejando. Well, they are "victims" of course because they went through the hard life of a beginner-translator mother who at that time was on top of it a single parent... but they are also heirs, know many "tradufriends" (colleagues I consider like friends) from other countries and cultures, take advantage of best Internet services and powerful computers, and many other things, (they can tell without hesitation what time it is in NY although they have never been out of Europe) so now that they are in their twenties things are not so bad.
ReplyDeleteOne thing is clear, reading Mox helped them understand that their mother was not so weird after all, that there are many other such beings checking mails while visiting foreign countries, wearing pyjamas at work or dealing with Pams and Crados all over the world!
My translation victim often asks: Mommy, can you leave your computer at last and play with me!
ReplyDeleteSame here!
DeleteI will name my first son Jerome, and my second Gerónimo, and my third Geróme
ReplyDeletehahahaha! that would be hilarious!
DeleteWe can laugh at it as a joke but I have seen parents who force their children to learn foreign languages.
ReplyDeleteAnd what about spotting terrible translation errors on TV together? Ah, quality time ;)
ReplyDeleteFor now, that is only a good indicator that a stranger may become a friend but I may shred a tear when my first born does it for the first time!
DeleteEvery language skill is appreciated... 11-year-old daughter in front of Iberia airlines slogan: 'Being on time is our target.'
DeleteShe: "How can they say that? It is like admitting they are always late!!"
I think this will be a great idea to improve the children’s knowledge and language skill.
ReplyDeleteI thought that I (translator) and one of my friends (teacher) were the only people in the world who play polyglot scrabble. (Only languages that use the latin alphabet are allowed; no russian and greek for me and no japanese for him).
ReplyDeleteMy oldest was born in my home country and when I moved to the US he already spoke the language well and kept it. Later on he added two more, so he now speaks four - Portuguese, English, Spanish and Italian. My daughter was born here, (US) and I only spoke to her in Portuguese until she was 2 and a half. Before she was three, my daughter already spoke and could read (basic) Portuguese, English and Spanish; at 18 months she discovered French and started studying it at 3. At 4 she could read, write and speak all four languages. Except for exposing her to Portuguese so she could communicate with her Brazilian family, all else came naturally and at her own pace. She is 17 and still commands all four languages - no, not with native fluency. That's reserved only to English.
ReplyDeleteIt does not have to be a painful process. And as for polyglot Scrabble, it is the favorite game of world travelers! I first encountered it in 1980, but those who introduced it to me had been playing it for ages. Once we had friends from Germany, France, Chile, Argentina, my American husband and I (Brazilian) playing together - each brought their own scrabble pieces. It was a lot of fun!
Lol! I always said that that's what I would do with my children, and people's responses have always been pretty much your wife's :) It's probably a good think I don't have children, Child Protection might have something to say about using your offspring for linguistic experimentation...
ReplyDelete