I am very interested in teaching my 10 month old English. Our native language is Dutch and there are a lot of phonemic similarities with the English language, since they belong to the same language family. I am worried that teaching him English before he has mastered Dutch will lead to a lot of confusion an ultimately do him more harm then good.
Have any of you come across this problem?
RE
DO NOT teach your child English if it is not your native language. Children deserve to learn languages from native speakers, such as perhaps an English-speaking nanny or a relative, if you have one in the family. Just don't try to do it yourself. The confusion will not come from learning two related languages, but from learning one of them less well than the other.
L. E. Gant
I learned Lithuanian and English, with German as a third language exposure. And I started talking (in whole sentences) before I was 1. It was only later, when I more or less lived with English as a main diet of language that I lost the German (the relatives who spoke it moved away), but the Lithuanian stayed with me, and even now, I still can understand about 90% of anything said to me or that I read in Lithuanian, despite not being near Lithuanian speakers on a regular basis for more than 30 years. (I do have difficulties talking in it nowadays).
Anonymous
speak to your child in both languages from birth... children are very good at learning languages and quickly sort them out... i have two nieces who had a german mother and an english speaking father... she always spoke german to the girls, he always spoke english... they grew up fluent in both languages... it is easier to learn multiple languages from a very young age than at any other time... the child shall not get confused and shall sort it out...
tentofield
Speak to your child in both languages from birth. Children are very good at learning languages and quickly sort them out. I have two nieces who had a German mother and an English speaking father. She always spoke German to the girls, he always spoke English. They grew up fluent in both languages. It is easier to learn multiple languages from a very young age than at any other time. The child will not get confused and will sort it out.
Anonymous
speak to your child in both languages from birth... children are very good at learning languages and quickly sort them out... i have two nieces who had a german mother and an english speaking father... she always spoke german to the girls, he always spoke english... they grew up fluent in both languages... it is easier to learn multiple languages from a very young age than at any other time... the child shall not get confused and shall sort it out...