Do you have a trilingual child?

[bigbadboss101]

I am Chinese, my girlfriend is Hungarian. Last week I asked her if we have kids, what languages should they learn. Since we are in Canada English is a given. Looks like we might have trilingual kids as she wants children to be able to communicate with her family. I rather have them speak English, Chinese, Spanish though.

[Neil4Speed]

Originally posted by bigbadboss101
I am Chinese, my girlfriend is Hungarian. Last week I asked her if we have kids, what languages should they learn. Since we are in Canada English is a given. Looks like we might have trilingual kids as she wants children to be able to communicate with her family. I rather have them speak English, Chinese, Spanish though.

Any strong reasoning for Spanish? I don't really see why. Granted more people speak Spanish than Hungarian, but if the kid already speaks Chinese he is going to be ahead already. And if you wanted him to speak a language spoken in prevalence around the world, have him learn Hindi. Also, I think your wifes reasoning is sound, and how will this kid "learn" spanish exactly without being immersed in it (unless your planning to send him to spanish classes from a young age and that's very tough). It will be far easier and more natural to pick up Hungarian being surrounded by it.

[JRSC00LUDE]

Originally posted by Neil4Speed


Any strong reasoning for Spanish?

He may want them to translate "the Macarena" or "La Bamba" for him one day or, barter in the marketplace?

[ddduke]

It's pretty unreasonable to want them to speak your native language but not your girlfriends.

just my .02

[Neil4Speed]

Originally posted by JRSC00LUDE


He may want them to translate "the Macarena" or "La Bamba" for him one day or, barter in the marketplace?

Fuck that, rather have him get laid like Enrique or Julio. LOL

[kvg]

Spanish is the second most spoken language on the planet, that is why I have my girls in a Spanish bilingual school.

[Nissanaddict]

Bilingual here due to parents' country of origin. They have a good handful of family friends who did exactly that (trilingual, parents from different cultures) It's extremely valuable. I'd say you both teach your kids your own language, and later send them to courses/immersion schools. For me, learning French was exceptionally easy due to already speaking 2 languages (and Polish is way harder to learn than French)

[roll_over]

Originally posted by kvg
Spanish is one of the second most spoken language on the planet, that is why I have my girls in a Spanish bilingual school.

this for spanish, isnt it also similar to french? and he also hasent had kids yet from what i understand.

[n1zm0]

Chinese as in Cantonese or mandarin, better choose wisely lol

[kvg]

Originally posted by roll_over

this for spanish, isnt it also similar to french?

In what way? School or language?

[georgemagana]

Originally posted by Neil4Speed


Any strong reasoning for Spanish? I don't really see why. Granted more people speak Spanish than Hungarian, but if the kid already speaks Chinese he is going to be ahead already. And if you wanted him to speak a language spoken in prevalence around the world, have him learn Hindi. Also, I think your wifes reasoning is sound, and how will this kid "learn" spanish exactly without being immersed in it (unless your planning to send him to spanish classes from a young age and that's very tough). It will be far easier and more natural to pick up Hungarian being surrounded by it.

Not meant to offend but thats really poor reasoning.

Spanish is spoken in tons of countries not just a few, or a part of one and if you know spanish you would easily understand italian and portuguese and a bit of french, its at least enough to get by. Im sure Hindu would be similar to other languages but spanish would enable you to communicate from the states and all the way to Chile and Spain, portugal and italy which are all tourist hot spots.

PS: My dog understands english and spanish

[lasimmon]

Originally posted by bigbadboss101
I am Chinese, my girlfriend is Hungarian. Last week I asked her if we have kids, what languages should they learn. Since we are in Canada English is a given. Looks like we might have trilingual kids as she wants children to be able to communicate with her family. I rather have them speak English, Chinese, Spanish though.

Why do you feel they should speak chinese and not hungarian?

If they will learn your native language and not hers she will resent you.

[roll_over]

Well is there any truth to it? I just remember hearing this once and was hoping someone could maybe join in and explain a little bit more.

In language is it similar

[georgemagana]

Originally posted by roll_over
Well is there any truth to it? I just remember hearing this once and was hoping someone could maybe join in and explain a little bit more.

In language is it similar

French is super hard to understand when someone is speaking it but when I read it I get an idea of whats going on about 40% of the time. Lots of words in common. Portuguese and italian are much much easier to understand in a conversation as well as when reading it.

[bigbadboss101]

Spanish would be useful because it's spoken widely. I have been to Guatemala and Honduras (to drill a water well and build a shack for a family respectively) and not speaking Spanish was definitely a hindrance. I speak Cantonese and my thinking is that it is also spoken everywhere but Hungarian not so much. I guess we will see. Not my wife, just my gf (3 months).

[kvg]

French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and a bunch of others are all romantic languages based off Latin. My daughters friend is in a French immersion school and they can some what understand each other when speaking their second language.

[Mar]

Her name isn't Michelle is it?

[dirtsniffer]

Originally posted by kvg
Spanish is one of the second most spoken language..

[[Yu]]

Originally posted by dirtsniffer

Primary Language: ex. English

Second Language: In this category, he is saying that Spanish is one of the most common languages as a second language that one may have.


I read it at first too, and was like QUE? I was thinking Anchor Man "60% of the time, it works every time!"


Also to all those people questioning his inherent "bias" of language choices for his potential kids in the future, yes it is quite selfish to want them to learn your own language but not your significant other. Although as mentioned by OP, his reasoning is of a logical choice.

Perhaps if OP was not Chinese, and GF is not Hungarian, would you still question his choice for Chinese as opposed to Hungarian?

[msommers]

Man if she wants your kids to learn Hungarian, better start early. That language is not based off of anything other than Hungarian. Learning that language will not help you learn any other language. Would be cool though.