Can your baby be bilingual if you are not?

The answer to the topic question is YES! Surely, any child may acquire more than one language as their mother tongue, even if their parents are non-native speakers of so. And what if your level of English is less than advanced? Can you still make your child be fluent in it? Let us consider few facts!

In this article we are referring to First Language Acquisition, which is the subconscious effortless process of learning one’s native language based on the language input received by a baby. The first language study begins with the stage of babbling – sound production – starting at the time of infancy, and develops into one word, two word to telegraphic speech reached by *Critical Period.

Second Language Acquisition is what you are facing right now. It is a conscious process of learning a non-native language having already mastered your mother tongue. Unlike your baby, regrettably, you have to put effort into the study, often attending classes of a foreign language and supporting your study with books, rarely reaching the native-like fluency and pronunciation as a result of your actions. However, do not demotivate yourself! There is evidence that even if you are not a linguist, the process of study itself helps your brain development, sets back ageing and prevents senile illnesses! 

The aforementioned hypothesis states that the first few years of life during which baby’s speech organs constantly develop and brain’s neuroplasticity – ability to change and adapt as a result of experience – is the highest, the child having possessed enough stimuli, may acquire any language as a first one. It requires a lot of your effort to provide your kid with linguistic input if you are a non-native speaker of a language you want to share with a baby, nevertheless, it may be one of the best gifts your baby receives from you – effortless language acquisition, instead of learning.

The conclusion is… if you desire your child has a much better start than most of us had, assist one acquiring languages before your kid reaches the age of Critical Period and has to learn them as foreign ones. There is so much content for kids available in the English language, eg. books, TV series, interactive toys, the search for them will not be very troublesome. And what is more, while accompanying your baby reading stories, singing or naming objects in a foreign (for you, not for your child as your baby is born with a tabula rasa ready for any challenge and knowledge you may provide one with!) language, you will be learning too so you will reach a mutual benefit. And… even if at first you feel a bit confused or uncomfortable with this situation, do not give up, think you are doing it for your baby (and for yourself!).

Vocabulary
acquire – nabywać
aforementioned – wcześniej wspomniany
mother tongue – język ojczysty
possess – otrzymywać
fluent – biegły
stimuli (sing. stimulus) – bodźce
consider – rozważać
nevertheless – jednakże
subconscious – nieświadomy
desire – życzyć sobie
effortless – bezwysiłkowy
assist – pomagać
babbling – gaworzenie
content – treść
infancy – niemowlęctwo
troublesome – problematyczny
reach – osiągać
accompany – towarzyszyć
face – stawiać czoła
provide – zapewniać
conscious – świadomy
mutual benefit – obopólna korzyść
unlike – w przeciwieństwie do
confused – zagubiony
regrettably – niestety
effort – wysiłek
attend – uczestniczyć w
ageing – starzenie się
prevent – zapobiegać
senile – starczy