To Gross

Emma said this phrase Wednesday morning about some sandals she was trying on. They were just to gross, she said. With that much said I assume that most of the German-English speakers have figured out what Emma was trying to say. Note Emma's expression does not have anything to do with disgust. Here is the explanation.

gross = big in English
zu = too or to in English depending on the context

Emma was telling me that the hand-me-down sandals from Hannah were just too big for her feet. She can't wear them yet because they are too big (to gross) she repeated. In picking words she picked an English word and a German word and put them together. For her it makes perfect sense. I agreed with her (without correcting her) in my best German possible: Ja genau, die sind einfach zu gross. (English - Yes exactly, they are simply too big.)

I want Schportschuhe for the Schportplatz from Aldi

This morning our 7 year old daughter Hannah said something pretty funny in a German-English (Denglisch) mixed up sort of way. She said two of the words in German and the rest in English. And the great thing about the German words is that they are normally spelled the same as the English words, just pronounced differently.

Proper English (I think, I have my own issues with English of course):
"I want the tennis shoes from Aldi for outdoor gym."

Our Hannah's English:
Spelled with German pronunciation hints:
"I want the Schportschuhe for the Schportplatz from Aldi."

Spelled properly:
"I want the Sportschuhe for the Sportplatz from Aldi."

Toddler Talk

Emma is now at that stage where she brings a smile to our face at least three or four times at each meal. She either says something so cute and unexpected or in such a funny way that we can't almost keep from laughing. In a funny way means she says something that is officially incorrect from a language perspective, but oh so cute. Hannah was very good at this a few years back and has passed on the torch quite well.

An example is this phrase: "Ian wants to get him shoes on." She doesn't know that the word his should be used in that case. And, it cracks me up every time.

The beautiful thing for me about Emma is that she is doing this in both languages (German and English). This is the first child to be raised fully with German and so when she speaks to me in German it is great. One German phrase that she says oh so cute is: "Weißt du!" (you know). I want to record it, but I'm not sure if I could capture with good sound quality a spontaneous "Weißt du!" from her with a microphone. The microphone might distract her. Anyway, it's a fun time with Emma's development now.

Ich bin three Jahre alt

Emma said this to our Haushaltshelferin (Nanny) when she was talking about her upcoming birthday and how old she would be. At the same time Emma was trying to make three with her fingers. After her first statement, which included English and German, Emma seemed to realize that the "German" Nanny would not understand the English word "three." By this time her fingers were making three and she restated her age while pointing to her fingers: "Ich bin so alt".

Interesting that she determines that a word doesn't fit in one language sometimes.

The phrases again in English and German again would be as follows:

1a) I am drei (3) years old.
1b) Ich bin three (3) Jahre alt.

2a) I am this old.
2b) Ich bin so alt.

#2 said while pointing to her fingers making a three.

Ich kann das nicht "reachen"

Here is a concrete example of the changes the Nanny ushered into our lives. Emma started speaking more German. Now Emma will occasionally respond to me in German.

It actually brings a tear to my eye when she does. I've been speaking to her in German for almost three years now, and she has always answered in English (since she could talk). And now, with the same excitement that accompanies most of her actions, i.e., jumping up and down and smiling or laughing, she talks to me in German. It is sweet.

One funny phrase jumped out the other morning. I don't remember what she couldn't "reach", but there was something that she wanted and couldn't quite reach. What she said to me was "Ich kann das nicht 'reachen'", mixing an English word with German verb conjugation into the German sentence. By the time it registered, I was a already in the next room. Very cute.

Meet our Bilingual Kids - Shantal

Here is a brief introduction to two of our bilingual children (started in September, 2007, and finally got this one posted).

It is enjoyable to see the children experiment with, learn, and ultimately master a new language. At the time of these podcasts our children had been living in Germany for almost a year now. They are both in the 3rd grade and have recently been asked to put their bilingual language skills to work: Shantal (see below) helps teach English in school & Spencer is translating into German at church.

At parents night Shantal's teacher explained that she has a new teaching assistant in English this year - Shantal. Children in Germany begin learning English in 3rd grade. When the teacher asks Shantal, Shantal speaks English to the kids asking them simple questions, such as "what color is this?" while holding up a card with a color on it. The children answer in English. Shantal also described her experiences in her own words in Episode 16 of our Shantal's first Living in Germany podcast.

Meet our Bilingual Kids - Spencer

Here is a brief introduction to two of our bilingual children (started in September, 2007, and finally got this one posted).

It is enjoyable to see the children experiment with, learn, and ultimately master a new language. At the time of these podcasts our children had been living in Germany for almost a year now. They are both in the 3rd grade and have recently been asked to put their bilingual language skills to work: Shantal helps teach English in school & Spencer (see below) is translating into German at church.

Spencer came to me at church one Sunday in September and said: "translating into German. That's easy!" I am one of the translators at church (mostly from German into English). After Spencer watched me translate one week we spoke about translating a bit. I told Spencer that it is easy to translate into English, but hard to translate into German (my foreign language, and the second language of our children). Here's how he explained it in his own words in Episode 17 of our Spencer's first Living in Germany podcast.

Kids First Podcasts

Had to split the post into two, one for each child:
Shantal
Spencer

Emma Understands German

Emma is almost 3 years old. She will turn 3 on May 14th. When we moved here to Germany, she was 16 months old. I would say that Gardner speaks 90% of the time in German while he is talking with the kids. He has done this for years, before we ever moved here. Emma was our first child that he has mainly spoken German to since the day she was born.

Fast forward to the present. Today, I had Spencer and Hannah home from school sick. They were both laying on couches with blankets and pillows watching a movie. I needed to go take a shower so I could walk to the Grocery Store.

So in my broken German, I tell Spencer and Hannah, "Ich gehe oben unter den dusche. Bitte die zwei kleinen auf passen." For those that know German, you can see how bad my German is from that sentance. For those that don't know German I was saying that I was going up stairs to take a Shower and to please watch on the two small ones.

Why did I say it in German? I don't normally talk to the kids in German. But when I try to say something without wanting Emma to hear, I break out my German. I know Emma knows German, but I never know to what extent as she refuses to acknowledge me when I do so.

Anyway, All of a sudden, Emma chimes in: "I not a little one. I big." I was a little shocked. She knew what I said. And then I said, "what did you just say?" And she said it again. "I not a little one. I big." I gave her a great big hug and I said, you are right. You are big. Please help to watch Ian. And then she said, "but I don't want you to go." And I said, "go where?" And she said, "in the shower."

So, today I realized that Emma does understand German. Tons more than I ever gave her credit for. I actually think she might understand German more than me. I have even heard her speak German this week to a little boy. So cute to hear from *my* child who recently learned to talk.

Talk a Mommy, Mommy!

The title was Emma's request to Tamara on Saturday when we had a German couple over for dinner. Translated it means: "talk the way you normally talk, mommy." During the evening with our friends Tamara naturally spoke German and when she would turn to Emma she would stay in German mode and speak German to Emma as well.

This did not sit well with Emma. In trying to make sense of her world, she has learned that Mommy speaks English and that Daddy speaks German. If that changes suddenly, her world is a bit upside down.

Her expression for telling us that the world was now upside down, and that we should right the ship was just so adorable. "Talk a Mommy!" is what she repeatedly said to Tamara whenever Tamara spoke German to her. It was a tender moment, especially after the past week of bilingual discovery that Emma has had.

We have also described the day in Episode 22 of our Living in Germany podcast.

Basement is Keller on German

Emma has been on a tear lately with realizing that there are two languages. Not sure what triggered it. Her age is definitely a factor. At church she and Ian started going to Nursery in Primary (Primarvereinigung [PV]). Here in German Nursery is called Kindergarten and our congregation is mainly German, so the teachers naturally speak German. That's her first big experience, i.e., direct constant interaction, with German outside of the home. Maybe it's something else I'm not thinking of.

At any rate she has been noticing the differences in the two languages quite a bit more this week. After proclaiming that Dark is not Dunkel early last week, she began telling me that "basement is Keller on German (or sometimes on Deutsch)." For those who know German, you may theorize, as I did, that the "on German" phrasing Emma used comes from the German phrase "wie heißt das auf Deutsch?" Or, it is a simple mixing up of the prepositions. Regardless, the German preposition auf can be used to mean both in and on.

It is amazing to watch her mind make sense of a bilingual world. Not being an expert on the subject I just enjoy watching her growth. I know it will be hard and maybe she will struggle in both languages, but there are many hard things in life. I think that Emma's awareness of the two languages is simply a sign that she will make it through the bilingual experience alright.

It's Dark Not dunkel

Ah, Emma. Her world is so fun and simple. She is so excited about things and it brings such joy to the heart to be with her. When she almost tackles me after I come in the door and screams "daddy, daddy, daddy" all the way to the door. That is truly amazing.

We went shopping yesterday and she helped me carry some of the groceries home. It was a very nice time. Her exuberance gushes over into all around her. On the way home at about 5:00 p.m., dusk was turning into a night sky and Emma noted that it was dark.

Without me saying anything, she started telling me, or herself, or anyone who might be around. "It's dark. not dunkel." Then she repeated the statement, with emphasis. "Dark. Not dunkel."

This is most cute because they are really just the same word in two different languages. Most of the time Emma just easily switches from English to German in her understanding, but every now and then a word just won't go in. The word dunkel is one of them. She refuses to assign this German word to the English word dark. Hard to say why that is, but it is very adorable to watch her learn.

Cowgummi

This is a special edition of German Homework that gave me some insights into the challenges our children our facing as foreigners in German Schools. Those who speak German may have guessed by now what Cowgummi might be. English only speakers will be scratching their heads, wondering what I am writing about.

Shantal had to measure different objects that she has in her back-pack. The list looked roughly like this: ink cartridge (for pens) "die Patrone" 32 mm, eraser "der Radiergummi" 44 mm, Cowgummi 15 mm, some other items.

At that point I stopped reading the list and I just cried a bit inside. Cowgummi is just not a word in either language and I didn't know how to break it to her. You can check LEO for the real meaning.

It brought up a lot of emotions for me. Do I give the clinical explanation of why it is wrong so she'll know how to avoid the mistake in the future? That's been a common approach for me and I think it drives her crazy. Do I just hug her? Then she won't know why. Do I say nothing? But then the question lingers. Have I done enough? How do I say anything and still let her know that I love her?

It is so tough to live on this planet. No matter where you live or what challenges you face, it is always tougher than planned. But by now I've forgotten, somewhat, how tough it was to be a child. And to be a child in a foreign land. That I can't really even begin to relate to.

I just hope and pray that I will keep that in mind whenever I am dealing with our children and pray that I can more clearly see things from their perspective.

German Homework

At least once a week I get a call from Tamara, on behalf of one of the kids, or one of the kids themselves. This call is to discuss today's German homework and to help them figure out something that is a bit complex, or a word that is new.

On Thursday, Tamara called to ask what this word meant: "das Moos"

For those scoring at home, it means moss. You know, that green fuzzy stuff that grows in shady spots in the woods.

The homework question, below a picture of a lady standing in a garden/yard, was: "Ist mama im Moos?" In English: Is mom standing in moss?

Hannah answered yes. I would have said yes too based on how much moss we have in our backyard.

Emma and German

How does a 2 year old, just learning to speak deal with two languages (being raised as a bilingual child). Amazingly well, as do all of our children. I smile everytime I hear my older children rattle off long explanations of complicated things in German (their 2nd language). It's amazing.

But with Emma, I just have to laugh out loud.

Emma is just learning to speak at 2 years of age. This naturally comes by leaps and bounds. One day she is saying 2 word sentences and then a day later I hear 5-6 word sentences. She speaks primarily English. She lived in the United States until she was 16 months, and her older brother and sisters generally speak English. Mom is the designated English speaker in our home.

The hilarious thing with Emma occurs when mom happens to say a German word. This has happened a couple of times, but the funiest occasion occurred when Hannah's friend was over to play. Hannah's friend and Emma were talking about a dog for some reason and Tamara overheard Emma say "Hund" to the little girl. So, Tamara joined in and said "Ja ein Hund." (yes a dog).

Emma turned to Tamara and said, quite emphatically I must add, "Nooooo!!! ...... Dog!" Remember that Emma had just spoke to Hannah's friend and said "Hund." But all attempts by Tamara to say Hund were met with this same resistance.

She commonly does the same with the siblings when they speak German, but not as emphatically. With me she allows me to say the German word, but only if she knows the German word. At least I think that is the pattern. I will usually translate the word from English (the word she keeps insisting that I say in English) to German and then use the German word from that time forward. And she seems fine with that. Take for example the word "Horse", an animal we don't see everyday, but that we recently read in a book. After I said "Pferd", Emma began insisting that I say Horse. I responded in the following manner:

Emma, Horse heißt Pferd auf Deutsch (Emma, Pferd means Horse in German).

After I say this she stops insisting that I say "Horse" and I can use the German word "Pferd" from then on. Also amazing is that she generally remembers the german word days and weeks later. It's rather phoenomenal really, and a joy to watch.