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.

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.