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From: Peter Hullah <Peter.Hullah@eurocontrol.fr>
Subject: Re: What is a native language? was Re: Rubbish Speak
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Date: Mon, 26 Feb 1996 09:06:16 GMT
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Ralph Edwards LZ 1B-115K x3031 wrote:
> 
> Speak for yourself, I think the situation he discribes corresponds almost
> exactly to the kind of experiences I based my comments on.  I think that
> most children raised in a culture other than that of thir parents will learn
> both their parents' language (if the parents refuse to respond to the
> other language),

Sorry, Ralph - I'm afraid I find that a bit of a slur, though I don't think
you intended it as such. My wife and I both respond to the other language - 
in this case French, - and culture, excellently and would never dream of, 
for example, talking to a Frenchman in anything other than French, which we 
both speak fluently. We still speak to each other in English, obviously, 
and we make a point of speaking to our son in English for the simple 
reason that we want him to be bi-lingual since you get a much better chance 
in life if you speak at least two of English, French and German, as you know.
It will be hard enough to get him, and keep him, fluent as it is.

> and the language of the surrounding culture.  If the children
> interact with that culture in the normal way, play with other children fluent
> in the surrounding langauge especially, the language of the culture will
> dominate from the start.
> 
> I find it interesting that your experience is fact, while ours are anecdotes.
> What can that mean?  And actually it's not even your experience, but what your
> friends and aquainteneces tell you.  Well fine.

Have you noticed that this is quite often the case with people who don't know what
they're talking about!?

Pete

-- 

Peter H.C. Hullah                     Technical Services
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