1 post tagged “interracial marriage”

          

joseyo!

            With the increasing number of interracial marriages around the globe, children born from these families now have the advantage of speaking two languages.  The growing appeal of raising kids in a bilingual environment is certainly undeniable in today's global village. Most parents believe that growing up with more than one language is certainly a  very good advantage. Not only do these children have a wider opportunity, but also a greater understanding of other cultures and traditions that goes with the study of a particular language.

             I myself, am raising a bilingual child having been married to a Korean. My son Seth who's turning 4 this year had been the subject of my study regarding bilingualism in children. Through observation and a well-controlled recording of his lexical development, it is quite amazing to see children at this age to learn languages with ease. As his pediatrician put it, "Their brains at this age are like sponges that could absorb practically anything..." This supports Chomsky's Critical Period Hypothesis wherein he explains that there is a crucial period at which the language should be learned (until the age of 12). The younger the learner learns, the easier the process of learning will be. It is helpful then that learners of language start at a very young age to ensure that they achieve a near native fluency of their target language.