Growing up Bilingual… Out of the Mouth of Babes

                   Blue-marys-corey-amaro

1992

Growing up bi-lingual doesn't just happen. It takes dedication, a great deal of patience and often repeating words over and over again. French Husband speaks French to the children, and naturally I speak English to them. It made and makes for a very different type of conversation wherever we are: Some French, some English and a hodge podge of Franglais.

When Chelsea was three years old, she said with a sweet reflection, "Mere de Dieu." I noticed from the corner of my eye that French Husband was beaming with pride. He whispered, as if I didn't know what she had said, "Chelsea said, Mother of God, in French." He assumed full of his pride, "She is praying."

Chelsea repeated, "Mer-de…Dieu!" Then she started to giggle.

 

French antique globe with virgin

 

 

I looked over at French husband, and asked if I was missing an inside joke or something? He shook his head no, but studied Chelsea with a very stern look.

"Mer...de... dieu." She repeated then giggled louder.

Then went on to say with a sweet little voice, "Mere de Dieu." She repeated this over and over, once with a sweet voice, and then Merde Dieu with a stern voice. Each time giggling harder and harder. "Mere de  Dieu.  Mer– de Dieu.  Merde Dieu. Merde Dieu. Mere de Dieu…"

Glancing over at French Husband I saw he was shocked silly, rather speechless, not translating the obvious. Chelsea hearing the sounds of the words "mere de," which means, "mother of." Then saying them quickly together mere-de, realizing she was saying, "merde," a bad word, which means shit in English. Literally she was saying, "Mother of God, and then in the next breath, Shit God."

One of the best things about being a bi-lingual family is moments like this. I leaned over to French Husband and beamed, "At least I know she didn't learn it from me… I pray in English."

 

 



Comments

10 responses to “Growing up Bilingual… Out of the Mouth of Babes”

  1. You do make me smile, Corey!
    Cute, Chelsea!

  2. corey… that is funny out! of the mouths of bebes{I meant to type babes,will just leave it bebe} another bit of French family history!

  3. good comeback Corey!

  4. Ourfrenchoasis

    Another wonderful story to start my day – thank you. Our children are also bi-lingual, although they learnt French slightly older rather than speaking two languages since they were tiny. The youngest two are still learning and of course a vast amount of their French is learnt in the playground, sometimes they come home with some very amusing expressions!

  5. I think Chelsea is a lot like her mom:)

  6. I love your stories and all you share.
    Blessings sweet friend
    Love and smiles across the miles
    Love Jeanne

  7. La Contessa

    PRiCELESS!

  8. Now THAT is funny!!!

  9. Thank you for your story. I also have bilingual children- polish and italian, there are always some funny situations during our days. Greetings from Italy.

  10. Corey, do you sell the beautiful blue, religious pendants?

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