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Eleanor
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Joined: June 20 2007
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| Posted: July 05 2007 at 2:58pm | IP Logged
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We have two children under age 4, and would like to start introducing them to a foreign language through simple, everyday activities. I'm sure this will be a lot of fun. Trouble is, we can't decide which language(s) to use. Although it's in my nature to put off making major decisions for as long as possible, this is clearly one that we have to make up front. 
If we were going to choose a modern language, it would be French. I'm a reasonably fluent speaker, having attended school in Ontario, and have even managed to hold down bilingual jobs... which, as any Canadian can tell you, is the real litmus test! (A few years ago, a radio comedy group had a hilarious sketch about a man who panics during a job interview and starts rambling on about "pamplemousses" and "mon cahier d'exercices."  ) We also have access to a wide selection of French-language children's books and other media, via my relatives. Last but not least, knowledge of French could be very useful if we were to move back to Canada in the future. While I'm sure the children could learn it later, it would be easier and more fun to achieve fluency while they're still little.
On the other hand, I'd really like the children to get an early start with Latin. Our 3-year-old often attends the Tridentine Mass with me, and seems to enjoy it a lot. My husband usually attends Mass in English (we're doing split shifts, due to a rambunctious 35-lb. toddler), but he says he'd be very happy to attend the TLM if he could understand it without having to follow the translation. Although I studied the language for a couple of years in high school, I can't say I have any substantial knowledge of it; I just dive right in to the missal and figure it out as I go along. My husband isn't comfortable with this approach, and would prefer to learn it in a more systematic way.
Last year, we decided to study Latin together as a couple, using the New Missal Latin, but we haven't found the time yet. If we could get the children involved, even if only through learning prayers and hymns together, I think we might actually get somewhere. By the time we get around to "just the two of us," we're not really up for studying grammar and vocabulary. 
Anyway, after all that background, my question is pretty simple: Would it be overly confusing for a young English-speaking child to be exposed to both Latin and French? We'd be using a different approach for each language. For Latin, we'd begin with the Mass and prayers, and then move on to broader, more formal language study at around age 7, probably using Minimus. French would be introduced in more of a conversational/immersion way (e.g., with the French-language versions of their favorite storybooks and cartoons), and the grammar could be put off until much later.
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Marjorie
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Joined: June 15 2006
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| Posted: July 05 2007 at 4:28pm | IP Logged
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Great question Eleanor! I am struggling with the same issue (and the same languages). A mon avis :-) your plan sounds very good as you will be using Latin in a liturgical context and French in conversation/literature/music. It is much easier for children to learn to speak a foreign language at an early age, so I would concentrate on French since they will probably not be speaking Latin as often :-) My kids are much older 6, 9, and 11 and I WISH I had started them at that age, but I know there is still hope - I didn't start French until I was 16 and je me débrouille assez bien. I probably should be teaching them Spanish mais je ne le parle pas du tout. C'est trop difficile!
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Marjorie
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4Real Forums : Across Time and Place
Topic: Latin + modern language for little ones?
