Sarah Smutny, 28/01/2021
Interview : Bilingualism
Sarah, who are you?
My name is Sarah SMUTNY, I am German and a nutrition coach in Lyon, I lived in Holland for a very long time with my French husband and my two children. Two years ago we came to live in Lyon and now it has become my new city. I really like Lyon, it was difficult the first year, but I have to say that it is a very nice city to live in.
How old are your children?
8 and 3 and a half years old
What languages do you speak at home?
We speak German, French and English, it’s really a mix at home.
With your husband which language do you speak?
I speak a lot of English and he answers me in French. For me it’s not natural to speak in French, when we are with family or friends I also speak in French, and it’s really another language for me, and it would be weird to change.
And with your children you speak French, English and German ?
Not only German, but my boys answer me a lot in French.
And to their father they speak in French and they answer in French?
Yes.
What means do you use to transmit your language? Any difficulties you encounter?
French really dominates at home, we have all the basics and we try to put all the series on Netflix in German. There is not a lot of choice, but if it is possible we always choose German, and also books in German, all that to have this influence.
And when you live in the Netherlands, what language do you speak to your children and what language do you answer in?
I spoke to them in German and I also answered them in German.
German was easier as a language, because it was actually closer to Dutch.
And when we came here, their level of French was not very good, French was really the least easy language, and now it has become their main language.
How long did it take to get here?
It took two years, and they didn’t have much contact with German children.
Do you manage to communicate with relatives (friends, cousins…), and do they arrive when they have to speak German ?
It works now, but before, when the correspondent said a sentence in German, they would exchange in French.
For a while it bothered me a lot, but now I let it go, I stay with my German and I don’t stress about it. I’ve spoken to a lot of German parents, who also have this problem, and it’s coming more and more. The more I push, the more negative it becomes with my children, I don’t want to have that.
What are the benefits of bilingualism that you are already seeing in your children?
At school we have the possibility to choose German as our first or second language, is this something you are considering for them?
Yes, if they want to, it’s very good for them, it gives them an advantage, besides it’s a language close to Latin, it helps with a lot of other languages.
I see it with their English, I do tests to make jokes, I tell them sentences in English to see if they understand, and they really understand everything. It’s funny, they listen to my husband and me when we speak, and I find that it opens up his brain to speak a lot of languages. Because we never put a cartoon in English to them, we just talk to each other, and to see that they understand English this way, just by listening to us it’s funny I think !
When they don’t have to, they answer in French, but little by little, when they have to speak German with friends and family, they do. They progress in German and little by little and they also answer in German.
At school they will learn to read and write German too?
Yes absolutely. My 8 year old son already reads French by himself, and in German he still finds it difficult to read by himself, because the pronunciation is different and he hasn “t yet understood how it works. I read with him in German and he reads his books in French by himself.
With the little one it is more difficult to read stories in German.
What advice would you give to young parents of bilingual children?
Stay consistent (on your position), don’t deviate, don’t think that French is easier and that maybe that’s how you integrate into French life. I’ve seen in Holland, German parents or parents of another nationality, speaking Dutch with their children, and I find it very sad because it cuts cultural links, and also with grandparents, and all the heritage. Bilingualism is the best gift you can give to your children: finding groups of your nationality to do play groups is also good for you, to meet parents. It has to become natural and without pressure.
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