Hello, I'd like your advice on a situation which has been stressing me out recently.
I'm English, my husband is French, and we're living in France. Our daughter is 18 months old. My husband can speak English, but usually speaks to our daughter in French. The only English she hears is from me, as we have little contact with other English speakers, so I'm very reluctant to use any French with her and have so far been sticking to the One-Parent-One-Language method and speak to her exclusively in English. I'd really appreciate your advice on what to do when I'm out with my daughter and we're with someone else who only speaks French. A typical situation: My daughter and I are in the doctor's surgery waiting room, my daughter is playing, and another lady starts to talk French to my daughter. I start to talk in French to the lady, but when I need to say something to my daughter I say it in English. The French lady can't understand what I've just said to my daughter. Until recently, I've taken the attitude that I'm talking to my daughter so it doesn't matter if other people within the conversation don't understand what I'm saying - but now I'm starting to think that it actually DOES matter if others don't understand because it means that they are temporarily excluded from the conversation which creates a "block" between us, maybe it is in fact important for basic social interaction that the lady understands what I'm saying to my daughter. For this reason I'm starting to think that I should talk to my daughter in French in a situation like this. What do other people think? - I really need another perspective on this situation! Thanks! Menal ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Check out the new improvements in Yahoo! Groups email. http://us.click.yahoo.com/4It09A/fOaOAA/yQLSAA/W_NqlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Visit http://www.multilingualmunchkins.com. Home of the Multilingual Munchkins Playgroup Database. Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/multilingualmunchkin/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/multilingualmunchkin/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
