What part about their language and culture do babies remember if they are adopted to a family from another...?

Question

country?

Answer 1

They learn what they are raised with. It doesn't matter where you're born or to whom as far as language is concerned. Nurture wins that round.

Answer 2

If the adoptive parents have done their homework, they will do everything they can to ensure that the child remains familiar with their heritage and culture.   It is difficult to do this, but it can be done.  Celebrate their national holidays, have books and lovely art objects from their country openly displayed in the home, be sure that they have friends of the same nationality, try to keep them familiar with the language.  

The last part is the most difficult, unless their native language is Spanish.   It is not easy to find classes in the Asian languages in certain parts of the country.  We have Chinese CDs in our home, so that all of us can use basic Chinese phrases.  We were delighted to learn that our local high school will be offering it soon, so the children will be able to learn it in more depth.

Answer 3

I was adopted when I was five.  I use to only speak and understand the language of the country I was born in; however, I can only remember a few words now...

Like the first poster said - it's based on nurture.  Edited to add - that is why it is important for the adoptive family to keep their child knowledgeable of their ethnicity.  They stuck with it for the first couple years & then it stopped.  At the time I could have cared less but now I wish they had kept on it because I would love to be able to know more about my culture & speak with other people from my country rather than be looked like I am a sell out.

Answer 4

It depends how old the baby was when adopted. Parents can find different programs though and help them to maintain their culture and heritage.

This is, in my opinion, a VERY important thing to do.

I am adopted from Korea by caucasian parents. When I was young, I didn't really understand what it meant to be a korean Adoptee and that I knew nothing of my original culture. So nothing was done to help me learn about it which is something I regret very, very harshly right now.

Answer 5

It depends how old they are when they leave the native situation. During the first year the baby wil have developed the ability to make many of the sounds their native tongue uses even if they don't actually say words yet.

Answer 6

Usually nothing, which is what is so sad about it.  

I have spoken to quite a few adult IA adoptees and read many blogs by them, and most of them all say that losing their language and heritage is a very sad thing.

Can you imagine reuniting with your mother & family in Korea or China and not being able to speak to them, or write letters, because of the language barrier?  How terribly sad.

Answer 7

usually nothing because we have two white parents raising a chinese baby these people know nothing of the childs culture or food or language. its very sad these adopters who do this are stealing this child they say they love so much from THEIR world.I think if you adopt internationally at least ONE of the parents should have been born and raised in the country of the childs birth so they can still be whothey are at the deepest level. my husband was raised in japan and we have talked about japanese adoption but we would never do russian adoption because we do not know what its like to be russian and after being with us neither would the child

Answer 8

You don't have to "remember" something to experience it as a loss.

Imagine a friend who's father died before she was born, would you ever say to her, "Well, I'm sure it's no big deal, because he died before you were born, and you never even met him."

No, but people say that to adopted people all the time.