Will my baby "sound like me" down the road?

Question

I'm an American living in Mexico with my wife. I was wondering if my child will be able to learn English without an "accent" (read--speak like I do).

I plan to speak English at all times around the baby, watch everything on TV, and read all books in English.

Will that be enough in an all Spanish environment?

Unfortunately, I won't always be able to speak English only. Family and most friends don't speak English, so what will happen when the baby "catches" me speaking Spanish? We she just quit speaking English to me?

Anybody have similar experiences as parents or growing up as a kid learning two or more languages?

Answer 1

I'm in a similar situation - I live in Denmark with my husband.

Like you, I'm only speaking English to our son, but I do converse with my husband in Danish.  My husband speaks only Danish to our son.

From what I've researched, the baby won't quit speaking English to you because you speak Spanish to her mother. As long as you coach her on her pronunciations when she speaks English, you should be able to keep her accent sounding similar to yours.

Answer 2

I was born in Quebec, surrounded in a French environment until the age of 3.  My parents moved to British Columbia and into a completely English environment.

French used to be my main language, now it's English.  I have a French accent now when I speak the language.

If your child will primarily be surrounded by Spanish, chances are that it will be your child's main language.

Good luck!

Answer 3

i would recommend exposing her to both languages. Learning a language is easiest before the age of 7, so she will learn quickly.

Don't be afraid to speak spanish in front of her. It will be a huge asset for her to be bilingual as she gets older.

Plus, you will want your friends and family to be able to communicate with her as she gets older. She may feel left out and confused if in certain company everyone is speaking spanish and she does not understand.

Answer 4

Most likely, your child will speak both languages fluently.  My 14 y/o son is adopted, I adopted him as an older child not a baby.  His mother was Mexican, his father was American.  My son is fluent with no "foreign accent" in both languages.  He never mixed his Spanish and English, or the accents. This is an excellent situation for your child to learn 2 languages.  Most children who grow up in a bilingual home can speak both languages so well that when they speak one, you'd never guess they could speak another.  Also, the younger a person learns a second language, the easier it is for them.