“… language is paramount for children to become socialized and develop a sense of belonging within cultural settings” This is a quote from an article from a Japanese magazine about the importance of passing on the culture of a language alongside the language itself....
Klaat ja kann praat dialekt, ja je ju fråån Daksmartjen
Kva ska hittje vaar till tenkt ja – ti skriiv en häilan, kva ska ja riktit kall a ... oppsats åp dialekt å legg uut an åp nete fö all ti sii. Nå, he må nu vaar kva e vill, men stjenn kåmbäre. Åm it e je fösta gaangon et a hitta ti hison siidon så väit et att ja...
Finlandssvenska – mitt första främmande, men också mitt modersmål
Det här är första gången jag bloggar på svenska – den ”Europeiska flerspråkiga bloggningsdagen” till ära. Mitt tema för denna vecka är ”Varför jag är tacksam för min flerspråkighet” – den engelska listan på orsaker att vara tacksam kan du hitta här. Vad menar jag med...
Suomi – äitini kieli, isänmaani ensimmäinen kieli, toinen äidinkieleni
Kirjoitan yleensä blogini englanniksi – Englannissa kun olen asunut jo 15 vuotta ja koska kirjoitan parhaillaan kirjaa täkäläisellä kielellä – mutta koska tänään on ”Eurooppalainen monikielinen bloggauspäivä” kirjoitan ensimmäistä kertaa suomeksi. Tämän viikon teemana...
“Und warum gibt es keine halben Löcher – ?“
Gewöhnlicherweise schreibe ich mein Blog auf English, aber heute, an dem „Europäischen Tag für mehrsprachiges Bloggen“ (meine Übersetzung) werde ich sowohl auf Deutsch, Finnisch, Schwedisch und meinen finnlandschwedischen Dialekt schreiben. Diese Woche ist das Thema...
20 reasons why I am thankful for my bilingual life and family
When you have always been bilingual, like I have, you quite often take it for granted and forget how important an aspect it is in your life. So today I want to shout from the rooftops (or tweet from the top of a tree) the first 20 reasons for being thankful for all...
Minority language parent – well done for bringing up a bilingual child!
Today, as on the 6th of November every year, the “Finland Swedish Heritage Day” is celebrated in my home country. On this day all things to do with the Swedish-speaking part of Finland is brought to attention and appreciated. I am one of the Finns who state Swedish as...
Creating your own traditions is important for the multicultural family
We’re in that part of the year when people all over the world are celebrating lots of different traditions: Halloween, Diwali, Eid and Dia de los Muertos to mention a few. Of course I have to include my favourite since moving to England: Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes...
“What’s the point of speaking your language, Mum?”
What to do when your young son questions why he should keep speaking your language? How to respond when he says he is never going to need it? These are questions that are not only hard to answer, but difficult to hear. Take a deep breath and don't get upset. Your...
“Should I correct the mistakes my bilingual son makes?”
Whether or not to correct your child’s mistakes is a question all parents with children growing up learning more than one language have asked themselves at some point. I think the answer can be both Yes and No – not a very helpful answer you may say, so let me explain...