<p>This has been going on for a long time, but I see a lot of kids who aren't fluent in their "native language" anymore (or never was). What're your thoughts on this? Do you speak a second language at home? If so, are you getting better or actually forgetting more as you grow up? I was watching something recently, and these young adults were trying to have a conversation, but it just became a mix of their native language and English words when they didn't know how to translate. I admit it was sad, but I also know it's not always their fault. Sometimes parents don't emphasis learning/speaking the language, etc (not that I'm trying to point fingers, but sometimes older folks will get angry at these kids). Whose responsibility is it?</p>
<p>I used to speak Ibo, but it slipped away as I got older. Now I can barely speak it, but can fluently understand it.</p>
<p>And yes, my parents NEVER emphasized it. My grandma did for some time.</p>
<p>Growing up, my grandparents who lived with with use emphasized how important our culture was, but when they moved away, that push left us. Thus, the push to learn kind of left us. However, my (older) brother and I can still hold a conversation in our native language, but he can speak speak better than I could because he spoke only Korean growing up (whereas I spoke Korean to the adults and English to him, whom I often was around). My little brother can barely speak it, but he can understand it pretty well.</p>
<p>Although it IS a shame, I don't think it's all that horrible. As long as we never forget our roots and still have a grasp on them, we can still don the hyphenated ethnicity (Mexican-American, Chinese-American, etc.) that gives America it's melting pot zing (which I think is a major factor in making us so great).</p>
<p>I've always thought that immigrant parents believed primarily speaking english at home would be more beneficial to the child but in reality they are underestimating the child's natural ability to absorb the languages they grow up around and in turn the child is only monolingual.</p>
<p>I try to gain more and more literacy by reading in my other language but it's most definitely hard when there are so many new terms to learn that are present in everyday media in that tongue that have never been exposed to myself. It has become even more adverse as of recently because I find that I have less time to devote and no real motivation to keep a constant pace in studying it.</p>
<p>Well, I use to travel a lot when I was younger and can understand somebody speaking in French and Spanish, but I myself can't speak the languages well. I pick up on them fast and plan to live abroad and learn both fluently. I see this as being the only real way. I can travel and learn new words and start to make sentences and all kinds of things, but after I get back it's almost practically gone. I believe a constant everyday practice is a must for absorbing a language. While I can still read them, I can't speak them well. German is similar too. I don't know I have a nack for languages and I guess I can absorb them fast if I want to.</p>
<p>Then again we're still even learning our native tounge of English. Thinking about this message I am typing how many new words did I really use? I can tell you most of them will be "I, and, did, but, after, to, want, of".. Do you see what I mean?</p>
<p>I don't know.. keep in mind I'm not fluent or saying I am, but for some reason I just can learn them really quick.</p>