english-norwegian

[Leo's mum is doing fine :o)]

I am from new zealand and my boyfriend is norwegian, i am at home with my son who is 15months and my boyfriend is at work most of the time.

 

But the thing is...I know that its best for our son, that i speak english and my boyfriend speaks norwegian to him, we have gotten it confirmed my the jordmor and everyone says that its best.

 

If i start speaking norwegian to him, he will get confused and he could learn norwegian wrong :/ ...but my boyfriend because he isn't around our son as much as me, is all worried that he wont learn norwegian, and he says that he wants me to speak norwegian, its irritating trying to explain to him over and over again, and he makes me feel bad for speaking english :/

 

we talked even to the jordmor together and she told him that its best that i spoke english to our son.

 

I dont know really what to do to make him understand :/ its not fair for him to make me feel bad for speaking my language to leo :/

 

 

[Anonym bruker]

I take it you live in Norway?

If you're son goes to kindergarden, now or later, he wil learn Norwegian anyway. I think it's really important that you speak you're language to him.

My husband is English and we both work so there is not one person that see her more than the other. I was at home for a year offcourse the first year. But because she is in kindergarden most of her words are Norwegian, but there is no doubt that she understands everything my husband says to her.

I think it's unfair of you're husband to tell you off for speaking you're own laguage. He should take some more time out to speak to his child if thats the case!

Good luck and be strong ;0)

[Kanskje snart? *igang igjen *]

If you live in Norway, I would stick to speaking English, as I assume the kid will play and talk to Norwegian friends etc??

[2trollunger]

We went through the same thing! We live in Australia, and our daughter went through a stage where she spoke more Norwegian than English, just because I stayed at home with her everyday. I told my boyfriend to stop worrying, if we wre in Norway it would have been different, then he would have been the only one to talk to her in English! (Then I would have understood the worry)

 

Now she's just as good in both languages. She's almost three, and talking heaps!

It's a big job, though, teaching her a language on my own! I've made sure we've got plenty of Norwegian DVD's and CD's so she gets some more input.

 

Good luck! Don't give up the English!!

[starfire]

Tell your boyfriend to do some research on it himself, if he doesn't believe you nor anyone else.

Stick to your guns about learning your son YOUR native tongue, he'll benefit from that later. Doesn't your boyfriend want his kid to be able to speak to his English-speaking family?

 

Like someone else pointed out, if you live in Norway, your boyfriend doesn't need to worry... everybody around the kid is speaking Norwegian except from you.

 

Good luck!

[Leo's mum is doing fine :o)]

im definatly going to speak english to him ) I am pretty stubborn when i want to be, especially when i know when things are right! he would have big problems if i started to speak my dodgy norwegian to him lol, I just hope that he will see in time that its best, this is our first child so he is very easily worried about things like that, I know that his heart is in the right place, its just a pity his mouth isn't lol.

Ill tell him next time he says anything, that if he finds some proof that he would benifit more from me speaking norwegian then ill do it, if otherwise he can just shut up )

[Leo's mum is doing fine :o)]

ps thanks for your comments ) its good to hear other peoples views sometimes.

The thing is, that i am the only english speaking person he has, i have hardly any contact with my family, they are all far away, so then its extra special that i work hard with the english, he should understand that it would be sad when my children dont understand my native language, they will understand norwegian, no problem! we have no plans to move in the near future thats for sure.

[Kanskje snart? *igang igjen *]

If you are the only one speaking English to him, then even more reason to keep on speaking it...!!! Maybe even read him stories in English then..I assume you live in Norway??

[Leo's mum is doing fine :o)]

yeah i live in norway do you know where i can get english story books in norway?

[Kanskje snart? *igang igjen *]

Can you not get them in the English Section in various bookstores?? Ask them, surely they must have kiddes ones as well???

[Anonym bruker]

Leo's mum, I absolutely and 100% support you in this!! I am, to be honest, shocked that your boyfriend is so against you speaking English to your child!! The child lives in Norway, he will end up being fluent in Norwegian anyway, I really don't know what he is worried about! It sounds like he has some sort of control issue here (just be reading what you wrote). I would not want to be with someone who prevents my child from learning my native language (I have 2!) in addition to Norwegian. My boyfriend supports me 100% in (trying) to teach our children 3 languages, even though it isn't easy. He's not worried about their Norwegian, he's worried about the other two languages not being developed enough. I mean, if your child lives in Norway, there is no reason to worry about his Norwegian. If I were you I would put my foot down here, and tell him like it is!! Good luck!!

[Little Miss Naughty]

Another tip - You can also order English books from Amazon.co.uk. No tax on books. They cost less even with the shiping costs. Usually you will have the books within a week.

[starfire]

Check the library for English storybooks.

Or order them online, www.amazon.co.uk have great prices, arrives fast and the shipping expenses aren't bad at all.

Amazon has both books and DVD's. Probably cheaper than in the Norwegian stores too.

 

I ordered a book from amazon.co.uk before Christmas, and it came to about 150kr, including shipping. (hardcover)

 

Good luck!

 

Oh, if the library doesn't have the book you want, you can ask them to check if they can order it from another library that does.

[Anonym bruker]

It has nothing to say for the child if you speak english to him. I work in a kindergarden, and we deal with this every day. It's actually good for him, because it will be easier for him to learn a third language.

 

But why is your boyfriend so negative? He understands english, doesen't he?

 

Your son will probably sometimes say english/norwegian words instead of norwegian/english, but it won't hurt him at all!

 

 

 

[m den lille]

The big book shops usually have children's books in English, they even have a really nice one with norwegian fairytales translated to English (in the serie "barnas store..."). I want to get this to my husband, who is the English speaking in the family.

 

Oh, and continue speaking your native tongue!