Baby’s First Mashup
My son turns two next month. He speaks English and Irish, but at this stage he doesn’t fully separate the two. This is normal development for a bilingual child. Right now he’s busy acquiring new words in both languages – plenty of time to sort them out later!
It can have some interesting results, like using English words with Irish constructions. Or sometimes mashing words from two languages together to produce something quite new.
Podcast #97 on An tImeall includes a description of his latest bilingual mashup. The Irish word “abhainn” (river) and the English word “flowing” become “flabhainn” (“flouwing” might be a suitable English spelling).
This podcast also includes Bernie‘s Schoolworks Transition Year students, and sets the date for Imeall #100. It will be on the eve of Patrick’s Day, Mar 16th. If you’d like to record a message for the show, these are the options available.
- Phone (America): (201) 984-3419 (voicemail)
- Phone (Ireland): (087) 57408056 (voicemail)
- Skype: imeallach
- Record MP3 and mail it to imeall@gmail.com.
- Deadline 15th March.
Also, I interview the Irish Language Officer of Clare County Council on the launch of Seachtain an Gaeilge, and did you know that Irish Language video podcasting is well underway in New York? It’s all in Imeall #97!
Explore posts in the same categories: irish, irishblogs, language, podcast, podchraoladh
Conn's Old Wordpress.com blog 
March 9, 2006 at 8:24 am
When my wife and I were at Oideas Gael in 2002, one Gaelscoil teacher mentioned hering the use of rish constructions with English words, “lovim” (“love” + “im”) when they want to say that they really like something was the one example that stuck with me. Raising our daughter bilingually was quite an experience, too, but she’s come out OK, or at least as well as you could expect for a 14 year old.
I’ve always told people that the only drawback to having a bilingual child is that they don’t understand the meaning of the word “no” in either of them. 😉
March 9, 2006 at 7:36 pm
My little Mr. (18 mos.) is learning both Irish & English, but since he’s not yet making sentences, we haven’t thus far encountered any mashups.
He’ll have to be bilingual, as his favourite word (no) isn’t available in Irish.
😉
March 9, 2006 at 8:16 pm
You and Conn with your toddlers make me feel old. My wife wants one more, and I tell her she has to wait for the mo’opuna (Hawaiian for grandchildren), though I hope we have many more years for them to show up. 😉
March 9, 2006 at 9:33 pm
You look good for an old fella, Keola.
I was nearly 40 when I finally married, and now that we’ve started a family, I’ll be raising wee’uns well into my 60s. I hope my back holds out.