If your family is bilingual, immersing your baby in both cultures and languages from the start is a beautiful gift! However, it’s common to worry about how to do so, as there are a few misconceptions that can add unnecessary worry. Below, we’ll dispel these myths.
Myth 1: Introducing multiple languages confuses babies
One common misconception is that exposing infants to multiple languages from birth will confuse them. In reality, babies have a remarkable capacity and sensitivity for language learning. Research has shown that bilingual babies can distinguish between languages from a very young age.
But what if they mix words from both languages (also called “code mixing”)?
One common behavior misunderstood is code-mixing, where they blend words from two languages. This is normal! Bilingual children do this for two main reasons:
It's prevalent in their communities, mirroring adults around them.
Like monolingual toddlers, bilingual children may have a limited vocabulary, so they creatively borrow from both languages when needed.
This doesn’t mean they are confused; it means they are resourceful!
Myth 2: Bilingual babies will have speech delays or smaller vocabularies
Babies raised in bilingual environments typically follow a similar developmental trajectory to monolingual peers, achieving language milestones within the expected timeframe. Still, a fear of being delayed or having a smaller vocabulary is a widespread worry parents hold. This worry creeps in when parents feel like their bilingual children have a smaller vocabulary compared to monolingual peers, but this comparison fails to consider the bilingual child’s "conceptual vocabulary" across both languages.
For example, a bilingual toddler who knows 50 words in Spanish and 50 in English may seem to have fewer words than a monolingual friend who knows 90 words in English. However, accounting for overlap, they are both on par!
Just as some monolingual children experience language delays or disorders, a similar proportion of bilingual children may also encounter such challenges. The presence of language difficulties in one bilingual child does not indicate that bilingualism is the cause.
Myth 3: It's better to wait until later to introduce a second language
Early exposure to multiple languages offers numerous cognitive and linguistic advantages. You can wait, but there’s no need to wait since early immersion does not lead to delays or confusion, as debunked above.
Babies are highly receptive to language learning during the first years of life, and exposure to diverse linguistic inputs stimulates brain development, laying a strong foundation for future language proficiency. You can embrace bilingualism from birth – and rest assured there’s good reason to do so!