My own Great Grandmother came to America from Austria about a decade before WWI. She was the only one of her family to make it across the ocean. Unfortunately her brother perished in a Concentration camp in Austria during WWII. Her son, however, entered the U. S. Navy during the war, where he met my grandmother who was a secretary at the Naval base he was stationed at. Their son, my uncle, would later join the army and be stationed at the Burlin wall. We did not find out about our Jewish background or her brother's death until my grandmother passed last year at the ripe old age of 98. Her mother in law lived to be 100. Ironically I am neither learning German nor Yiddish, but instead I am learning Japanese. Go figure,💁♀️. I have always been curious about what being multi lingual was like for you. Thank you for sharing your story. Like you I still can't talk about my hobbies in another language just yet.
I was born in Southeast Tennessee, close to the Georgia line. I have moved away a few times but always return. I am currently living in the house my father bought in the 1940’s. I raise 3 sheep, chickens, rabbits, dogs and cats. It’s my comfort place!!!!
My bilingualism is arguably the most interesting thing about me. It wasn’t always welcome in family and friendship circles but now in later life it’s a wonderful resource for all kinds of creativity that makes every day joyful. I enjoyed your article. 👏🏼
My Dutch parents moved to Luxembourg, a trilingual country, where I was born. So by the age of seven I spoke 4 languages (Dutch, Luxembourgish, French and German) by the age of 12 I spoke 5 (adding English) and later added a 6th (Italian). I can understand a 7th (Spanish) and would love to learn Portuguese.
I count in Luxembourgish, I dream in a mix of them all, I root for Dutch football, my heart always has a little place in Paris, my soul yearns to live in Portugal.
Life with many languages is a mix bag. None of it is perfect. But it opens so many doors!!!
What a gorgeous, fascinating reflection of where you come from. 'I ache to speak the language that flutters like birdsong in my heart, but isn't fully mine.' ❤️ How fascinating that you should end up getting a Masters in something that was considered unsafe not that many years before.
I'm bilingual too - Swedish is my mother tongue. Finnish is part of my everyday life because it's easier for my Finnish husband to communicate in his language. I learned Finnish from my friends before I went to school. The town I grew up in is bilingual. It makes my world bigger and so very interesting - two languages, two cultures that mix and blend and surprise every day. I read, write and speak in three languages (English being my third). I can also understand written German, Danish, and Norwegian.
Thank you for sharing your 'Between' with us. I too speak a smattering of different languages and it is strange how a word from one language will suddenly raise itself when speaking my first language. It seems to happen most when there are heart felt moments such as in my garden or hugging a child. You write so beautifully. I am very excited about your book you are working on. Thank you for following your dream and sharing your journey with us.
Lovely post, Josefin, and speaks to one of my passions, apart from fibers! I was born and raised in California speaking English only, but always thought it quite wonderful that my father's parents were both from Sweden. They met and married in the US, but raised their sons speaking English only, as was the way a century ago. I used to beg my farmor to teach me some Swedish, but I only learned to count and say a few silly things. For some reason one evening when she was baby sitting she taught me to say "Du snarkar, men yag snarkar inte!" After I could say it, she told me what it meant! .... I've enjoyed learning languages, had some Spanish and French in high school and college, but didn't get much real world use. Then I got to learn Kiswahili when I trained for Peace Corps teaching in Kenya. It was so life changing that when I returned, instead of teaching biology as I had planned, I taught English to speakers of other languages, and got to know our growing community of Southeast Asian refugees as well as Mexican immigrants. I'm retired now, spinning, weaving and gardening, but I treasure those times and friendships.
My own Great Grandmother came to America from Austria about a decade before WWI. She was the only one of her family to make it across the ocean. Unfortunately her brother perished in a Concentration camp in Austria during WWII. Her son, however, entered the U. S. Navy during the war, where he met my grandmother who was a secretary at the Naval base he was stationed at. Their son, my uncle, would later join the army and be stationed at the Burlin wall. We did not find out about our Jewish background or her brother's death until my grandmother passed last year at the ripe old age of 98. Her mother in law lived to be 100. Ironically I am neither learning German nor Yiddish, but instead I am learning Japanese. Go figure,💁♀️. I have always been curious about what being multi lingual was like for you. Thank you for sharing your story. Like you I still can't talk about my hobbies in another language just yet.
What a story! Thank you for sharing.
I was born in Southeast Tennessee, close to the Georgia line. I have moved away a few times but always return. I am currently living in the house my father bought in the 1940’s. I raise 3 sheep, chickens, rabbits, dogs and cats. It’s my comfort place!!!!
Comfort, sounds like a lovely place!
My bilingualism is arguably the most interesting thing about me. It wasn’t always welcome in family and friendship circles but now in later life it’s a wonderful resource for all kinds of creativity that makes every day joyful. I enjoyed your article. 👏🏼
A resource indeed! 😃
My Dutch parents moved to Luxembourg, a trilingual country, where I was born. So by the age of seven I spoke 4 languages (Dutch, Luxembourgish, French and German) by the age of 12 I spoke 5 (adding English) and later added a 6th (Italian). I can understand a 7th (Spanish) and would love to learn Portuguese.
I count in Luxembourgish, I dream in a mix of them all, I root for Dutch football, my heart always has a little place in Paris, my soul yearns to live in Portugal.
Life with many languages is a mix bag. None of it is perfect. But it opens so many doors!!!
What a gift!
What a gorgeous, fascinating reflection of where you come from. 'I ache to speak the language that flutters like birdsong in my heart, but isn't fully mine.' ❤️ How fascinating that you should end up getting a Masters in something that was considered unsafe not that many years before.
Thank you Beth! 😃
Beautiful... my 'where did I come from' has always felt very mundane but I am inspired to look for the stories...there must be some.
They turn up when you least expect them! 😊
I'm bilingual too - Swedish is my mother tongue. Finnish is part of my everyday life because it's easier for my Finnish husband to communicate in his language. I learned Finnish from my friends before I went to school. The town I grew up in is bilingual. It makes my world bigger and so very interesting - two languages, two cultures that mix and blend and surprise every day. I read, write and speak in three languages (English being my third). I can also understand written German, Danish, and Norwegian.
A bigger world indeed!
Thank you for sharing your 'Between' with us. I too speak a smattering of different languages and it is strange how a word from one language will suddenly raise itself when speaking my first language. It seems to happen most when there are heart felt moments such as in my garden or hugging a child. You write so beautifully. I am very excited about your book you are working on. Thank you for following your dream and sharing your journey with us.
Thank you, and Yes! The language in the heart 🌸
Lovely post, Josefin, and speaks to one of my passions, apart from fibers! I was born and raised in California speaking English only, but always thought it quite wonderful that my father's parents were both from Sweden. They met and married in the US, but raised their sons speaking English only, as was the way a century ago. I used to beg my farmor to teach me some Swedish, but I only learned to count and say a few silly things. For some reason one evening when she was baby sitting she taught me to say "Du snarkar, men yag snarkar inte!" After I could say it, she told me what it meant! .... I've enjoyed learning languages, had some Spanish and French in high school and college, but didn't get much real world use. Then I got to learn Kiswahili when I trained for Peace Corps teaching in Kenya. It was so life changing that when I returned, instead of teaching biology as I had planned, I taught English to speakers of other languages, and got to know our growing community of Southeast Asian refugees as well as Mexican immigrants. I'm retired now, spinning, weaving and gardening, but I treasure those times and friendships.
What a lovely story, thank you for sharing! How those silly little words in Swedish can lead to new adventures 😊