Decoding the multilingual kid.

“Tata meeru anta ghan ghan chikhsaru. Translating to, Grandpa, you have messed it all up," my three-year-old said, and my father looked at me perplexed. "What is ghan ghan?”

Having a Maharashtrian father and an Andhrite mother, Blend of the two languages was a daily norm for her. By the age of 2 or so she was very effortlessly switching between the two languages and translating phrases to the two sets of grand-parents. And I was a proud mama.

The next adventure in her linguistic journey came with introduction of hindi and english through school and youtube videos. And now her own little mind picks up words from the different baskets of language and makes up sentences, which we are left to decifer.

“But Amma, it happened apoaply( marathi for automatically)” “ Amma, yeh thoda uchalegi kya( mom please pick it up). Mujhe na, books rakhna hai.” “Yeh mera avadta aushad nahi hai. Mujhe dusra wala paije. ( It’s not my favourite medicine, get me a different one).

I often get down to correct her. At times I just let it be, and enjoy the symphony of words created.

Now she is 5, and for some reason the school thought to have fun and  introduce French and German in the curriculum. And I am getting me Translation skills on.

Any tips for the times ahead?

Ta-da for now.

Mounika