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Re:Forgetting My First Language by glandium on Friday September 03, 2021 @10:49PM (#28411662)
What I've found is that if you don't actively speak your native language and your day to day language is different enough from your native language sound-wise, you lose the ability to voice some sequences of syllables smoothly, because your mouth and tongue are not used to it anymore.
Re:Forgetting My First Language by e-master on Friday September 03, 2021 @11:47PM (#28411909)
Indeed. I should have emphasized above my second point better (instead of the proud parent digression I wrote) - my son is the only one I speak Hungarian with every day (and vice versa). I’m certain that without this I would’ve lost a very big part of my Hungarian language skills over the past 6+ years.
Re:Forgetting My First Language by marton78 on Saturday September 04, 2021 @03:26AM (#28412889)
I'm in a similar situation. Living in Germany with a German wife, German neighbors, German speaking friends, my children are the only people I regularly speak Hungarian to. My 6yo daughter speaks well enough when she's around her grandparents for a few days, but with my 3yo son the situation is different: he was born into a family with a German speaking sister, so he barely speaks Hungarian.

The fact that I'm the father, who works more and spends less time with the kids than my wife doesn't help either. I guess it's called mother tongue for a reason.

I have found music to be the key, they absolutely love for example the Sebő Együttes, which is indeed absolutely fabulous music. Their favourite is this: https://youtu.be/H8SY89dSDa8

Re:Forgetting My First Language by cycomanic on Saturday September 04, 2021 @01:14AM (#28412250)
I only speak German with my children (living in Sweden) and one thing I encountered is that if I don't pay attention I automatically start speaking in German to all children. It has gotten me some weird looks from some of my kids friends over time. Do you notice the same thing?
Re:Forgetting My First Language by em-bee on Saturday September 04, 2021 @06:18AM (#28413748)
yes, i ran into that, especially when my own kids are around