If an Ibanag and a Cebuano will make babies, how will they be raised? Mag-ta-Tagalog ba, Ibanag o Cebuano? If you fall-in-love with a Cebuano-speaker, you live in Baguio, and you speak Ilokano and Cebuano, what will you do? Madali lang. Kung gusto mong matuto ang mga anak mo ng Cebuano, mag-Cebuano kayo sa bahay. Sa labas, matututo din yan ng Ilokano, English at Tagalog. Gaya ng sabi ng tatay ko, siguradong matututo ang mga bata ng lokal na wika, at pati Filipino at English sa paaralan. Rule of thumb: speak the minority language. Ibig sabihin, sa bayan ng tatay ko, Cebuano kami sa bahay dahil di namin matututunan 'to sa labas.
Okay, you say you don't care because your kids speak English anyway. Ang tanong: pumapayag ka bang kausapin siya ng ibang tao ng Tagalog o ng yaya niya gamit ang kanyang sariling wika? Hindi? Your choice. But I tell you, it's really okay to let others speak to your children in languages other than what they use with you. Though some have reported a slight delay in language development (further research needed here) among children exposed to a bilingual or multilingual household, these children will soon catch up and will be able to speak in more than one language too. Go to the Multilingual Children's Association website for more answers to questions you may have in mind.
