Is it normal that i am mixed but do not speak my parents' languages?

80% Normal
4 Comments

I am 24 and was raised in the U.S. My mom speaks Tagalog and my dad speaks Arabic. They both speak English. I have a brother who is much smarter than me, but only speaks English as well. So to me it seemed natural that I didn't catch on and learn how to speak three languages fluently. There was no consistency in my house.

I guess this makes me seem less intelligent or stupid to be ethnic like I am but not speak my parents' languages. Sometimes I think I should have taken the extra effort to speak at least one of those languages fluently. I hate when I meet new people or whatever and they seem to point out that I only speak English. "Oh, so that is your ethnicity but you don't speak the language?" And blah blah blah. But I often tell people I am just Lebanese, because I think it is too much to say I'm a weird mixture. I don't look like either of them. I look Hispanic.

Anyway, I just wanted to know if it is normal that I am not bi or trilingual, given my background. Honestly, I don't know how strange or normal this is. I don't know what it is like for others who are mixed with foreign parents. I tried to google this but did not find what I was looking for.

Voting Results
80% Normal
Based on 55 votes (44 yes)
Help us keep this site organized and clean. Thanks!
[ Report Post ]
Comments ( 4 )
  • [Old Memory]
    11 years ago

    Im first generation American, both of my parents are European and speak multiple languages. I do speak some of the languages they do, some of them are ridiculously hard for me like swedish and german. Its not weird that you dont but you should take advantage of the opportunity to.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
    1
    1
  • PapzBSlim
    11 years ago

    I am Haitian and Spaniard and only know Creole and English fluently. I wish that my family would have continued to speak French in the house so that I could pick up on that but my father is the one who continued speaking Creole to me only. I know a lot of Spanish but not fluent enough to go to school and get good marks with. I am just grateful that I speak English and Creole 100% and Spanish around 50%. I will for sure make sure my children learn Creole 100% to keep my culture alive.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
    0
    0
  • Skartreuse
    11 years ago

    I'm the same, except I understand what they say. I just don't speak it because A) I don't know a lot of vocab and I don't know proper grammar rules of Tagalog. B) I sound silly because I don't have the accent and my parents laugh at me.

    It's really normal though. I know a bunch of mixed people that don't speak or understand their parents' native language.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
    0
    0
  • AntiqueRose
    11 years ago

    you're parents are two different races so they probably wouldnt speak it cause your dad wouldnt understand ur mom, and vise versa. so i guess they just thought it would be easierto speak english so everyone could communicate. :)

    Comment Hidden ( show )
    0
    0