3.1 Use of each language depending of the childs environment

Environment trilingualism

Trilingualism is not common because the three languages (or cultures) cannot be equal as in bilinguals. It is exist the risk for one of the languages to become “passive”. (Barron-Hauwaert, Trilingualism: A Study of Children Growing Up with Three Languages, 2003)

There are some ways the child becomes trilingual:

·         Lives in a trilingual or multilingual community.

·         Each one of the child’s parents speak a different language and they live on a third language country.

·         Parents speak two different languages but use another language as a “communication language” in the family.

·         The children already are bilinguals and develop the third language in the school or for other causes. (Barron-Hauwaert, 2003, pág. 131)

Most of this kids did not choose to be bilingual; they just had to go forward their respective circumstances. But, the fact of being exposed to different languages does not guarantee trilingualism or multilingualism. They may comprehend some things, but they are not completely fluent in all languages unless it is required for social communication, school, or tourism. (Barron-Hauwaert, 2003, pág. 131) Trilingual kids had specific domains or people to link to using each language correspondently. The vocabulary they receive and develop can depend on the environment it is used and the knowledge of some words can depend on the lack of input and opportunity for use due to the situations. (Barron-Hauwaert, 2003, pág. 132)

About the culture, most parent want to teach their children their native traditions, because they feel it is necessary to introduce some cultural knowledge to sound authentic. Most families are involving two cultures (parental) and the country culture. (Barron-Hauwaert, 2003, pág. 144)