ABSTRACT
If children are to acquire two languages they need to hear enough of both languages spoken directly to them (i.e. sitting a child in front of a television programme in the target language will not generally be enough). But if children are regularly spoken to by non-native speakers of the language they will probably pick up features of their speech. Some parents are concerned about speaking their non-native language in front of the children (even if not speaking directly to the children) lest the children pick up non-native characteristics from the parent’s speech. In the case of the minority language parent speaking the majority language, there is probably no need to worry. Most children hear so many native speakers of the majority language that they will probably not use any erroneous pronunciations, words or grammar that they pick up from their minority language parent. Even if a small child copies a parent’s foreign accent in the majority language, this will generally be replaced by a local accent as the child’s social circle grows.
