“Mama and Papa, I speak 3 languages: English, Swahili, and pretend English.” We about peed ourselves laughing as this is the truest statement about Miss A’s repertoire of language skills. Anni does in fact switch between real Kiswahili spoken with our friends and neighbors, our brand of American English spoken at home with our family, and a sorta “pretend English” reserved for Tanzanian friends that know some English but requires her to say things like “Lusi, yes? you hear me to talk? I go to play zarre (there).” She is tri-lingual I’d say.
That is the cutest!