Klaudia grew up in Romania speaking German, Hungarian and Romanian. She moved to Germany when she was six. Her German-speaking father decided that Hungarian, her mother’s language, should no longer be spoken in the home. He also banned Romanian because it symbolized Socialist oppression. Klaudia never spoke Hungarian or Romanian again and has since lost mastery of these two languages.
Q: Your father just decided that Hungarian was out?
A: My father did not want me to stick out in any way. But he did not think about the legacy, the language, and he forgot about the family members who remained in Romania - that it would be good to be able to continue to communicate with them.
Q: How did your mother feel about this?
A: She did what he wanted, but she felt awful about it.
Q: How do you feel about your lost languages today?
A: It makes me really sad. It’s a topic that never fails to make me angry. But at the same time, that’s why I think I should really try and reactivate my Hungarian.
Q: When you’re staying with family in Romania these days, how do you communicate?
A: The younger generations don’t necessarily speak three languages anymore. I can’t communicate with them directly. My parents usually interpret for me, so I can never really have a one-on-one with anyone. I can follow discussions in Romanian and even say a few words, but my Hungarian is gone completely. But I love listening to Hungarian – it’s the sound of my childhood.
Q: Your father just decided that Hungarian was out?
A: My father did not want me to stick out in any way. But he did not think about the legacy, the language, and he forgot about the family members who remained in Romania - that it would be good to be able to continue to communicate with them.
Q: How did your mother feel about this?
A: She did what he wanted, but she felt awful about it.
Q: How do you feel about your lost languages today?
A: It makes me really sad. It’s a topic that never fails to make me angry. But at the same time, that’s why I think I should really try and reactivate my Hungarian.
Q: When you’re staying with family in Romania these days, how do you communicate?
A: The younger generations don’t necessarily speak three languages anymore. I can’t communicate with them directly. My parents usually interpret for me, so I can never really have a one-on-one with anyone. I can follow discussions in Romanian and even say a few words, but my Hungarian is gone completely. But I love listening to Hungarian – it’s the sound of my childhood.
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