1. Sand! It’s so... sandy!
2. Ah ah, we don’t put hair balls in our mouth. That’s yucky (this one is repeated daily)
3. Where’s your belly? Where’s your ear? Where’s your elbow? Where’s your...? [LOOP]
4. Ah ah, we don’t lick or suck on grocery carts. We just don’t.
5. We can go get another free sample, just don’t tell anyone. Look cute.
6. Did you go poop?
7. We need to be gentle with Spot, yes, nice, yes, NICE!! NICE!!
8. Here, let me get those boogs. Let mommy at ‘em.
9. What sound does a sheep make? What sound does a donkey make? What sound does a cow make? What sound does a … make? [LOOP]
So, admittedly, I have always been an out-loud inner monologue type, guilty almost every day of talking to myself at the computer (and I share an office). Talking to a little who can’t quite yet chat back is not hard for me, but I do wonder occasionally what the world hears from me. I often wish I were wittier, more creative, and more profound, but I also wish I were smarter, less exhausted, and better resourced.
So, the net result are axioms describing how “sandy” sand is, how “wet” water is, and abbreviating two-syllable words (see #8) and adding extra syllables when the sing-songy muppet that has taken parasitic residence in my brain think would make the words have better mouthfeel. So we reach for wipeys to get rid of boogs. Let me remind you that I’m the primary person teaching this Little language. As other parents perhaps contemplate their bi or tri-lingual home, Mandarin immersion programs for the not-so-distant future, I am literally leading G down new linguistic path, familiar to those who speak English, but a new dialect entirely. Oh well, at least she’ll be able to converse with her Mama.
What might we hear you all oversaying to your little (human or non-human)?
