07 May 2006
language bugs
Older internationally adopted kids usually seem to pick up the language almost overnight. And after about a year, anyone who doesn't live with them would describe them as totally fluent.
This means that the parent of such a child has to spend a lot of time explaining and re-explaining the research on language acquisition in general and subtractive bilingualism in particular to teachers and other school officials.
It also means that some of the fun of the toddler years of a biological child hangs around for much longer with an adopted child.
F'rinstance.
Two (home ten years and still a picky eater): "I hate beans."
Mama: "It's not possible to hate beans."
Two: "Yes, it is! My taste bugs hate 'em."
This means that the parent of such a child has to spend a lot of time explaining and re-explaining the research on language acquisition in general and subtractive bilingualism in particular to teachers and other school officials.
It also means that some of the fun of the toddler years of a biological child hangs around for much longer with an adopted child.
F'rinstance.
Two (home ten years and still a picky eater): "I hate beans."
Mama: "It's not possible to hate beans."
Two: "Yes, it is! My taste bugs hate 'em."
how to tell when it's getting close to bedtime, the sequel
Six: "You big dumbhead!"
Five: "You big big loserhead!!"
Six: "I don't like you!!!"
Five: "Mom called me a Angel this morning!!!!!"
Six: "No fair!!!!!!!!!"
Five: "You big big loserhead!!"
Six: "I don't like you!!!"
Five: "Mom called me a Angel this morning!!!!!"
Six: "No fair!!!!!!!!!"
movie reviewing
Four has a friend over. They are discussing movies. In the course of the conversation, they discover that the friend's family also owns both the original King Kong and the recent Jackson version.
Many differences, minor and major, are thoroughly canvassed in this high level discussion.
As it turns out, Four has the final word:
"In the old one, the girl is always scared."
Munching their corn dogs meditatively, they mull this over, like a couple small old men contemplating the glories of a now ancient World Series game.
I am trying to be inconspicuous, self-satisfiedly planning to report this precocious bit of film criticism to you all here, to the family email list, to anybody who can't escape my button-holing enthusiasm in time. This is a high order analysis of the structure of gender and gender stereotypes in the American cinema. Ah, the wisdom, the perceptiveness, the ability to synthesize and analyze.......!
Then Four puts his corn dog stick up his nose, the friend dabs some catsup on his upper lip to simulate a nosebleed, and they cackle themselves into hiccups.
Many differences, minor and major, are thoroughly canvassed in this high level discussion.
As it turns out, Four has the final word:
"In the old one, the girl is always scared."
Munching their corn dogs meditatively, they mull this over, like a couple small old men contemplating the glories of a now ancient World Series game.
I am trying to be inconspicuous, self-satisfiedly planning to report this precocious bit of film criticism to you all here, to the family email list, to anybody who can't escape my button-holing enthusiasm in time. This is a high order analysis of the structure of gender and gender stereotypes in the American cinema. Ah, the wisdom, the perceptiveness, the ability to synthesize and analyze.......!
Then Four puts his corn dog stick up his nose, the friend dabs some catsup on his upper lip to simulate a nosebleed, and they cackle themselves into hiccups.
