Evangeline is just a burst of language development right now

[conuly]

Four isn't as exciting as two for that, but it has its moments. From today:

Dog: BARKBARKBARK!
Me: *jumps* Oh! You scared me! *laughs*
Evangeline: Did you think that was ME?
Me: No, I... the dog. I said "you scared me" to the dog, and he DID scare me!
Evangeline: Dogs don't talk like people do. They don't say "Hi, how are you, I'm fine, this is my house" like that.
Me: That's right.
Evangeline: And they don't eat the same foods people do. And they don't... they don't drink from cups. *laughs* Drinking from cups! That's cwazy. That's peopleness, that's not dogness! People drink from cups, and people don't drink like *slurpslurp* on the ground and get water all over on them. That's dogness.

minutes later....

Evangeline: Did that used to have water in it? *pointing to a big water bottle that's on the back steps*
Me: Yup, but it's empty now, leave it alone.
Evangeline: But what's it doing now?
Me: Just sitting there.
Evangeline: No, I mean, for what reason?

For what reason? She's four! Where did she pick that one up?

Comments

[leora.livejournal.com]

Just a guess, but... from people like you?

[conuly]

I can only imagine...! Or maybe at school.

[wednes.livejournal.com]

*applause*

That was delightful.
Thanks for the share!

*snerk* dogness...
Classic.

[conuly]

I know!

[elenbarathi.livejournal.com]

Quite likely she picked it up from you yourself. You're one of her primary models for high-level adult speech, and she doesn't just hear you talking to her; she also hears you talking to other adults.

[conuly]

she doesn't just hear you talking to her; she also hears you talking to other adults.

Well, when there's other adults nearby, anyway. And I'm not reading. (I maintain that reading to myself while the kids are around is NOT ignoring them, it's Setting a Good Example.)