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Conversation recently about flu shots:
Oct. 26th, 2014 03:56 amEva: But *why* do we have to get our flu shots?
Me: The flu can be very dangerous for asthmatics and older people, so they need to get flu shots. People close to them should get the flu shot too, just in case it doesn't work on the asthmatic or older person.
Eva: How can the flu be dangerous???
Me: Well, people die every year from the flu, or, more often, from pneumonia.
Eva: But you don't get pee-nomia from the flu!
Me: Well, yes, you *do* get pneumonia from it. Pneumonia affects your breathing -
Eva: And because people with asthma have trouble breathing, pee-nomia is really hard for them!
Me: Right. Eva, you clearly know what word I mean, so let's say it correctly. New. Moan. Ya.
Eva: I know, I know, pneumonia.
Me: Right. With pn, the p is silent.
How does she do it? She really does have trouble spelling, so how does she correctly identify the spelling of an unintuitive word like pneumonia and then use a spelling pronunciation after hearing the correct one? (Does that sentence make sense?) I mean to say, she has trouble going from speech to spelling, so how does she so easily go from spelling to speech? And then why didn't she say the word correctly?
Me: The flu can be very dangerous for asthmatics and older people, so they need to get flu shots. People close to them should get the flu shot too, just in case it doesn't work on the asthmatic or older person.
Eva: How can the flu be dangerous???
Me: Well, people die every year from the flu, or, more often, from pneumonia.
Eva: But you don't get pee-nomia from the flu!
Me: Well, yes, you *do* get pneumonia from it. Pneumonia affects your breathing -
Eva: And because people with asthma have trouble breathing, pee-nomia is really hard for them!
Me: Right. Eva, you clearly know what word I mean, so let's say it correctly. New. Moan. Ya.
Eva: I know, I know, pneumonia.
Me: Right. With pn, the p is silent.
How does she do it? She really does have trouble spelling, so how does she correctly identify the spelling of an unintuitive word like pneumonia and then use a spelling pronunciation after hearing the correct one? (Does that sentence make sense?) I mean to say, she has trouble going from speech to spelling, so how does she so easily go from spelling to speech? And then why didn't she say the word correctly?
