Here are some new vocabulary words and expressions Tristan has learned in the last couple of weeks along with sentences that show their proper usage:
delicate
No, Tristan, don't hit the butterfly with the sword. It's delicate.
butterbug
Mommy. Butterbug. Dekkit. (Mom, the butterfly is delicate.)
ladder up
Tristan: waddah up! Mommy: No, I'm not putting the ladder up so you can jump into the pool and sink like rock.
river cross
Wivah cwoss! (Mom, drive across the river with your car!)
fine then
Mom: If you don't get this underwear on right now you're going to have some trouble on your hands. Tristan: Fine then!
talk about it
After many unsuccessful attempts to get Tristan to say what he wanted for dinner he said, "talk about it." I said, "You want to talk about it now?" He said, "NOOOO!" So, "talk about it" sometimes also means "I don't want to talk about it."
mean
When Tristan doesn't get his way he accuses everyone of being "mean".
told you
Now whenever Tristan or Julius gets a stern talking-to, Tristan says, "told you! told you!" I have no idea where that comes from or what it means. Does it mean "I warned you not to do that?" Does it mean "I knew that was coming?" Hmm.
And finally...
shut up
[screamed at his brother after I left them alone in the car for 20 seconds while I ran back into the house to get my wallet]
The conversation goes as follows:
Tristan: [yelling] shutup! shutup! shutup!
Me: [just entering the car] Did he just say 'shut up'??
Tristan: shutup!
Julius: Yes.
Me: Where did he learn that suddenly?
Julius: Well... I told him to shut up.
Tristan: shutup!
Julius: It was a really big mistake. BIG mistake.
Me: Yeah, I'll say.
Tristan: shutup! shutup!
Me: Hey, Tristan, don't say shut up.
Tristan: shutup!
Me: Okay, try this... say "quiet please". That's more polite.
Tristan: quiet!
Me: Quiet, PLEASE.
Tristan: quiet! shutup!
Me: TRISTAN!!!
Tristan: quiet! pweas!
Me: Good job, let's all try to be polite. [leaning over to Julius, speaking sotto voce] Let's stop talking about it so he doesn't say --
Tristan: shutup!
Me: -- yeah, THAT.
Julius: Oh, great. Now he'll never stop saying shut up.
Tristan: shutup!
Me: He will if you stop saying... "YOU KNOW". Tristan, do you need some trouble?
Tristan (softly): quiet. pweas.
Me: Thank you.
Our version of 'mean' is 'nicht fair'.
ReplyDeleteYou, well--Tristan, make me giggle! I'm loving it!
ReplyDeleteMr. M is swimming in the backyard with a little girl from down the street. Somehow "anatomy" came up; the consensus was it means nabbing a bank. Where do they come up with this stuff?
ReplyDeleteAww. cute and funny.
ReplyDeleteI remember when my nephew was about 2 years old my sister suddenly had to start watching her mouth because he was cursing - appropriately. Like he knew exactly when these words should be used. Ice-cream fell on the floor? "Aw, ****"
Oh, that brings back memories! LOL!
ReplyDeleteI didn't use any bad language at all when the boys were young. I don't have a particular problem with good earthy Anglo Saxon (when appropriate and in the right company) but I thought they should learn to use basic language and a little control over their behaviour first.
The problem comes from other people, usually. The things you hear on the streets these days ... and it can't be avoided. But still, both of my boys have grown up using language well and without either the swearwords OR bad grammar, which pleases me quite a lot, and they're in their twenties now.
So stick with it. Family values usually win out. :)
honeypiehorse: I think the real trick no matter what language is the contempt one has in the voice when one says it. Somehow at 6 my oldest has learned that one really well since starting school and has the obnoxious disdain of a teenager already. Tristan's a quick learner, unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteMrs. E: Thanks. :) I'm not sure what I'll do once Tristan stops being funny. I'll have to stop blogging or perhaps actually leave the house! Oh my.
Lawyer Mom: I gave that situation some thought and am still completely unenlightened. But that's really one of the coolest thing about kids, IMO.
Soda: We've been really lucky so far with the profanity. We rarely use it our house. Julius yelled at me the other day because I said "crap". He's the profanity nazi at our house.
Jay: I always thought it was lazy to have excessive profanity. Good vocabulary can be used quite effectively, although I had a professor once that had such "fancy" vocabulary I couldn't understand most of what he said. I know someone who uses the the "f" word like an adjective that she attaches to just about every noun she speaks.
Yay! Tristan language posts are my favorites! My boys yell "shut up" at each other (notwithstanding my prohibition of the phrase) and I charge them 25 cents per infraction...
ReplyDeleteI know shut up is not far behind at our house. right now it is mainly, "he's not being very nice" and "Maaaaaaooooooooomm! He hit me!"
ReplyDeleteLol! Too funny! Gotta love what kids get taught. Mine were saying stupid all the time, but well they learned it from me, when I would mutter stupid pacifier, etc. etc. I am trying to do good now
ReplyDeleteLOL...Love it! As I have grandbabies in this 'phase' I can sooo relate (again)...LOVE your blog and will be following!
ReplyDeleteBe blessed!
Debbie
http://todayisyourtomorrow.blogspot.com/
I found this hilarious! I remember my little sister and "STUPID!" - it drove my parents insane! I'm following your blog for sure :)
ReplyDeleteThis is hilarious. We have a one year old just starting to talk. I can't wait for phrases like Tristan's.
ReplyDeletehahaha that was totally hilarious! I don't have children yet but hopefully they'll be this awesome when i do!
ReplyDeleteMt daughter (now nearly 20) used to raise one dinky finger and say most sincerely (usually when being requested to something she wasn't keen on) ..."im a mimit".....
ReplyDeleteIt did make me wonder how many times I had used that line to her myself..."You can in a minute....I will do in a minute.....Just wait a minute"
If only I could have those minutes back with that sweet little soul now LOL!
Thanks for vocabulary..
ReplyDeletevery intresting :)
I've got a nephew, little over a year old... and I think we're in for something like this very soon too :) Loved the post... cheers
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love this! I'm from the south and I watch a young boy who talks exactly like this. Your observations are hysterical!
ReplyDeleteGood one there.
ReplyDeletehttp://ngcareers.com
I'm still laughing. this kind of conversation happens all the time between my kidos. I loved reading it from another prospective. My daughters crazy word is "Kerfec" for perfect. thanks for the laugh
ReplyDelete