Language Mash Up

Summary

The article recounts humorous anecdotes of a toddler's mispronunciations and the creative names she gave to people and objects around her.

Abstract

The author shares personal stories about the amusing ways her toddler mispronounced words, influenced by a mix of languages and family interactions. The child's version of words like "bugger" instead of a German nursery rhyme's "Bakker," her aunt's name becoming "Amba Pamba," and "mook" for milk, reflect the playful and often surprising development of language in young children. The article highlights the endearing and sometimes embarrassing moments that arise from a child's interpretation of adult speech, and invites readers to share their own experiences with "mangled language."

Opinions

The author initially suspected that her daughter learned the word "bugger" from an external source, expressing mild concern about the influence of others on her child's language.
There is a sense of amusement and fondness in the way the author recalls her daughter's mispronunciations, such as "Amba Pamba" for "Aunt Pamela" and "Emly" for "Emily."
The author finds the toddler's language mash-up both a puzzle to solve and a source of joy, as seen with terms like "bebeyes" for bedtime and "eep" for sleep.
The process of dealing with childhood mispronunciations is depicted as a bonding experience, particularly in the case of the grandfather being affectionately renamed "Pukka."
The author expresses frustration with the less charming aspects of childhood language, specifically when dealing with "beasties" (head lice).
There is an open invitation for readers to engage with the content by sharing their own stories of children's language blunders, suggesting a community-building intent behind the article.

Our toddler speak

After reading Susan Wheelock’s funny story about how her children said what they thought they had heard, I felt I must share some from when mine were small.

‘Bugger’ I was shocked at my thirteen month old saying this. She had been at my parent’s while I worked part time. I called my mother and asked if they had taken her out, or if a plumber etc had been at their place. No, and so I explained. Of course, my mother was put out at the suggestion that the word was learnt while with her. Within a few days the puzzle was solved. I used to sing to my daughter in German. One nursery rhyme went “Bakker bakker kuchen…” My daughter joined in with bugger bugger. Mystery solved. Eventually, as she said it often with my Dad, he became Pukka. He stayed Pukka to this day.

‘Amba Pamba’. My sister Pam was always called Pamela by my parents. My daughter could not manage Aunty Pamela, so Amba Pamba stuck.

When my daughter was weaned, she loved her morning cup of milk and especially her evening cup. We had to spell out milk in order not to over excite her. But to her, it was mook.

Her first friend was named Emily. But she was Emly to my toddler.

Bedtime somehow became bebeyes, and sleep remained ‘eep’ for quite a while. She would feel ‘nuggly’ in her bed.

At bath time she would enjoy a good ‘pash’ — splash.

Later at school when she got infected with nits, they were ‘beasties’. Ugh. Every time I dreaded the combing and use of chemicals to get rid of them.

The computer was the ‘debuter’ for quite a while.

If you have mangled language you’d like to share, please do.

Here is Susan’s story:

HUMOR/FAMILY

Language Mash Up

Our toddler speak