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Re: Calpurnia Tate
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From: Maia Cheli-Colando <maia_at_littlefolktales.org>
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:07:30 -0800
Melody et al,
I also am not responding directly to Calpurnia Tate, which I have not yet read, but to the idea that complex language requires an education, or that verbal capacity and spelling necessarily correlate. Remember that consistent spelling is a relatively new invention! Also, my own children absorbed and reproduced the qualities and patterns of our adult speech long before they were writing anything; I assume this is fairly common.
My guess is that children reflect the language(s) they substantially hear. So a homeschooled child, or an unschooled child if we are talking earlier American history, is more likely to sound as their adults do/did than a child who has been largely reared in an environment with a higher child:adult ratio, e.g. preschool and primary school. I would guess that any child who spends a great deal of time talking with their parents, whether or not they school, is likely to absorb adult speech patterns earlier. (Anecdotally again, this got me into a fair bit of trouble in school, as my parents rarely "down talked" and my mother spent considerable time explaining law theories and practice to me as she was learning it herself!)
We learn speech and thought patterns from those with whom we spend our time: with our parents and extended family; friends and neighbors; classmates and teachers; and quite relevantly these days, from movies, mp3s, tv, and even still -- gasp! -- books. :)
Both of my children often talk like a book.... and sometimes I am quick enough to catch which one. :)
Cheers, Maia
Melody Allen wrote: I also found it odd that a first person narrative with such complex language came from a girl with an education that was shown to be lacking. Considering her own vocabulary, I found it hard to accept that she could not spell mutant and other words. The snow did make a pretty ending and a symbol for her hopes for her life being realized.
-- Maia Cheli-Colando Arcata, Humboldt Bay, California -- blogging at http://www.littlefolktales.org/wordpress -- -- or drop in on Facebook! --
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Received on Fri 29 Jan 2010 09:07:30 PM CST
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:07:30 -0800
Melody et al,
I also am not responding directly to Calpurnia Tate, which I have not yet read, but to the idea that complex language requires an education, or that verbal capacity and spelling necessarily correlate. Remember that consistent spelling is a relatively new invention! Also, my own children absorbed and reproduced the qualities and patterns of our adult speech long before they were writing anything; I assume this is fairly common.
My guess is that children reflect the language(s) they substantially hear. So a homeschooled child, or an unschooled child if we are talking earlier American history, is more likely to sound as their adults do/did than a child who has been largely reared in an environment with a higher child:adult ratio, e.g. preschool and primary school. I would guess that any child who spends a great deal of time talking with their parents, whether or not they school, is likely to absorb adult speech patterns earlier. (Anecdotally again, this got me into a fair bit of trouble in school, as my parents rarely "down talked" and my mother spent considerable time explaining law theories and practice to me as she was learning it herself!)
We learn speech and thought patterns from those with whom we spend our time: with our parents and extended family; friends and neighbors; classmates and teachers; and quite relevantly these days, from movies, mp3s, tv, and even still -- gasp! -- books. :)
Both of my children often talk like a book.... and sometimes I am quick enough to catch which one. :)
Cheers, Maia
Melody Allen wrote: I also found it odd that a first person narrative with such complex language came from a girl with an education that was shown to be lacking. Considering her own vocabulary, I found it hard to accept that she could not spell mutant and other words. The snow did make a pretty ending and a symbol for her hopes for her life being realized.
-- Maia Cheli-Colando Arcata, Humboldt Bay, California -- blogging at http://www.littlefolktales.org/wordpress -- -- or drop in on Facebook! --
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Received on Fri 29 Jan 2010 09:07:30 PM CST
