Word by word

 

HG is working hard on building up her vocabulary, mostly consisting to date of words starting with b, d and m - though the uninitiated might have a hard time distinguishing between them. She also says a variety of animal sounds.

While she mostly communicates one word at a time, she has started to try short two word phrases in her own argot.

Ima being a bird buff, she has learnt the names of some of the most common birds which visit the balcony. Most names are too hard for her, but lately when she sees Spectacled Bulbuls perching on the railings and flower pots she often says - bubu bir - bulbul bird.

She has also started identifying some of her books by name, or rather by the words she associates with them. For example "Goodnight Moon" is "MMMMHHH Ba", while "Mr Brown Can Moo" is simply "Moooo" or "MMMOOO Ba".

Today she was sitting in the middle of the living room and she looked across the room vaguely asking for "da", usually "that", the word she uses when she wants something. It also means "todah" (thank you) which she often says in advance to mean "I want". Abba thought she might be looking towards her music ball, but HG pushed it away when he brought it. She didn't want the other ball either. Nor another toy, and just kept saying "da, da" insistantly and vaguely gesticulating towards one part of the room.

The bookshelves with her books upon them were not in her field of vision, blocked by the armchair, but Abba guessed that might be what she was indicating, but how to know which book?

Then HG, becoming exasperated gave an anxious "DA, DA!!!", before suddenly calming down, and making her throaty purr/growl, her noise/word for cat. Then she smiled and tried again "Da ghhhhrrr ba" - she wanted her book with the kittens in it! Triumphantly Abba handed her the kitten book, HG beamed, eyes shining and handed it to him with a huge grin, indicating that he should read it to her. She is starting to really get the hang of this communication thing.