I'm no zoologist, but...

[mollyringle]

Check out the bottom half of this picture. I'm pretty sure, almost certain in fact, that that's not a California leaf-nosed bat.

That's from a free children's publication that shows up in our mail for some reason. Hope the kids reading it are smart enough to catch that little error.

Anyway, we are back from a week in California (didn't see any bats nor bears, though we did see a coyote, a raccoon, several deer, lots of birds, and many farm animals), and our misgivings about taking little Z on the plane were unfounded. He was a prince. He was pretty much a prince the entire trip, actually. Flirted and babbled and waved at people, let his grandparents walk him around, played very nicely with another couple babies his age. Whew. I'd love to take credit, but personality may just be inborn. ;)

His name, by the way, if you ask him, is "Doo-dah." Linguistically speaking, I think he may actually be trying to say "Zach." The Z sound, being a fricative, is trickier for young tongues than the D sound (a stop; stops like M, B, D, G come early and easier). So in trying to pronounce a Z he may kind of stutter a D instead--same place of articulation for both; the alveolar ridge behind the front teeth--and then proceed with the "a". Getting to the "K" sound at the end would be too complicated for now; he'll add that when he can handle more sounds in one syllable.

So, Dooda it is. This is how nicknames get started...

Comments

[ellyssian.livejournal.com]

It's actually a poster book, so the text describes what's on the other side of the pull out pages... =)

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

I figured the poster aspect had something to do with it; but still, it looks funny. :)

[ellyssian.livejournal.com]

Certainly does, particularly because they featured it in that open-book form.

Educational companies really need better editing - a company advertised - in several locations on a single flyer - that they were going to attend a conference in Worchester, MA to peddle their line of books...

...I wonder if Worchester is anywhere near Worcester? =)

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Heheh. My own favorite that comes to mind: I have a pair of LEI jeans, which spells out the acronym on the inner tag: "Life, Energy, Inteligence." Yes, "inteligence," with one L. :)

[ellyssian.livejournal.com]

So much for being a smarty pants! =)

[sopdetly.livejournal.com]

LOL, I was going to suggest that maybe the bat was on the flip side of the blurb, but someone beat me to it :D

And that's really interesting about linguistics and babytalk and all. My sister called me "Kuh-Kuh" before she could say my name properly. Also, if M and D come easier, maybe that's why we have Mom and Dad? Hmmm.

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Exactly--the word for "mother" is something like "mama" in nearly all languages, and that's got to be why. Language acquisition is a very cool sub-study of linguistics, and a very cute one too. :)

[dirae.livejournal.com]

Glad all of you had a peaceful trip!

So, Z. is a little flirt too? Colin plays that card often (especially among the pretty high school girls who circle around him when he visits the high school). Personality plus for both of our gorgeous boys. :)

Why, at nine months, has Colin stopped saying his "mah-mah" of months past, and now calls both Kev and me "dah-dah"? I know he's not supposed to know what these words really mean yet, but it's kind of amusing to see him stare at me, smile and blatantly call me "dah-dah" while clapping his hands. (He says the "m" sound at other times, just not directed at me)

[dirae.livejournal.com]

I almost forgot, Saturday was "Doo Dah Day" (an annual event for kids) in Winchester. You can tell Z. that he has a whole event named for him. :)

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Awesome. Yes, as you might imagine, this utterance has led to countless renditions of "Camptown Ladies" (or "Camptown Babies," as we tend to put it).

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Heh! Zach also has taken to calling everything "dadada", at least in certain moods. My theory--which isn't based on anything from technical linguistics; just human nature--is that they pick up a new sound, like it, and use it for everything for a while. As you say, most of the time they're probably not trying to communicate anything in particular by it. Still, sometimes the meaning does match up--once in a while it even seems intentional--and those are the golden moments for parents. :)

Ah yes, surrounded by high school girls, Colin will be at a definite advantage for flirtation as he grows up. Zach has shy spells, but sometimes busts out the giggling/waving/peekaboo stuff with strangers; such as on the plane.

[celticmommy.livejournal.com]

It must be a nine-month-old baby thing ... Morrigan is doing the same thing. Looks at me with this HUGE grin and says "DA DA". LOL

[modmerseygirl.livejournal.com]

That photo is....*bursts out laughing* Hilarious! :-)

Awww, glad you had a nice trip with Doo-dah. *grins*

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Thanks! :) Good to be home.