"What Did He Say?"

My grandchildren visited again this past weekend, and yes I am too tired to even write this column. It is amazing how much energy it takes to entertain a two year old and a four year old. Energy that those of us over fifty don't seem to have as much of lately.

But one thing I did learn this weekend was that my granddaughter Genna, the four year old, has a career ahead of her as a translator for the United Nations. I learned this when she was translating what her two year old brother Walker said.

Walker can talk, and a lot of what he says I can understand. It is just that sometimes he gets his words mashed up together. Plus he sometimes talks with a pacifier in his mouth and that adds to the confusion. For example during his visit he looked up at me and said, "Eeeh banta aeher." 

Well I didn't have a clue. I asked him to say it again. Still nothing. Then I asked him to say it with the pacifier out of his mouth, and it still sounded the same. Finally I asked Genna what he had said. With a sigh of exasperation aimed in my direction she said, "What do you want, Walker?"

He answered, "Eeeh banta aeher." To this she said, "He wants a cracker." "Right," said Walker clear as day. I got him a cracker.

Later Walker made another statement that I didn't understand. After a few tries I again consulted with his sister, the translator. This time after she had him say it, she turned to me and said, "He's speaking French." Sacre bleu, I didn't know we had a linguist in the family.

"What does it mean?" I asked, and she responded, "He wants some apple juice." "Right," said Walker.

Now I could not speak plainly until I was six or seven. I was what we called back then tongue-tied. So how did I communicate? Easy, my brother translated for me. He was the only one who could understand me. My mother and father certainly couldn't.

I can remember saying things and just automatically turning to my brother for him to tell everyone what I had said. Now why he could understand me and no one else could I don't know. Maybe it is just a sibling thing.

Today when I say something people don't understand it isn't because they don't understand the words, it is that they do not understand the intent behind the words. For this reason I have signed Genna up to go anywhere I go and be my translator. If she can translate for a two year old she can certainly translate for me.

 

 

 

 

 

©2004 Jackie K. Cooper

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