June 11, 2005

Language at 15 Months

Dorothy seems to have begun an explosion of language development over the last few weeks, and we wanted to record her state of progress now, before we forget. She can communicate via sign language, as well as some spoken language (and sometimes both at the same time). And the amount of spoken words she can understand is sometimes staggering. Here's a list, probably incomplete, of what she knows now:

Signs:

  • more (sometimes she means "want"), milk, food, water, all done

  • sleep, shoes

  • car, want, daddy, bird

  • cheese, banana, cookie

  • wheels? (we never showed her, but it was clear she was indicating wheels on a car when she did the sign)

  • Not sure if it's a sign, but she can flap her wings to indicate "chicken"

Words:

  • mommy, daddy, hi

  • uh-oh (recently transformed into "uh-oo")

  • baby

  • ball ("bah"), more ("moah" - just like in Boston!)

  • book ("buh-k")

  • cat (she pronounces it "eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" and occasionally "kih-eee")

  • knee, bottle, bubble (these two are clear in context)

Said once or twice: water, pretty?, basketball ("baa-baa"), sock, nose, Raggy (for Raggedy Ann)

She can reliably nod her head "yes" and "no."

Some of the words she understands (there are a ton!):

  • body parts: ears, nose, mouth, toes, knee, foot, belly button, head?

  • food: "food," banana, strawberry, cookie, milk, dinner, lunch, breakfast, snack, sausage, water, yogurt, chicken, cheese

  • cat, bird, out/outside, ceiling, steps/stairs, chair, seat, book, climb, slide, lap, sit, stand, bath, sink (her toy bath sink), mirror, Raggedy Ann, kiss, hug, "I'm gonna get you!"

In general, she seems to understand the general meaning of many sentences we say to her, such as suggesting that she go get a book and bring it back to us. She also understands when we ask her to put something away (not that she always does it....). And she can understand and obey when we ask her to stand up or sit down when she's getting a bath.

Posted by Tom Nugent at June 11, 2005 09:16 PM
Comments

I believe I heard her say Ahma (Grandma) on the phone today :)

Posted by: ChrisN at June 12, 2005 10:17 AM

We forgot that she also says "puppy" frequently.

Posted by: Tom Nugent at June 12, 2005 09:13 PM

I'm surprised she hasn't learned "ARRRRGGHH" after hangin around her daddy.

Posted by: Tom at June 13, 2005 11:39 AM

Actually, she has. She'll sometimes go around growling "arrrh" and "wrrowf" and "ggwaaahhhh." She's our own little monster. :)

Posted by: Tom Nugent at June 13, 2005 12:59 PM

Oh, another one that she understands that I forgot about - "shimmy". If you say it while there's music playing, she shakes her booty. :)

Posted by: Elizabeth at June 15, 2005 09:45 AM
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