I only know when my sons have picked up new words when they pronounce them wrongly. That means they have never heard someone say them. If they have picked up the pronounciation correctly then the only way I know is if I 'know' I have never heard them use the word before.
The other problem comes when they use a new word when I am not right there to hear it!! Then I won't ever know. It will never be documented on my weekly HE book of pride (only good things go in there) and worse, the LA will never know.
But the new words are picked up, learnt and used whether I observe the process or not. What is a home ed mum to do????? What is an LA inspector to do???????
Chuckle happily to ourselves about the mysterious and wonderful ways of growing up.
These word things creep up on you, don't they? I never get to document new words or phrases because almost as soon as they are used they become a blended part of the kids' vocabulary, seamless.
ReplyDeleteAs for me, I'm always slightly embarassed when I've read a word many times, but have no idea how to pronounce it...there's always the fear that it will come out of my mouth and everyone will look at me as if I've come off another planet. Hmm...words are just plain weird.
I remember the time I said "Prowst" not "Proust" in front of one of my grandmothers. She looked at me with such shock!!!, she should perhaps have gone red and said "oops, I clearly haven't discussed French Writers of the Early 20th Century quite often enough in your hearing" :)
ReplyDeleteI still have a thing about the words awry and scion and can't read them out loud confidently. Luckily I only read out loud to my children and they are used to me saying ooh this is one of those horrible words I don't know how to pronounce.