Toddlers have their own language and like every language, there are specific rules. Parents just have to figure it out and all that frustration caused by miscommunication, gone. The trick is figuring it out, that’s the hard part. In order to make my life easier, I’ve spent hours studying the patterns of Tru’s language and I’ve mastered about 80% of his vocabulary.
TRUGLISH 101
Some are pretty basic and can be easily inferred using normal English.
eat [eet] verb,
1. to stuff into mouth and swallow for nourishment enjoyment (only used when object is anything else besides his meals)
2. to stick out his tongue and make a face before swallowing for nourishment (only used when object is his meal)
3. to grab and mush with his hands before smearing all over his baby chair.
youtube [yoo-tyoob] noun,
1. Jason Mraz’s I’m yours (live performance at EBS Studio Korea)
2. Choo choo soul’s ABC Gospel
3. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (mix of toodles, opening theme and hot dog)
eh or ello [eh-loh] interjection, noun,
1. Used to express greeting when placing a telephone, remote control, ipod or any other metal device to his ear.
2. A sharp protest to scare birds away from the kitchen.
3. An exclamation before doing something he is forbidden to do.
ug [uhg] verb, (it’s a silent H thing)
1. to clasp tightly with the arms, especially with affection
2. to press against his chest and suffocate (in reference to little sister and tiny animals)
no no [no-no] adverb, adjective, noun,
1. YES (when used my momma)
2. NO (when used by Truett)
Some took a while for me to figure out because it was just too bizarre. However, they are used with surprising consistency.
baca [ba-ka] noun, verb,
1. to cover an object with another object (verb)
2. milk bottle cover (noun)
cat [kat] noun,
1. small, domesticated feline animal that meows.
2. any small animal with fur and four legs, including those that bark, yelp, shriek and growl.
pena [pern-na], noun,
1. to open and make a doorway accessible.
2. to remove cover from his bottle/box
The only problem with this endeavor is that it usually is an exercise in futility because the rules are completely arbitrary and can be changed according to his every whim and fancy. But when you get it right, it’s strangely satisfying because he looks at me like I actually *get* him.
Plus, I can now add a third language to my list of skills.
