Some Languages

Edith lifts her hands to her face as if to count the number of fingers on each hand. I notice that she is able to turn her eyes right in to focus on the object a few centimetres from her face.  Instead of counting she gargles some dental fricatives. Not any recognisable consonant. It’s her ‘ I’m busy working’ language.

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I’m just back home and Edith is always happy to see me. But she doesn’t like sitting in her high chair much. It’s too much of a bucket seat, and who likes bucket seats, right? She likes to sit upright at the moment, alert and able to look around. So to voice disapproval she lets out an almighty aaaaiiiieeeeeaeaeaeae, her tongue folding itself through the sounds. This is longer, more complex than the usual monophthong cries. This is dissatisfaction language.

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And then at other times I try a conversation.  She will squeak and I’ll squeak back… but nothing. I can try words or sounds but she just listens to me.  She’s not going to interrupt herself thinking. She does not need to sound out her thinking.