Exploration

One of the many things that has always fascinated me about language is how fluid it is. It runs fluidly from the lips and hands of its native speakers and signers; it is acquired fluidly as the baby's coos turn to babbles to words, and as the baby's perspective changes from horizontal to vertical; it changes fluidly from one region to the next, from one time to another; language is the sacred fluid - the life-blood so to speak - of what sets us humans apart from the rest of Earth's creatures. Language allows for one to flow more serenely within the foreign walls of another's culture or time; it gives voice to the fluid mercurial emotions that pepper our days, our minds; language runs like so much water through the woven histories of our species, repelling or uniting our ancestors along the often pride-filled lines of language identity. Without language, there would be no poetry, no algorithms, no fairy tales or creation myths.

I was thinking about fluidity earlier today as I was watching Del try on half a dozen new handshapes and wondering how I have managed to already miss so much of her language development despite my close attention and interest. It can't be helped. . .it's because language changes so fast and there are no starts and pauses. . .it just goes and it does not stop. Since my last post it has become clear to Daddy F and I that Del is signing several things consistently, and that we (her slow parents) are likely just catching onto something she's been doing for a couple weeks now. Since we are so accustomed to certain linguistic handshapes and signs, we unconsiously attend to familiar signs that she creates more than the "made up" ones. But those made up ones are Del's way of signing right now, and if she's signing something with intent then it's a sign.

So far we think she's telling us she needs to be changed (by signing an approximation of "inept" as seen in the beginning of the video), that she wants "more," that she would like some "milk," and that she is "all done." We're keeping a careful eye on those signs that we believe she has assigned meaning to in order to figure out for sure what she's trying to tell us. What is for sure is that Del has discovered language and the power of her voice and her hands, and there is no turning back. She is destined to have a lot to say if her constant chatter has anything to say about it!

My favorite part of this video is when Del snatches the spoon away from me fast as can be and then holds it out of my reach and signs what looks like one mighty sassy "all done." I'm sure it's all coincidence but it's still funny to think she's already one-upping me!

I'm fascinated with watching Del play with some of the parameters of sign: palm orientation, handshape, location. I wonder when children who are acquiring a signed language start using only signs that are native to that language, such as a child learning a spoken language will eventually stop making sounds that are not in that native language.


I hope you all have a very happy and satisfying Thanksgiving. I'm thankful today for my healthy loving family. What are you thankful for?