3V0910.2

3V0910.02 Possessive pronouns: non-standard forms [he lives in he’s house.] (7/20-24/80) Peggy was reading that Britanica book which begins with a picture of several animals and asks where they live. There are pictured on one page a horse, dog, spider, turtle, and others (?) and on the facing page a barn, pond, dog house, and …

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3V0910.1

3V0910.01 Color names again — properly typed but idiosyncratically applied (7/20/80) It’s absolutely clear that Peggy knows a number of color names and knows that they apply to some quality of an object. To me, it appears as though she uses color names correctly, in re. parts of speech, etc. but that she has not …

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3V0896.1

3V0896.01 Letters as symbols for people’s names (7/6/80) In session P127 and P128, Peggy revealed the congeniality of her conceiving of and remembering letter names as associated with members of our family. Today she sat on the floor and help up a ‘P’. “That’s me, right?” she asked and later “That Robby?” (for a ‘B’). …

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3V0893.1

3V0893.01 Excuses: [No. I’m keeping my ears warm.] (7/3/80) Miriam returned from Boston with a hat I bought her, like the one I bought Robby the week before. The hats are too large for the children unless adjusted to their minimum size. While Peggy ran around with her head submerged in Miriam’s hat (which Robby …

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3V0888.1

3V0880.01 Reading” two words: [That say ‘no’. (in No more tangles)] (6/28/80 and earlier) Miriam reported to me two incidents occurring during my five days in Boston. First, she tricked Peggy. Pointing to the word “No” on the container of “No More Tangles,” Miriam asked if she could read it. Peggy said, “No.” Miriam congratulated …

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3V0882.3

3V0882.03 Reading as VERY specific knowledge: The Calculus Affair (6/22/80) Peggy climbed into a chair with the Tintin book unopened. Pointing to the title on the cover she asked “What’s that name, way up there?” “Calculus,” I answered. Pointing a little lower, she asked, “What’s that name?” My answer was “affair” and finally “The” when …

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3V0882.1

3V0882.01 More on “crack” and “bang”: [It DOES say ‘crack’] (6/21/80) Peggy sits across the room from me, reading “The Calculus Affair.” A few moments ago she read at the end of the book, “I love him and that one. I love Snowy and Captain Hack-uck.” (pointing at the pictures) I agreed Snowy was a …

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3V0880.3

3V0880.03 “Crack” and “bang”: correction by Miriam; that say “Peggy Lawler” Peggy clambered in Gretchen’s lap with “The Calculus Affair.” She read some words to Gretchen, That say ‘crack’; that say ‘crack’; that say ‘BANG’!” How did she ever learn that (“Bang”) ? Miriam explained that while Gretchen and I were off at Guilford Lake’s …

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3V0880.2

3V0880.02 Reading a word/image: lighting & thunder from Tintin Last night, after dinner, Peggy asked to sit in my lap, “Daddy, I sit you.” First we read a Tintin cartoon book that was close at hand (The Calculus Affair). We went over the first few pages identifying the characters (Snowy, Tintin, Captain Hack-uck). I identified …

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3V0880.1

3V0880.01 Using “shame on you” (cf. notes of 6/16) (6/20/80) Last night at supper, Peggy clambered into Robby’s chair while he was in the kitchen. He returned, touched her on the head from behind the chair and asked what she was doing in his chair. Peggy pushed away his hand saying, “Shame on you.” Miriam …

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3V0876.2

3V0876.02 Roots of reading: recapitulation of Benj. Bunny Peggy just said, “Bunny slid [/sit?] down in the road and went to Mister Gregor’s house.” Peggy was, of course, looking at Benjamin Bunny, pp. 10-11. The text is as follows: “as soon as they had passed (The McGregors), little Benjamin Bunny slid down into the road, …

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3V0876.1

3V0876.01 More role articulation: (toilet training) (6/26/80) Peggy has been much engaged with toilet training (mainly from social pressure plus a little direct instruction). For example, when I called home from Boston last week, she was so proud of herself she explained having taken off her coat and dress and that she had pissed in …

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3V0873.1

3V0873.01 Funny verbs: [I be a small-ey] (6/13/80) Playing on my bed in the morning, we began to talk about being big and small. At one point, she asserted, “I be a small-ey.” This is a weak example of her usage, to further examples of which we will try to be more sensitive.

3V0864.1

3V0864.01 More on aspect: peculiar verbs (6/4/80) /In the note of 5/23/80, I remarked on Peggy’s use of “did” to specify what is probably aspect. Another example occurred today where Peggy on Miriam’s being away from home [sic]. I believe I asked her where Miriam was. She responded (and I remember this precisely, “Mimi’s gone. …

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3V0862.2

3V0862.02 Beginning reading: reading from Puppies book (6/2/80) reconstructed from a journal entry of 6/2/80 ) When Peggy offered to read to me (“Daddy, I read you”), I joined her on the floor. Her specific reconstruction of three pages via pictures were these: TERRIERS: “Once a morning, puppy want a dig a hole (this reflects …

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3V0862.1

3V0862.01 Roots of reading (6/2/80) Peggy has started reading to us. It began last night when I came to bed and found Peggy reading a Tintin book to herself. She offered to read to me, open[ed] to the first page and began: “once a morning, a ship (was) in the water…” then closed the book …

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3V0856.1

3V0856.01 Anticipating trouble; the unusual is forbidden (5/27/80) Miriam and Peggy were outside. Miriam wanted to go down to the beach without her sister, so she told Peggy that “Mommy wants to speak to you. Peggy headed inside remarking, “Am I in trouble?” Peggy was pestering me mildly as I sat at the table, so …

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3V0852.2

3V0852.02 More imitation: (Bob with cast on leg, using Rob’s boot) (5/23/80) Peggy was playing with one of Miriam’s old cowboy boots. She put it on one foot and stumped around remarking, “I have cow boot. I have a cast on my leg.” [bob had broken his foot on Good Friday, and has had a …

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3V0852.1

3V0852.01 Verbal aspect: self correction I do -> I did (5/23/80) Peggy has been to the beach with Gretchen. Returning from Boston, I heard of Peggy falling down in the water and began to talk about it with her: Bob: You fell ? Peggy: I fall in water. Bob: You do ? Peggy: (correcting me!): …

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3V0851.2

3V0851.02 Lonely discovery: another micro-script {This little piggy…] (5/22/80) Upon awakening late this morning, I could hear Peggy through the partition separating our rooms, talking to herself. She said, “This little piggy…wee wee home.” We have recited this game for Peggy for some while (and Gretchen did so when Putting Peggy to bed last night). …

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3V0851.1

3V0851.01 Inappropriate color names: red and blue are green also (5/22/80) Peggy is sensitive to color as an important descriptor. She interprets color names as such and uses them in her speech — but the application is all wrong. Her favorite color term is green — she applies it generally (and with no obvious uneasiness) …

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3V0846.2

3V0846.02 Directed speech: Peggy in multiple roles and reading (5/17/80) Peggy found the other day a toy candy dispenser with a rabbit head on top. Today she sat on the floor, playing with it and reading the Britannica ‘Thinking’ book. She asked the rabbit: Peggy: Wanta read it to me rabbit ? Rabbit: That’s a …

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3V0846.1

3V0846.01 Third person for intense emphasis: commands to Scurry (5/17/80) Peggy played with Scurry, trying to get her to SIT (a command which Scurry will obey when she chooses). With the dog on a leash, Peggy pulled her around for a while and in the course said “sit.” Scurry did not obey. Intensifying her command, …

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3V0841.1

3V0841.01 Causation: {Scurry did it. She bumped my head.} Under her overlong bangs, I noticed a bruise on Peggy’s forehead and asked what had happened to her. She replied, “This? (pointing to bruise). Scurry did it. She bumped my head.” (This is not a quotation but records the sense of what she said.

3V0840.1

3V0840.01 Using “then”: example of suitable temporal conjunction (5/11/80) This is a lost example. I can no longer recall precisely what Peggy said, but the import remains to me. She connected two sentences together with “then” explaining to me some earlier action of hers. It was a clear case of suitable temporal conjunction — a …

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3V0839.2

3V0839.02 L” missing (5/10/80) Peggy played with her magnetic letters and plastic tray. After inserting in all their holes the letters available, she pointed to the space for “L” and said “L missing.”

3V0839.1

3V0839.01 Assimilation example: dragon/’snake’ (5/10/80) Miriam brought home from the library a recording of “The Hobbit.” Pictured on the cover is the dragon, ‘Smaug’ (as Tolkein notes, a “low gothic joke.,” the past participle of “smugen” to extrude from or through a hole). No one, I believe, has even mentioned dragons to Peggy and no …

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3V0836.1

3V0836.01 Imitation of role: (bob in chair, chasing away kids) (5/7/80) Peggy was sitting in Bob’s big recliner, reading. When Miriam came along, Peggy said to her, “Go away, Mimi… I trying to work.” At about the same period or slightly later, she chased Robby out of that same chair, telling him to leave because …

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3V0833.1

3V0833.01 “Meaning”: asking about unknown references (5/4/80) Peggy has begun to inquire about what some incomprehensible utterance means. At supper this evening, we were discussing my next trip to Boston (Peggy is beginning to claim she should come along.) When, among familiar words, I mentioned going to “Logo”, Peggy immediately asked, “What meaning ‘Logo’?” Gretchen …

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3V0832.1

3V0832.01 Peggy’s Typer: (5/3/80) Peggy asked today (with no prompting at all) that I get out her “Typer.” This is merely a further indication of her letter-interest.

3V0831.1

3V0831.01 Names as unique identifiers: Rob is a person; she is a toddler, not a person. (5/2/80) Peggy has two toys, a dog and a cat, which were once containers of bubble bath. The blue cat she refers to as “kitty.” The pink poodle she formerly referred to as a dog. Recently I told her …

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3V0830.1

3V0830.01 Limit to script competence: ( fabricated date: 5/1/80) After Miriam’s “Timber” knock knock, Peggy began “knock-knock.” Miriam responded, “Who’s there?” Peggy appeared a little distressed for a moment, then responded, “Mimi said.” and smiled.

3V0829.1

3V0829.01 Counting; conventional now to six (4/30/80) Robby and I discussed Peggy’s counting and he informs me she counts now beyond four, to six, quite conventionally. He has waked and heard her counting in her crib “one, two, three, four, five, six, nine, ten” This is further evidence of the influence of hide and seek.

3V0827.1

3V0827.01 Reading: naming and describing (4/28/80) When Peggy reads pictures, she primarily identifies, i.e. names the characters. Thus in Richard Scary’s books, she might exclaim, “There’s lowly worm.” Encountering some rarer figure, she asks “Who’s that?” Beyond naming, Peggy has begun to go on to interpretation of the pictures, describing what the character is doing.

3V0825.1

3V0825.01 Words and pictures: [Peggy read pictures. Daddy read words.] (4/26/80) Peggy has taken a fancy to an old issue of National Geographic (she looks through it for the “ladies”). she brings it over to my chair, climbs in my lap, and asks (expects, commands) to be read to. Sometimes I ask her to read, …

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3V0824.2

3V0824.02 Hide and seek (4/25/80) Miriam and Peggy play “hide and seek” — and Peggy’s imitation is prominent. The place she picks to hide is always where Miriam hid immediately before. Counting has resurfaced as an issue in this context. Peggy hides her head and counts (1, 2, 3, 4…) then runs to find Miriam. …

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3V0824.1

3V0824.01 The joke’s on us: [that’s What !] (4/25/80) Upstairs, Peggy called repeatedly: “Mommy…Mommy…Mommy.” A bit annoyed, I called back, “What? What? What?” Peggy instantly replied, “That’s What!”