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 …
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!): …
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). …
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) …
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 …
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, …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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.
3V0831.01 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 …
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.
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!”
3V0822.01 Why did it?” (4/23/80) I changed a soggy diaper and dropped it into the diaper pail. Peggy said very seriously, “Why did it ? Why put diaper in there ?” Gretchen
3V0819.03 “I believe it” (4/20/80) Miriam noted Peggy’s comment about something she had said.
3V0819.01 Progressive Verbs (4/20/80) Peggy has used present participles as progressive verb forms in a descriptive mode (as on last page). In two incidents, the context makes clear her richer semantic framework served by those forms. Yesterday I sat on the front stoop. Peggy came up the path and before reaching the stairs said to …
3V0818.01 Directed speech (cf. 4/5) (4/19/80) Peggy inherited from Miriam a large number of small Fischer-Price “people” and toy animals. Today Peggy played with the toys in my hearing. Walking them down the piano, Peggy gave directions to the toys, as people — and language addressable creatures, about where to walk and what to say …
3V0817.01 No function words (4/18/80) Peggy and I walked down the drive way toward the house. She held her “Bear Hug” by its arm. Holding the bear at ground level and bouncing it, she said, “Bear walking me.” Playing inside with an ovoid on four wheels, painted as a lady-bug, Peggy remarked, “Playing Lady Bug.” …
3V0813.01 Why because! (4/14/80) Peggy has been driving us crazy with her “why?” queries (I am much more aware of this than I was with the two earlier children). Her use of the question is at least twofold (see also 4/12/80 entry), as conversation continuer and as argument. By continuer, I mean Peggy uses “why” …
3V0811.05 Multiple farewells (4/12/80) I was taking a bath and Peggy was in the room. She turned and went out, saying. “I’m going to see Mimi.” G: OK. P: “Bye-bye.” G: Bye, Peggy P: See you later, Mommy. G: See you later, Peg. Gretchen
3V0811.04 Surprising syngnosticity (4/12/80) Peggy’s toy elephant she names “Arroot.” Miriam received as a birthday present a pig hand-puppet which Peggy very much admires. She asked the name and Miriam called it “Alfred,” since which Peggy has been chasing and pestering her for “My arroot.” The resolution a half hour later: Peggy came in the …
3V0811.03 Correction (4/12/80) With my cast, I received a small boot to protect the plaster from the weather. I’ve told Peggy this is my “bootie.” I just sent her out to get her face and hands washed (she is very sticky after Miriam’s birthday party.) As she passed my foot, she leaned on my foot …
3V0811.02 ‘That’s what’ — a microscript (4/12/80) Peggy’s “Why?” question — which has come to follow our every utterance to her — has become quite annoying. Sometimes we ignore her question, treating it as an annoyance. Other reactions of ours, similar in kind, are “because I told you to” or in truncated form “because…” Outside, …
3V0811.01 Peggy writing ‘Daddy Lawler’ (4/12/80) I came home from Cambridge last night with a cast on my leg. Robby and Miriam both put their decorations on them. Peggy, this morning took a blue pen somehow indicating she wanted to write on the cast. When I asked what she would write, Peggy said, “Daddy Lawler.” …
3V0809.01 Letters and words: [QNA = “Peggy Lawler”] (4/10/80) Peggy played on the floor with her magnetic desk. On the surface, grouped together she put the letters, Q, N, and A.” She got my attention, pointing to the three “Who’s that, Daddy?” I answered that I didn’t know. She informed me, “Peggy Lawler.” Picking up …
3V0804.01 Directed speech (4/5/80) I consider the appearance of this phenomenon one of the most striking evidences of the elevation of control. Several days ago, Peggy approached me with her favorite toy, “Bear Hug.” She said to me, “Say ‘Hi bear’.” I did as she asked. This was repeated a few times, with Scurry as …
3V0797.02 The Scottie in Madeline: [that scurry. that name scurry.] (3/29/80) Reading again Peggy’s early favorite, we came to a page where a figure in the background walks a black Scotty. Peggy asked, “Who’s that who, Daddy?” Confused, I asked, “Who’s what?” She pointed, “That Scurry. That name Scurry.”
3V0790.01 Name: [Daddy name Bob] (3/22/80) Pointing to her father working at his desk, Peggy said, “That Daddy.” G: Yes P: Daddy name Bob.” Gretchen.
3V0789.01 Peggy Lawler again (3/21/80) A later, outstanding example of this interpretation by Peggy occurred as I read “The Fox” (by Peter Spier) to her. Peggy asked, “Who’s that?” pointing to words at the bottom of the cover saying “Illustrations drawn by Peter Spier.” She answered herself, “letters,” pointing to the first words of the …
3V0785.03 Letters in cards (3/17/80) The “school desk” set I gave Peggy in P112 (or P111) has card board cards as part. These cards have cut outs for letter insertion for the letters in the names of objects printed on them. Peggy has been fitting letters into those slots. 3/22/80 Peggy has been fitting the …
3V0781.01 “Peggy Lawler” – what symbols mean to her (3/13/80) Ever since Miriam’s gift of the Grover Book (wherein she wrote PEGGY LAWLER on the inside cover to show ownership), Peggy has interpreted any group of letters as meaning “Peggy Lawler.” She distinguishes (more or less) between four things: letters, seen as individuals; pictures in …
3V0777.01 Analogies — their incomprehension; deep role in cognition. (3/9/80) Peggy woke me at midnight, she had a stuffy nose and was crying for her Mommy. we played in the sitting room, she in my lap. Pointing to a foxy, she said ‘Get foxy.’ I replied ‘Too far away.’ She continued ‘Like a fader.’ Surprised, …
3V0774.01 Jokes as communication protocols (3/6/80) Miriam has been telling (surely in Peggy’s hearing) a knock-knock : M : Knock knock. V : Who’s there ? M : Tim. V : Tim who ? M : Tim – ber ! At supper this evening, Peggy said : P : knock knock. B : Who’s there …
3V0772.01 Plan for Reading list: March 3rd-April 4th,1980 record located in notes near August 28, 1980: This reading list will be first set up as a spread sheet then modified for insertion in this file and copied to it. (roughly 160 entries) not clear that this plan was ever completed. (RWL, March 2011)
3V0769.04 Contrast: reading Cat in the Hat (3/1/80) I read this to Peggy for the first time today. It was very difficult to keep her interested in any specific page long enough for me to read aloud the relatively extensive text on each page. Realizing early that this was a problem, I decided to see …
3V0769.03 Reading Hop on Pop (3/1/80) Peggy sat reading in the middle of the study floor. Was Gretchen sitting with her ? I can’t recall., but I know she was least in the room. Peggy turned the first page, pointed at the picture and said, “Up // Pup.” (This is the large letter text of …
3V0749.01 Words and Numbers; primary roots of discrimination (2/10/80) Miriam and Peggy play with my yardstick a lot (a free one from a local hardware store, it has the measure and advertisements on it). Miriam marches around with it on her shoulder: “hup, two, three, four; hup…” Peggy marches too, “hup, two, three; hup, two, …