The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-25
A CTrious Vocabulary.

SINGULAR DEVELOPMENT OF LANGUAGE IN A CHILD.
Under the title of "Slngular Development of
Language in Child" Dr. Il. X. Hun, OF Albany,
N. Y, communicates the following % DR.. Ham
monds JourEdi Of Psycho 'OgicdL lsdjctne:-
"The subject Of this observation IS a girl AGED
four and bali years, sprigbtly, intelligent, aud
IN good health, Her mother Observed when
she was two years old, that she was back ward
in speaking, and only used tie words papa and
mamma. After that she began to use words of
her own invention: and though she understood
leaolly what vas smd, never employed the
words used by others. Gradually she ENLARGED
her Vocaonlary, until it has reached the extent
described below
''sbe has brother eighteen months younger
than herself who has learned her language so
that they talk .reely together. He, however,
seems to have adopted it only because be has
more Intercourse with her than with others
and IN some instances he will use proper word
with his mother aud the sisters word with her.
She, however. persists IN using only her own
words, though her parents, who are uneasy
about her peculiarity OF speech, make great
efforts to induce her to use proper words.
"As TO the possibility of her having learned
these words from others, it is proper to state
that her parents are persons OF cultivation who
ouly use the English language, Her mother has
learned French, but never uses the language in
conversation. The domestCs, as well AS the
nurses, speak English without any pecularites,
ana the child has heard even less than usual OF
what is called baby talk.
"Some of the words aud phrases have a re-
semblauCe to the French but il is certain that
10 person using that language has lrcQuented
the house, and it is doubtful whether the child
has ON any occasion heard it spoken.
There seems TO be no difficulty about the
vocal oroans. She uses her language readily
and freely, and when she is with her brother
they converse with great rapidity and huency.
"Thc following is the vocabulary which have
been able at different times to compile from the
child herself, and especially from the report of
the mother. In the spelling | have endeavored
as much as possible to reproduce the sound of
the words.
"GuinntigGr All the substantials of the table
such as bread, meat, vegetables etc.; and the
same word is used to designate the cook. Tue
boy does not use this word but uses Gnd-Hl lana
in the same sense, which the girl considers a
mistake.
"N,gno nugno. Water, wash bath.
dessert.
"Ao. 1, myself
"Odo. TO send for, to 90 out, to take away.
"Md Odo. | (want toy go out
scar. Horse.
"Gar Odo. Send for the horse. (When the
father sends for carriage be writes an order and
sends it to the stable. Hence the children from
seeing him write the order, use the same eX-
preston (9or Odo), to denote pencil and paper.
100. All, everything.
"Ioo odo It's all gone, or in reference to food,
1T is all eaten up.
"Feu. pronounced like the French wordN.
Fire, heat, light, cigar. sun.
"GdGn-God. When it rains the children
OllCn uu w Nht WlIuOW duu SdiI OUT, 'hddn QUO
mlgDo-migno. feu odo;' which means. God take
away the rain and send the SUM- OdO before
the object meaning TO take away and afterthe
object ito seDd.'
'Ne pa. Not. Ne pa fen. Il am not warm
Feu papa? '(Do you wanG cigar, papan Ne
pa teu dere. (There is) no cigar there
Seer. Money. of any kind
"Pa-ma. To go TO sleep, pillow, bed. Mamma
ma pG-nlG.' Mamma Il wanO 10 go 10 Sleep
"Waid.rdiar. Black. darkness. negro.
''Ned. Cat, furs. keG 2Cda0 -1cdt0r. Denotes
dark iurs.' NO 1Cdia-tCdiar me0. Light furs'
Beer. Literature, books, or school. DID
edo beer. Lizzie goes to SCHOOL,
"PGpd.nldDlnd. Church, prayer-book, cross,
priest, tC say their pray yers.
bishop in his mitre and vestments, thinking he
was q soldier, they applied the word Biu to him.
''Keb. 10 soil. Ma Geb no. Il will not soil
myself
'.Peer. Ball. During the last few days the
boy has begun to use number of English
words, such as up, down, please, boy, charcoal,
etc, and upon his mother saying to him that
grown.up persons did not call a ball 'peer,' he
at once called it bGT to her, but continued to
use the word 'peer' when speaking to his sister,
"B0bg The name used by the boy in ad-
dressing his sister until younger brother was
born. After which the girl objected to being
called Jaby,' and her name was changed to
'Iu-'U.
"Petee-ptee. The name given the boy by his
sister.
''Babia. The name by which they both call
their younger brother.