MarcusCAG Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 (edited) What pronouns do you use? I ask this because I've realized I kind of flip-flop back and forth between first- and third-person whenever I speak to Marcus. I wonder if I'm confusing him! :confused: For instance, sometimes I'll say something like, "Mommy's cleaning the kitchen floor, she'll be done in a little bit," and then a couple of minutes later I'll say, "I don't like it when you try and bite, it makes me feel bad" or whatever. I do the same thing when I speak directly to him: "Marcus is a good boy!" as well as things like, "You are such a sweetheart, Marcus, thank you!" I'm not sure why I do this. :mad: Anybody else have this problem? Do you think I should just try and stick with a certain pronoun or not worry about it? Marcus seems to understand me either way, really, I just don't want to mess with his head unintentionally somehow... Edited April 6, 2011 by MarcusCAG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 Your doing right, always speak intelligently.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 What pronouns do you use? I ask this because I've realized I kind of flip-flop back and forth between first- and third-person whenever I speak to Marcus. I wonder if I'm confusing him! :confused: You are not confusing Marcus. If he doesn't already understand first and third person, he will by listening to how you use human language. I have used both since we brought Dayo home at 15 weeks old. He now uses first and third person sentences as events unfold. An example would be my wife goes out to the garage. Dayo will say "Mommies in the garage". Dayo will whistle or sing and ask my wife "You like that?". Just two examples of many, but it is clear they have the mental power to absorb all you take the time to offer them with consistency. Messing with their head is what makes them grow in intellect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thenabrd Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 i go back and forth from 1st and 3rd person talking with our birds. we do it with little children and they understand, so i'm sure our birds do too, just in the way they respond to us. what gets me is that athena sometimes uses her name or "i" when she's telling us she's the prettiest girl in the wholest world (unless she's really boasting, then she adds another wholest, lol) it really amazes me since i'll say to her "you're the prettiest girl in the wholest world", i don't use athena or "i" when i say that to her. she'll even slip in an "i" once in a while when she's telling us "take a bath" before diving into her water bowl. kallie's just getting into talking but she has her own way of letting us know she understands when we use "i" or mommy or daddy or even that she's having a blast battling one of her bells!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
electra Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 (edited) In one scenario you are narrating (explaining your actions) what you are doing.......ie. sweeping.....in the other you are adressing him directly. These are appropriate shift tenses in English:) Edited April 7, 2011 by electra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 (edited) I just talk to Ana Grey as if she were a person. Sometimes she uses pronouns sometimes not. Edited April 7, 2011 by luvparrots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munch Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Considering that you've already heard Marcus conjugate correctly and apply pronouns, I'd say however you speak is working for him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vamppire Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 I do the same thing! Except I do refer to him as "you" more often than "spencer", while I use the 3rd person "mommy" with me more often. I can't explain why! Glad to hear opinions that its OK to do this. I won't know how he's picking up on these things til after he starts talking. Can't wait to see how it develops! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 I do the same thing! Except I do refer to him as "you" more often than "spencer", while I use the 3rd person "mommy" with me more often. I can't explain why! Glad to hear opinions that its OK to do this. I won't know how he's picking up on these things til after he starts talking. Can't wait to see how it develops! I do the exact same thing Lori including using you more than her name, Josey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elvenking Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 I speak about myself in the third person. "Daddy is gonna get you some eggs" or "Come with daddy". I also cannot help but use a higher pitch when I am talking to him. "Goood morning booyyeee....how you doing pretty boyyee". Things like that. I just try to be consitant like that. He is not a big talker yet. But he is trying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Our Grey's can, when they want, speak grammatically correct English, but it is just as wonderful to hear them speak with abbreviations and in slang, and being able to see there enjoying themselves. Proper English should always spoken, but if this is not always possible for one reason or another, it's okay. We have fid's that due to one reason or another have never spoke, so don't hold it against them. For them to speak at all, is a wonderful gift...love them.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chezron Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 I think you are doing well explaining things. My guy always mixes up "is and are." He mixes up words he uses and sometimes he says "You is" because he doesn't know he is supposed to change the pronoun. It is funny. I just don't think they are aware of the particulars just the meaning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelly Yokum Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 When I talk to my Roy and Prince, I am guilty as you are. I tell them they are a big boy, and pretty bird, good boy. So do they question that ok Mom am I a bird or boy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcusCAG Posted April 8, 2011 Author Share Posted April 8, 2011 Thank you for all of the thought-provoking comments, everyone. I just wonder why I do that? We don't have children at this point, but do parents speak to toddlers in the third-person a lot ("Mommy and Daddy are doing this or that...")? Maybe they do, it just feels kind of natural for me to talk to Marcus and Beaker that way. Of course we use "I" and "we" and "you" in front of them too. But the other night my husband came in to the living room with Beaker on his shoulder and said, "WOW!" I asked him what was up, and he said that while he and Beaker were leaving the boys' room, from his cage Marcus asked, "Where you go?" So even though it wasn't perfect English this time like it has been some others, it was close enough. He has the right idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zandische Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 I was going to reply with my experience on this, but then I read this about this recent research on the Companion Grey parrot and their language capabilities! I think it "speaks" to the topic well? http://www.healthcanal.com/mental-health-behavior/16121-scientists-show-that-home-reared-African-Grey-parrot-varies-speech-and-nonword-sounds-deliberate-and-socially-relevant-way.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcusCAG Posted April 14, 2011 Author Share Posted April 14, 2011 I was going to reply with my experience on this, but then I read this about this recent research on the Companion Grey parrot and their language capabilities! I think it "speaks" to the topic well? http://www.healthcanal.com/mental-health-behavior/16121-scientists-show-that-home-reared-African-Grey-parrot-varies-speech-and-nonword-sounds-deliberate-and-socially-relevant-way.html Thank you for the link, I found the article quite interesting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffNOK Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 I recently read "Conversations With Cosmo" written by a professor detailing her relationship with her African Grey. Her advice was to just refer to yourself by your name and not mess with pronouns. She would say "Betty Jean is going to work" --"Cosmo wanna come with Betty Jean"? This seemed to facilitate understanding and the bird would respond using names meaningfully. I know it isn't natural English in an adult human sense, but it has a certain logic to it. I teach English to international students, and multiple pronouns with numerous referents can be confusing for them as well. Of course with them I teach the proper rules, but with a bird I think simple is best even if it isnt the most authentic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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