chezron Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Brutus is cracking me up this morning. He doesn't practice new words in private or on the sly; he just vocalizes at full volume until he gets it right, or at least, right enough for his satisfaction. Today he is trying to say "you are excellent" and it is coming out "you are exsore" or "you are excess." He repeats variations of these until he finally says, "Merry Christmas" almost like a cuss word because he is frustrated. He will probably get it tomorrow. How does your Grey learn new words? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray P Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 I think Corky will practice at night because she will just come out with a new word out of the blue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelseaB Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Lol chezron! Biscotti is just like Brutus!! Very loud & sometimes so funny when practicing new words. I love to hear him work on new words, then he seems so proud when he gets it right. Usually when he works hard on a word & finally gets it right it will become his new "favorite word" for a short while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdhouse Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Phenix is definitely a mumbler. Kura is too. They'll talk to themselves. I think they wait until I "parrot" whatever word/phrase they're going for. That's when they know they've got it right. Then it becomes their new favorite for however long it continues to amuse them. Then, maybe, they'll never say it again. But Phenix, who's by far the better talker, will just come right out with things sometimes. The other day, he told Kura to duck when I was about to spray her. Never said anything like it before & I have no clue at all where it came from. But it was clear as crystal & hilariously appropriate. I think it's pretty fascinating & a little humbling, too. After all these years I can't learn parrot anymore than I can learn to fly. But they can speak my language whenever they want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarasota Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Burt (TAG) is the more introspective bird. He doesn't practice aloud, he just blurts out new phrases, perfectly formed. Sondhi (CAG) will practice when I'm not around. I solved that problem - I watch them both from a webcam during the day. Mostly, he starts with sounds and mumbles. They become clearer with practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Dayo listens, then just comes out with them. Brutus and all other greys for the most part, I believe after having built up a large vocabulary. Really do not need to calibrate/mumble as they did when very young. They already know all the sounds associated with every letter of the alphabet. Its just a matter of putting the sounds and words together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarasota Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Dayo listens, then just comes out with them. Brutus and all other greys for the most part, I believe after having built up a large vocabulary. Really do not need to calibrate/mumble as they did when very young. They already know all the sounds associated with every letter of the alphabet. Its just a matter of putting the sounds and words together. Yeah, and they always seem to remember what you said when you hit your thumb with the hammer. S%&*!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Yeah, and they always seem to remember what you said when you hit your thumb with the hammer. S%&*!!! Yes!!! A moment of extreme fricks and fracks on the lips = forever in your greys vocabulary! Well, I have successfully replaced a few zingers with similar sounding words. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoow Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Alfie practices when he thinks I'm out of ear shot. He'll mumble away to himself and most of it is incoherent. Then eventually after a while you realise what he's trying to say. He won't ever say the words until he's pretty much nailed them. However, Alfie isn't much of a talker. He loves whistles and sounds and picks them up really quickly. My friend taught him to quack like a duck within a couple of days (words take weeks). He also picks up sounds from mobile phones really easy (the same friend has a bubble popping noise for emails/messages and Alfie picked that up after hearing it a couple of times one afternoon). The only problem with him picking up sounds so well is that when I was living at him my mum burnt a couple of dinners and set the fire alarm off both times and he picked that up. Fortunately he went out of favour of that sound pretty quickly. Pretty sure he did it just as loud as the real thing!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Sophie also mumbled to herself, when trying to learn something new. If she didn't like it, she tried again.One song we practice all the time is " take me out to the ballgame". If she thinks she did a good job, she adds at the end " Playball!" We always clap and praise her. ( even if it wasn't that great!) Adding " playball" means SHE thought it was great! If she thinks it was great, so do we. Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chezron Posted August 9, 2012 Author Share Posted August 9, 2012 So guess what?! Tonight I am petting Brutus' head when he looks at me and says very clearly, "You are excellent!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelseaB Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 That is so sweet!! Biscotti once looked me right in the eye and said "Mommys a good bird." I just melted. Aren't they just the most amazing creatures! We are so lucky to have them in our lives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chezron Posted August 9, 2012 Author Share Posted August 9, 2012 "Mommy's a good bird" that is so cute and touching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerial.2000 Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 awww :D Marco is just into the mumbling stage but she mumbles ALLLLLL the time day/nite whether im in the room or out. lotta times she'll say something just out of the blue clear as a bell I cant wait till she gets the funny'ness like biscotti ... or saying merry christmas outta frustration LOLOL that is funny! :D and I do totally think she said I love you ...once Or least thats what I thought I heard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 I LOVE listening to all you new birds! Your guys are doing what Sophie has done for past decade! Mumbling, imitating, whistling...progressing to arguing, complaining and full speech. Sometimes I feel guilty, for having no problems with Sophie. We are completely in " companion mode!" We no longer have to ask her to stepup, two fingers, she is up! I am not bragging, just want you all to know how worth all the work is. Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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