Does your Grey Make Up Words?

[chezron]

Since my husband left, Brutus has been making up words. He used to learn all of his vocabulary from husband, and I guess he misses the input? He makes up words and then he says them with GREAT conviction, like the meaning is common knowledge. He say the new words all of the time now. His words sound like: Blech, smarss (rhymes with Mars), ohssse (rhymes with dose), focker (rhymes with rocker), and others. Sometimes he uses them in sentences. He just said, "Esh focker, and then "focker focker." I don't swear around them so it is definitely not f**ker. Do your parrots do this? And, if they do what does it mean? I obviously am a slow student!

[Muse]

Megan doesn't do this so much when talking, but she makes up "words" when she sings. She will sing along with a tune, but the words she's singing are gibberish that she seems to make up as she goes along. I do know she's made portmanteaus of various words - "weekaboo" for "whee" and "peekaboo" is one that comes to mind. She also makes up phrases, like "Grackle parrot parrot." Not sure why there is one grackle and two parrots. She knows what a grackle is, and what a parrot is but I have no idea why she has chained the words together in this fashion.

 

Does Brutus listen to TV or radio? Sometimes it is hard to tell where they pick up the things they say. Or if they are just coming up with ideas on their own, which I believe they do. He sounds like a smart boy.

[birdhouse]

Phenix makes up words. He's got a short list of, to me, nonsense vocabulary that he also tends to use w/great conviction. But they are real words or phrases to him because I recognize him saying the exact same combination of syllables & some of them have been around for a long time.

 

Also, he experiments sometimes. When we first found out that we did not have a little grey girl, we of course started using male gender pronouns etc. Phenix started to change the words he used pretty quickly. But also clearly referred to himself as a "birl" for quite a while.

[Inara]

Inara doesn't appear to make up words -- yet. She does experiment with various sounds and we've been working together on phonics. My thought process is that if I teach her the basic phonetic sounds of English, that eventually that will help her string words together more easily rather than learning one word or phrase at a time from just listening. Although, I must say right now when she strings, " Ohhh, Oooo, Ahhh," together it could certainly raise some eyebrows without explanation

 

I think it's wonderful that Brutus is making up words. You might find at some point that the sounds that appear to be words right now will reform into actual English words. Long ago I read somewhere that when learning bird songs, complex whistles, and other sounds, that birds will practice the components individually and often out of sequence and then put them together correctly later once each component has been achieved. Interesting, but as most of us know our guys and gals often appear to just spout off entire phrases out of the blue, whole and complete. So who knows?

 

In any event -- your tale this morning reminded me of an old joke about fokkers and Messerschmitts, and I got a giggle!

[danmcq]

Very cool! Dayo does not make up words. He only makes up his own phrases at times.

[chezron]

I rarely watch TV and I hate commercials, so I listen to commercial-free music on the internet. They don't get much exposure to "talking."

[Luvparrots]

My parrots do not make up words but do combine words in their own ways or leave out words in phrases I say.

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Chezron... number one... you don't need your husband to thrive with your relationship with Brutus. You have your OWN relationship, and Brutus is going to thrive. Sophie DOES make up words and has done so for more than a decade. I always try to repeat back what she says and she always listens. Its not always about learning our language. I try to think out of the box, and see what she is trying to say. I may not know, but she appreciates my attempt, and the trust is developed.I think my attempts for the past decade has been met with Sophie loving and trusting me. No biting, She is always there with her foot up to stepup.

" Listen" to Brutus. Brutus will let you know what he needs. I also suggest putting on the History channel or anything stimulating when you are gone. Sometimes I work 14 hrs. I will call one of two teenagers to go check on Sophie. I know they would do it for free as they love her.. but of course I pay them. I am so happy that Sophie is very socialized, and loves when her friends come to play! Nancy

[chezron]

So for a time Brutus' favorite made-up word was "focker" and now he has changed it into "spocker" and "smocker." It is so funny because he says it with such force and certainty and he rolls the "r." I rarely watch TV so, by default, neither do the parrots. I do interact with them most of the day, and I repeat, respond to, or comment on, most everything they say. I just think Brutus likes to learn from a "male" voice. That is all I can come up with.

[JeffNOK]

My CAG Gracie makes up words when she is learning a new song. She seems to learn the tune faster than the words, so when she gets to a part in the melody that she doesn't know the words to, she mumbles things that fit in the gaps. I think it is the same for us when we sing along with the radio and we don't remember the words. Sometimes she uses words she knows and sometimes it is just nonsense.

[Acappella]

Dorian has made up "words" that he puts into phrases. They seem to me to be exercises in intonation, in his own voice, or imitating tv voices. He chats right along if I'm listening to an audio book, and his words are mostly nonsense, but he accents them to imitate full conversation.

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Sophie goes crazy when my sisters come to visit .I'm not from Rochester, NY, but from Westchester NY. When my sisters come to visit, the speed of of talking doubles, Sophie goes crazy trying to keep up. She is not use to it, but wants to make a great impression...my family know's how important Sophie is to me. They slow down talking, Sophie tries to speed up. Sophie will makeup words like crazy. They have reached a compromise which makes me very happy! Nancy

[chezron]

So today i just about fell out of my chair when Brutus says, "Want a chip Focker?" I have NEVER said this, and I have never said the bad word that "focker" sounds like. He just put these words together on his own. I hope he gets over this word pretty soon, it is a little too much like the bad word!

[Muse]

So today i just about fell out of my chair when Brutus says, "Want a chip Focker?" I have NEVER said this, and I have never said the bad word that "focker" sounds like. He just put these words together on his own. I hope he gets over this word pretty soon, it is a little too much like the bad word!

 

Alex learned "dammit" before we got him. The reason I know this is he occasionally prefaces it with another word to make it even worse, and though I may possibly have slipped and said "dammit" in front of him, I can guarantee I did not ever blaspheme.

 

So yesterday he was being a little stinker while other people were here, and he kept saying "kiss, kiss, kiss" in his raspy half-whisper. Finally, getting no response, he looks me right in the eye and said "kiss, dammit."

 

I have tried many things. Ignoring. Redirecting. Giving him "the look." He seems to say it when he cannot get my attention any other way. Amazing how these little feathered creatures learn to push our buttons!

[Acappella]

Alex learned "dammit" before we got him. The reason I know this is he occasionally prefaces it with another word to make it even worse, and though I may possibly have slipped and said "dammit" in front of him, I can guarantee I did not ever blaspheme.

 

So yesterday he was being a little stinker while other people were here, and he kept saying "kiss, kiss, kiss" in his raspy half-whisper. Finally, getting no response, he looks me right in the eye and said "kiss, dammit."

 

I have tried many things. Ignoring. Redirecting. Giving him "the look." He seems to say it when he cannot get my attention any other way. Amazing how these little feathered creatures learn to push our buttons!

 

This literally made me laugh out loud. Thanks for the giggle.

[Muse]

I have to admit, this was one of those moments that made it hard for me not to giggle at him. It kind of reminded me of that scene in the movie ET (which my child forced me to sit through TEN times at the local movie theater) where the little boy who found ET is arguing with his bigger brother who is making fun of him and he yells a naughty term at his brother, upon which his mother is caught between scolding him and choking back a laugh. At that moment, I knew exactly how that feels.