Sensitive New Age Galaxy Defenders
One thing I've noticed about my kiddos, over the long years I've been quietly observing their play ("No, Mister Gandalf, sir, I ain't been droppin' no eaves!") is that they spend most of their time switching between Kiwi and American accents. They tend to do all the commentary of what's going on - giving directions, explanations, and instructions to each other - in their usual NZ accent. Direct speech is almost always done in heavily-accented American. And one thing I love about children's play is that it consists of anything and everything, and every step of the way, new ways of play are negotiated. I love that spontaneity.
There is also a mysterious affection for The Man in Black, whether it be Zorro, Westley, Captain Jack, or any other Galaxy Defender. I, myself, am a pacifist *quickly lifts head off chopping block cos hates talking politics - or religion - in public* so I struggle with my lads' innate desire to blow up the universe.
As I sat chameleon-like in the lounge this morning, frantically scribbling on my piece of paper while three lads negotiated the lego, I overheard something along the lines of this:
#1: Ayyy-gent fourrrr two wooone, Ayyy-gent fourrrr two wooone, dooo youuuu cah-py, oooverrr?
(loud war noises)
#1: Moooh- bil-ahhhze ahhhll the otherrrrs and taaaake them to the scrahp heeaaap. Keep uuuup the gooohd worrrk and mayke suuurrrre... you-rrrre a pretty gooood meh-chan-ic... the beeest these guuuuhys weeeill ehverrrr hay-ave.
(more loud war noises)
#1 to #2: (Kiwi accent) S10, can I use all those bits'n'pieces here?
#2: no, they're for my truck.
#1: so I can make something for M6.
#2: Well, I don't want anything lost. So if anything gets lost M6 will have to buy a new one.
#3: But I don't have any money. (looks beseechingly at me)
#1: (happy that the buck is passed) I really think this machine is pretty good.
(returns to spinning lego creation around. more loud war noises)
#3: (looks at me, relieved at my suggestion of mommy-lego-aid) I think we'll need some extra lego so I'll just go get the lego box.
#2: (to me, still Kiwi) Look at this, this spins around and it just goes... cos it's got diamond cutters on it. It just cuts down people (sees horrified expression on my visage and immediately changes tack) ... or things that get in its way... or if it goes through a forest it cuts down trees in its way.
#1: Guuuhh-uys, Wahhhtch out!!! Wahhhhtch out guhhhhys...
#3: (to #1, wielding hastily-constructed-lego-plane-by-moi) Do ya think my machine is great? It's got a little Spy Eye at the back. If any baddies come it's got a little radio at the back and then an invisible gun comes out with invisible bullets and.... this is unbelievably powerful.
Somehow the game abruptly ends and the kiddos pop on a movie, Kate and Leopold, which is a very sensitive-new-age-guy film. So the war-moment is over, except that M6 now has a rambo-style-scarf around his skull and is still clutching his lego-plane. and S10 is dressed like this:
posted by skatey katie @ 10:15 AM
11 Comments:
Love these photos of Sam - I also love the way you "watch" your kiddies, it's easy to miss the every day. Hugs to you my friend.
Love and snuggles Suz
Glad my kids aren't the only weirdos who put on fake American accents when they role play! Even a simple baby doll game with Miss Four is done American-style.
Thank goodness! I thought my kids were the only ones who role-plyed with American accents. It actually weirds me out, lol.
I absolutely love Lego and have a huge collection (yes it's true) but I am a bit concerned that Lego are now allowing guns, etc, into their sets... seems to go against the whole Lego ethos to my way of thinking...
Children here use horrible fake british accents - or russian accents. The Cold War isn't entirely over.
Yay for having a fellow pacifist
Love your guys! I don't remember my guys trying on any accents, but Owen had a bad case of the Audible Question Mark, as Jodi at SoNotCool calls it. You know, where everything they say goes up at the end? Like a question? And it drives you crazy? Do Kiwis do that or is it an irritating American thing?
I remember making my pacifist (Quaker) stance on weapons and (quasi-military) Boy Scouts on the Unschooling.com message boards years ago. The Wise Women there helped me realize that they are going to find a way to experience what they want to experience, and my "forbidding" just made that stuff more attractive to them.
They blow "people" up regularly on Halo and World of Warcraft, but they're two of the kindest, gentlest guys I know.
Although, they haven't watched "Kate and Leopold. Hmmm. I may need to work on that Sensitive New Age thing ...
suz
well, you know i'm such a nosey-parker lol. miss you millions X
cesca
sometimes i wonder if movies/telly programmes are the model for our children's accents-in-play? but then it's interesting reading that kids from other cultures naturally choose other accents from which to play-act. and i don't think there's many Russian films for children out there lol X
hay
i wasn't gonna say that out loud lol X
steve
check this out, from the ever-faithful-wiki:
The company name Lego was coined by Christiansen from the Danish phrase leg godt, which means "play well". The name could also be interpreted as "I put together" or "I assemble" in Latin, though this would be a somewhat forced application of the general sense "I collect; I gather; I learn"; the word is most used in the derived sense, "I read". The cognate Greek verb "λέγω" or "lego" also means "gather, pick up", but this can include constructing a stone wall.
cos i came across the Greek word "lego" a while ago and thought that it's funny that it actually means "I read". and now Mum is telling me that it is also from Latin "I read", as in "legible". see, it's true that ya learn a new thing every day X
amber
i love it when my kiddos use British accents, it happens rarely, and usually stems from someone quoting a movie line from The Railway Children or something like that. British Accents don't tend feature in their war games, more often in their family/nurturing games X
laura
i agree with your non-forbidding stance... i've experienced my "forbidding" just made that stuff more attractive to them with my parents'n'me... and my kids'n'me lol. and it's funny, i swear it was an *absolutely involuntary* horrified expression on my visage... i am a terrible liar. and the other funny thing is that S10 has a freaked-out-reaction to Real War Images/human injury (on the telly etc) but still plays "war stuff" IRL.
rather intriguing actually, not sure if/when/how to unpack that with him?
oh, kiwi-speak usually has a statement-inflection, the Audible Question Mark is more-often used by the Aussies over the ditch... usually signposted by "G'day Katie, 'ow's it garn??... by jingoes, it's hot?" etc
rofl X
Oooh you are so tolerant. I really really hate it when my children use American accents. I am actually quite particular about the way that they speak - I can be very very annoying and irritating on the subject - and am always correcting them
They take no notice of course!
And next year when we are in Perth I guess they will all develop Aussie accents anyway. So I should just give up now really, shouldn't I?
And with regard to what you wrote on my blog - YOU do not need to lose any weight. You are absolutely gorgeous Kate - really honestly you are! I never say things I don't mean - I just shut up!!
r.b.
i'm a bit of a corrector too, but usually the spelling/punctuation/grammar lol. oh yes alright then, i can get a bit twitchy about pronunciation. it's a family trait (with a silent "t") *grin*
ah, food:
let me explain. no there is too much. i sum up (guess the movie line lol)
it's not the food so much as the *exercise*. if only i could channel some of BD's zeal for exercise i'd be fit and muscley. i am on the "cold weather" downward cycle at the mo. i need to find the *next something* to trick me into exercising over the next three months, cos i just have a great bundle of excuses X
Very cute and a little scary at the same time :). Won't be showing J that toy gun, he would be putting it on his Christmas wish list.
anna
yeah,lol. i think it originated from the $2 shop (aka the 2 MINUTE SHOP). i'm surprised it lasted this long! most things break after two minutes X
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