Alex has been saying mama and dada for a while. We assumed that he was just saying this because they’re the easiest syllables to sound out. Yesterday, we realized that Alex seems to be using Mama and Dada to refer to the correct person. I wonder how many languages use some version of mama or dada for mother and father.- I’m less impressed with Michaelangelo’s Sistine Chapel than I used to be. God and Adam touching fingers looks a lot like what Alex does when I have a finger outstretched.
- Today, we realized that Alex seems to be signing to us. Now that we think about it, we think he signs food, milk, and finished / done.
- Shaking one’s head for ‘no’ is obviously the easiest way to refuse food. I wonder how many cultures don’t use shaking one’s head as ‘no’.
- I’m interviewing somewhere next week where I’m using three references that work at said company. I’m listing their phone numbers as internal extensions.
Milestones, Michaelangelo, Interviewing
2007-04-16 20:30
Many (all?) Indians use a nodding motion for “no” and for “yes” they move their head back and forth along the third axis: the one orthogonal to the shaking and nodding axes.
Shaking one’s head for ‘no’ is obviously the easiest way to refuse food.
It’s not a coincidence. The motion of headshaking evolved from the baby turning his head away from his mother’s breast when he was done suckling. It is fairly universal — although I believe there are a few cultures where shaking the head means “yes.” Not sure how that happened.
Obviously, from the same situation in strip clubs.
(Your comment form strips off angle-brackets.)
[vigorously shaking one's head side-to-side while internally shouting "Yes!"]
Anisa: Uhm… American Indians or Asian Indians? (See, I didn’t even ask that the impolite way.)
Jon: Yeah… ‘food’ was an general term including nursing. Alex never really turned away, uhm, repeatedly.
Kramer: Y’know, despite ample opportunity to do so, I’ve never quite understood the appeal.