Language... is fascinating. Language is just a tool for communication, but we definitely do more than just communicate. We try to refine our vocabulary and convey our thoughts in an interesting and imaginative way that captures the listeners' interest (or readers' in some cases!). For a three year old, though, language is just what it is intended to be. My son says "Pretol" for petrol and "Blangore" for Bangalore. When he tries to correct it, following my persuasion, he succeeds "Pe.... trol". The pause is essential to make the word sound right. If the pause is lost, he falls back to Pretol. Last night he was a mechanic and had his tricycle upside down and was pumping "pretol" into it. (No, in his world the tricycle cannot stand straight when petrol is poured into it.) He gives running commentaries as the pretol is being poured. Every time he said the word, I corrected him, "Petrol". He tried a few times, and finally said, "Look, I am pouring this thing into my cycle." As long as it is flowing to the cycle, what does it matter whether it is pertol or petrol?
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