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[GarandMarine]

There a beings that live off our fears and their words are like knives as they play with our lives, they'll try to control you as if they own you, will you let them steal your freedom? Channel the anger swelling inside you, fighting the boundary till you break through, deep in your soul there's no hesitation so make yourself the one they all fear, there is a wild fire inside you burning desire you can't extinguish, your crimson arrow rips through the twilight...

[jwhouk]

Oh, you're reading Wapsi Square too, hey? 

[Papersatan]

I immediately praised her in that sing-songy voice one uses to speak at small children.

In academic circles, this is known as 'motherese'. 

I remember reading that speaking like this actually helps children learn language.  I know people who hate kids often make fun of people (usually women) for speaking like this, but something about stressing the sounds, the space between the words and the inflection helps young children parse the language and imitate it better. 

[Eris]

That was one of the first things I learned when I was studying linguistics, Kat.

I guess it kinda makes me feel a bit better about slipping into that type of speech, but then I also talk like that to any cat I see, so I dunno if that's how it's supposed to be intended.

I also automatically go "Puppy! Look atchu! Look at your widdle squishy faycce" whenever I see a dog, no matter what they look like. They all have squishy faces.

[Kugai]

Just so you don't get confused and start speaking like a Dog Trainer     

[Barmymoo]

I feel that since it's pretty much instinctive for adults to talk like that to children, it must be in some way beneficial. It's incredibly hard not to do! I try to talk to children like people, but there's still a change in tone if the person I'm talking to is more than a few years younger than me.

[GarandMarine]

I talk to dogs like people. I don't talk to children if I can at all avoid it.

[lepetitfromage]

I definitely speak to children differently- but as an educator, we're taught to do so! Maybe not the whole sing-song thing but they really do pick up quickly on tone of voice. Whenever I talk to kids, it sounds like I'm fascinated by every word they say.




Probably because I am. Kids are so cool and weird.

[Patrick]

I think the fact that I DON'T generally speak to most kids that way is why most of them don't seem to like me much.

Then again, it could just be the beatings.

[Welu]

I don't speak to children like that but I do talk to my dog like that sometimes. In the shop I work in, I don't let wee childers off with being pennies off as much as other workers. Mostly because I think the vast majority of children know what they're doing.

[mtmerrick]

Very random thought: every windows phone user I've ever met has been either Asian or female. With one exception (im looking at you, masterpiece)

I have no idea what this says about anything or anyone (or if it says anything at all), it's just something I noticed.

[snalin]

I don't speak to children that way because they're not dogs. I remember feeling that I wasn't regarded as a real person when people talked to me with a different voice than what they'd use to talk to my parents, so I tend to avoid it.

[Metope]

I remember liking to be spoken to like that, because whenever adults would switch to 'grown up voices' and talk to each other, it was always about something really boring. When they were talking to me, however, they usually had something interesting to say, and it meant they were focusing on me.

[Thrillho]

I talk to children in the exact same way as adults. It makes me memorable to them if nothing else.

[Masterpiece]

Also, if you talk to children properly, they'll learn to speak properly much quicker.

My neighbor in Turkey had his daughter and his grandkids over for a few weeks. They're lovely three year old twins, one girl one boy. They learned to talk when they were one, most likely because their mother speaks to them in a completely normal way. It's fascinating to see a child's mind through talking to them.

Also, they're so incredibly cute!!!

[Barmymoo]

I think what Papersatan was saying about linguistics was that children learn to speak more quickly if you DO talk in the "motherese".

[LTK]

Also, if you talk to children properly, they'll learn to speak properly much quicker.

My neighbor in Turkey had his daughter and his grandkids over for a few weeks. They're lovely three year old twins, one girl one boy. They learned to talk when they were one, most likely because their mother speaks to them in a completely normal way. It's fascinating to see a child's mind through talking to them.

Also, they're so incredibly cute!!!

I can't speak for the data but the baby-speak voice is used in every human culture, so evolution is pretty firmly proving you wrong there. 

But when a kid already knows how to speak it's really worthwhile to engage with them in an intelligent conversation, I agree with you there. Kids that learn to speak early are probably of above average intelligence anyway, so I don't believe 'talking properly' has any effect on that at all. I definitely remember that I was way smarter as a kid than my parents gave me credit for, so I think there's a lot more going on in a child's mind than the average adult knows about.

[GarandMarine]

Thought for the night. Your jar of peanut butter, the one in your pantry or fridge right now is required to have the notation on it's label "Contains Peanuts". If people can't figure it out from the label then wouldn't it be best to assume they probably can't read in the first place? Perhaps a series of graphics would be more useful. Or to answer the dark howls for blood in the depths of my soul, perhaps we should just allow natural selection to run it's course.

[jwhouk]

Bifocals finally came back from the lab, after a little fiasco.

Right now, there's no issues. And it's actually pleasant to be able to look down and read small print.

[mtmerrick]

If people can't figure it out from the label then ... perhaps we should just allow natural selection to run it's course.

yes. yes we should.

[Pilchard123]

I've heard of, and recently saw, a pre-made trifle that said "Do not turn upside-down".

The label was on the bottom.

[LTK]

Holy crap, I put ripe bananas in my fridge two days ago, and after I opened it to get the butter out, the banana smell just exploded out of there.

[LTK]

And then I went back to my fridge and it wasn't working. The internal fan was spinning but the external one wasn't. So I screw off the entire back panel to see what's up, and then I think to myself that I probably shouldn't poke at the electronics when it's still powered. I switch the power off, and it makes a noise. I switch it on again, and back up it goes. DERP. That was a lot of wasted work.

[Barmymoo]

Why did you put bananas in the fridge? 

[Loki]

Maye he wanted a cool banana smoothie.

[Kugai]

They last longer - at least, that's what I've found.

[Redball]

Out of my childhood.

Although it started out as a radio jingle a few years before this TV ad appeared.

[LTK]

Why did you put bananas in the fridge? 

Partly to keep them away from the fruit flies. An open window and a banana that's not in an airtight container will draw them in, guaranteed. Also, whatever chemical reaction is causing them to ripen (and eventually blacken) goes much slower if they're chilled.

[Barmymoo]

Oh! Perhaps that is why there are flies in my flat. I'd forgotten that fruit flies lay their eggs in banana skins. I am sort of tempted to store them in the microwave (I have no containers large enough to put them in), but then the microwave will be full of flies actually. Hmm.

[GarandMarine]

Divorce: Been there, done that, she has the t-shirt and all the rest of my stuff.

[Grognard]

no divorce.
I got a life sentence.  probation is for quitters.



lol

[Barmymoo]

Sometimes quitting is the best option!

[cesium133]

"The only winning move is not to play."

Sorry, was just reading a thread on another forum comparing the potential U.S. government shutdown to WOPR from War Games, and then I come here and see comments about quitting things. 

[GarandMarine]

Like many games the only way to win at marriage is not to play in the first place.


Signed,

A bitter bastard divorcee

Warning - while you were typing a Cesium posted and beat you to your joke. You may wish to review your post and lifestyle.

 

[snalin]

That divorce post confused me a lot, before I realized that this was the random thoughts thread. Or there's some connection between bananas and fruit flies and divorce that I'm not getting.

My roomie is watching one of those "let's go to haunted houses" shows, and it's so dumb. There is a lot of trash on TV, but spending an hour interviewing people talking about make-believe things about their houses... Jeez.

[GarandMarine]

I could make a metaphor about fruit flies, bananas and divorce if you wanted.

[lepetitfromage]

One too many fruit flies and your banana is ruined?

[snalin]

There's something there about fruit flies appearing when bananas go rotten, but I'd rather not go down that metaphorical path.

[Loki]

not go down

I have heard this has sometimes been the instigation of divorces, yes.

In a good marriage, ten years pass in a second.
In a bad divorce, a second passes like a year.
What I am saying is that time flies like an arrow, but fruit flies like a banana.

[snalin]

JAR. NOW.

[Loki]

  *slowly inserts a banana into the pun jar*

[Carl-E]

*slowly inserts a banana into the pun jar suggestively*

FYP

[cesium133]

What if the banana wants to sleep in the pun jar? Have you considered giving it a hammock? 

[Jace]

What is this, fucking reddit? stop with the banana shit. I thought you people were better than that

[Masterpiece]

Random Thought:
I see Loki is awake as well, I hope he still had a better sleep than I had.

[Loki]

Good morning Masterpiece. It was so-so. Have been awake since 5am (two hours ago). I always have trouble falling back asleep when I wake up that early. And then I was worried about stuff, such as not living up to expectations, and if I don't do that in this case, quite a few people will be affected.

[Masterpiece]

Loki is [...] German and a beep booper, a well versed gentleman and knows so much that I am intimidated by his knowledge.

I'm still convinced this is true as you have yet to prove me otherwise, so please don't beat yourself up so much.

[Loki]

Ohwow. Uh. Uhm. Thanks.

[Is it cold in here?]

Ugh. Awake after four hours of sleep.

[Carl-E]

You got four? 



Lucky.