'I'm tired wohhh"
As if it is not soon enough for Ryan to pick up our Malaysian slang. I'm no slob and I am not those people who 'try' to decorate my speech unnaturally with accents. I just want my kids to learn things the right way the first time. I've been trying to avoid slangs when I teach him the right way to talk at this tender age. It would be unavoidable later once he starts to mix in primary school. But until then, I'd like to get him to know the proper way first. Recently, I noticed that Ryan has been punctuating and ending EVERY sentence with slangs..and it is not just the simple 'lah-s' - I get things like.. lots of 'nahhh', lots of 'wohhh', 'whatttt', 'one' and some very creative ones.
It looks like he is having fun trying out this new way of talking.. and in the process he can't seem to shake it off. Appalled, I asked him who taught him to speak like that? Or was it something he picked up when playing with other children. Guess what! He told me that it was his kindergarten class teacher!! Actually, I did notice the teacher's speech earlier but I wasn't paying much attention to it until now. She is the new class teacher replacing the more experienced one that left and she also doubles up as the Chinese teacher for the class. Aside from Chinese lessons, she speaks English to the children in her class ... with very obvious slangs. My son is obviously picking it up :(
Now, I have to tell my son "Speak properly. Say that again please" in hope that he will eventually shake off his favourite slangs that he is having so much fun with. Of course, slangs spice up the sentences, making them sound 'interesting' to a kid. But I just have to do it properly if I want him to learn well and the right way. At the same time, I have to watch my words around him too as I too tend to inject some slangs in my everyday speech.
About the teacher. Short of telling her about it and ask her to 'speak properly' ;p (which I don't think she means to), there is nothing I can do. I just have to work on my son.
I have another reason to do this. Raymund is COPYING just about EVERYTHING his brother says and does. He is already spotting the slangs!!! Sigh!
8 comments:
good that you are already trying to change Ryan & Raymund way of speaking.. I find it nowadays, certain people just don't understand the usage of the 'slang' and blast it everywhere..
tell me about it! Just this morning, Ryan was in another round of slanging...
Children are so funny with their slang. They are so quick to mimic what they hear and see. My son says some words with an American slang. That's for watching TV. Sigh!
Oh yes! THE TV! Even my little girl is so hooked on Astro cartoons. And she is only 9 months old.
Recently my son has picked up some slangs from his kindi too - his friends. His favourites are "meh" and "leh". I have to corrcet his sentences most of the time. Hopefully he will outgrow these phrases soon. As for Ryan, I would speak to the principal, if I were you. Though the class teacher do not mean it and probably can't help those slangs herself, it is a cause for concern. She is not setting a good example to her students and we all know how quick kids at those ages pick things up..
Perhaps I can have a friendly word with the teacher instead. She is a nice lady. Worried that the principal would be harsh.
Hi, chanced upon your blog.. :)
I too, like you, like to correct my sons whenever they do the mah, lah, wohs, etc.. And my 2yo girl also follows! And, the worse thing was my boy actually picked it up from his Kumon English class!
Oh no - from Kumon English! I guess us parents just have to work harder in correcting our kids' English. My son reduced a lot already coz I stop him every time he slangs :)
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