English as a Second Language

English as a Second Language


Whenever Jackie and I venture out into the world, we usually encounter someone who will ask, "Can she talk?" Most people probably think I'm a little loonie when I say she speaks my language a lot better than I speak hers, but that she rarely has anything to say to strangers. Other than 'Hello' when I take her in anywhere, she usually remains silent until there's no one around. I like to say she's shy. In fact, like most parrots that talk, Jackie mimics, in that she will sit and rattle off all the English words and phrases she knows just for her own amusement. But as far as I'm concerned, she also communicates using English, when she wants to. Yes, I know that seems a little far-fetched. I'm convinced. There is a distinct difference between when she is merely mimicking, and when she is communicating. As for me learning her language, I have yet to learn anything in Macaw, although I recognise the 'don't step on my tail' snarl, the 'there's a predator in the yard' shriek, and the 'I see a deer' growl.

Over the years I have not spent a great deal of time teaching her to talk. Doing so would require an attention span much more evolved than mine. I haven't invested in any CDs developed to teach birds to talk, either, but I can see how they would work. Jackie has learned most of what she knows from listening to me, especially when I'm on the phone. I have heard her use some of my favourite expressions, such as How much?! with the exact inflections I use [astonishment]. It's obvious that regular repetition on my part has been responsible for her learning the phrase.

Because she tends to repeat words and phrases that I use frequently, I try to keep a civil tongue in my head. I see nothing cute in a bird that swears. Fortunately, she hasn't picked up on any of my slip-ups, although she has used yeeesh! on occasion, especially when she's giving me what for. She usually does this, in her own language, in response to me when I shake my finger at her.

When I say she communicates using English, I mean she understands what she is saying. One of the first things she ever said was Mmmmm, indicating something I had given her was good. I started this by using the expression myself when I tried something, and then gave her some of it. She only uses it when she's eating something she really likes.

One of the first phrases she said was Want some apple. I would ask her that every time I had some for her. When she says it, she is making a statement, as opposed to asking the question I had asked. On the other hand, she will ask Want some of this? and then start hoarking up whatever happens to be in her crop. She only does it to her own reflection, or something else she is trying to feed.

Whenever I ask a question that someone doesn't answer, I am liable to say 'yes? no? maybe?' in an effort to get a response. Jackie mimics this all the time. I have always used the word 'No' with her to indicate that I don't want her to do something. Recently, she has started to use No when I offer her something she doesn't want. The fact that she doesn't take whatever I offered makes it obvious she knows what the word means.

A common expression for me is 'hunh' when I encounter something I wasn't expecting. Jackie has started using it too, in the appropriate application.

Peek, I see is a favourite game. Sometimes she holds out, and waits for me to say it first, moving me to wonder who is getting who to talk. Part of the game is turning your head away and hiding your eyes, and then saying the phrase when you turn back and can see the other one. She understands that you actually have to be able to see each other for it to be a peek.

Without any prompting from me, Jackie has started using the pronoun I. She will often say, I want some supper, I want some, and I know. On the few occasions she has been able to get outside this winter, she gets very excited, and will say, I want something! Needless to say, she's got the 'I want' down pretty good.

I used to keep a couple of my cockatoos in the house. One of them, Frankie, has a tendency to start making a lot of noise, and I would holler 'Frankie! Shut up!' It wasn't very long before Jackie was saying it for me, and in the right tone of voice; but only when Frankie was making noise.

Want some sugar? started at bedtime, when I was asking her for a kiss. Now I try to make sure we kiss every time she says it.

Jackie follows me all over the house. When I want her to leave a room I don't allow her to be in by herself, I will say 'Move it!' and 'Hurry up!' It's quite comical when she uses both phrases on me, especially when we're going outside. I've even been told, You move it! She also uses Come on!, both as a command, and in a coaxing tone when she wants to play.

I find it interesting that she has never learned two phrases I use all the time, 'Make a turd', and 'Go to bed?' I have never heard her use either of them, even while doing her mimicking routine. She gets quite insistent when she wants to go to bed, but has never said it.

I know from personal experience that turkeys are probably the stupidest birds on the planet. I use the term 'turkey' followed by 'that's not a compliment' at times when Jackie has done something annoying or stupid, such as taken a chunk out of the wall. She has added turkey! to her vocabulary, and I hear it when we're having an argument about something she's done.

Whenever Jackie is doing her mimicking routine, I try to listen carefully. She uses this time to practice new words and phrases, and I try to repeat them back to her to let her know she has got them right. If I recognize something she is trying to say but hasn't quite mastered, my repeating it helps her learn it correctly. When she's asking for something specific, I try to figure out what it is so she can learn to ask for things she wants.

Understanding Jackie sometimes takes the same 'ear' a mother has for her young child when he's learning to talk. I find young mothers tend to understand her easily, whereas people with no small children in their lives have greater difficulty. It would undoubtedly be easier for Jackie to learn if I spoke with better clarity. The fact that she continues to learn new words and phrases at eight years old leads me to believe she has an infinite ability. The challenge is to provide both incentive and a source for learning. It's been my observation that she tends to respond better if she has a reason to communicate. This can be either receiving whatever she's asking for, or genuine praise and excitement when she adds something new. Since I am her primary source of learning, it's obviously up to me to keep adding new words and phrases to our daily routine. We have been working on 'please' and 'thank you', which I tend to forget to use with her far too often. It would undoubtedly work better if I were more consistent in my use of them. So far, we have eeeese. I know she can say 'p' and 'l' because she says look and peek. Whether or not she can combine the two sounds remains to be seen. Currently, she has a list of forty-six English words and phrases that she uses regularly. Since Macaws are not actually renowned for their ability to talk, I find this rather remarkable.