I could hide out under there
I just made you say underwear ...
- Barenaked Ladies, "Pinch"
Our youngest, three-year-old Trevor, applies a certain, consistent logic to the new words he's learning in order to figure out what they mean. For example, out of the blue he will proudly announce, "Mom, I know why we say toothbrush - because we clean our teeth with it, and because it's a brush ... toothbrush!"
He applies this equally to simple and compound words, so that the results are often unintentionally nonsensical and funny, e.g. "I know why they're called suckers ... because you suck on them, and because they're ers!"
So last night we're enjoying a small dish of ice cream, and he begins: "I know why we say ice cream ... because it's really cold, and because it's cream - ice cream!"
"That's right, Trevvy!" says Jodi, and I ask, "Trevor, why do they call it chewing gum?"
"Because you chew it, and because it's gum!" he says proudly.
"And why," I ask, "do we call it underwear?"
He stumbles a moment, working it through in his head.
"Because it goes under your pants," he says, "and then it's like it's gone!"
* * * * *
Blogger's Note: If you aren't laughing, don't worry - it took us a moment, too. Homophones are great fun, aren't they?
Additional Note: On a mostly unrelated note, this morning, Trevor approached Emma, placed his palm on top of his head, and said, "Emma, this is how tall I am. I'm this tall!"