Natalia and Polish -- a little progress in her language skills

One morning recently two interesting events occurred. I can only put them down to Natalia's increased understanding of language(s) and her confidence speaking the few words -- English and, particularly in this case, Polish -- she knows in conversation with us.

Ksenia brought Natalia into our bedroom to wake me up and say good morning as they do from time to time. But this particular morning Natalia decided she wanted to play a variation on the "escape across the bed away from Daddy" game. But in order to begin that game she needs to be on the bed...

So she made it clear, through non-verbal clues, that she wanted out of Mama's arms and to be put down onto the bed.

"But Natalia, you still need your shoes put on," Ksenia told her as she put her down.

Very deliberately Natalia, who was now facing away from Ksenia, turned back to her, put out her hands and said, "Daj...daj" clearly referring to her shoes. When she was given those shoes, she gave them to me saying "shoes", expecting me to put them on her as is usual and which I happily did.

Daj (pronounced like "die") means 'give' [them to me] in Polish.

Later, just before we were leaving for work, we were finishing up getting our little girl ready for "Gigi" (the name she calls her day-care provider). Ksenia wanted Natalia to come over to her to put a new shirt on.

"Chodź, Natalia, chodź, chodź!" Ksenia said with pleading emphasis because Natalia was holding back and we had to get going.

Natalia seemed realize this and so, grinning slyly at her own little joke, walked very slowly toward Ksenia and said, "Chodź....Chodź-chodź-chodź."

Chodź (pronounced similarly to "ho[t]ch") means 'come' in Polish. It is often accompanied by tu (pronounced like "to/too/two", which means here; thus chodź tu means "come here").

Natalia inflection, when she said it, started high, lowering with each repetition of the word, and ending low like a sigh. The words and Natalia's delivery of them were clearly said in such a way so as to attempt to parrot her Mama. It was hard not to laugh!

Such small steps, yet so important!