fiddlejen
Well-known member
- Mar 28, 2019
- 1,232
- Media
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- 1,156
- Parrots
- Sunny the Sun Conure (sept '18, gotcha 3/'19). Mr Jefferson Budgie & Mrs Calliope Budgie (albino) (nov'18 & jan'19). Summer 2021 Baby Budgies: Riker (Green); Patchouli, Keye, & Tiny (blue greywings).
So I understand it's not very likely for my Sun Conure to learn to speak English. Although, she is good at learning sounds!
Once fall came & I started sneezing... so did she. In fact, I watched her Practice sneeze-sounds by wetting her beak-top to make herself sneeze intentionally. After which, she added it to her nighttime sounds. "Bok-bok-bok-bok-Sneeze-bok-bok!" (I think she was trying to impress me.)
There are some other recognizable sounds she makes as well. And uses them appropriately! For example, she'll do a perfect imitation of the woodpecker, to let me know he's been working on the cornice again. Or, a more-controlled, less-panicked rendition of the tones of my mouse-scream, to let me know there's another one in the capture-trap awaiting its re-home.
But she can't seem to learn any English. Which is too bad. I really want her to learn "Shower please, right now!" Because I struggle to understand her body-language command to provide this service.
But I have recently noticed, although she can't speak any English, she's got Perfect Pronunciation, as well as correct use-in-context, of at least one word in Russian.
Now I have been watching a Great Courses program on linguistics. But I don't think they've even gotten to Russian yet. And I'm sure I haven't left any language-learning tapes running -- since, I don't have any! So I don't know where she learned this. But she did.
Perfect pronunciation, and in context. I demand she leave her cage against her will? "Nyet!" Now she's comfy on my shoulder and not ready to return? "NYET!" I'm trying to remove my hand before she's done removing that freckle? Well, in that case she usually she wraps her claw tighter & hangs on. But, for anything else which I'm requiring & to which she's firmly opposed, she's got her Russian down cold. "Nyet. Nyet, NYET!"
Once fall came & I started sneezing... so did she. In fact, I watched her Practice sneeze-sounds by wetting her beak-top to make herself sneeze intentionally. After which, she added it to her nighttime sounds. "Bok-bok-bok-bok-Sneeze-bok-bok!" (I think she was trying to impress me.)
There are some other recognizable sounds she makes as well. And uses them appropriately! For example, she'll do a perfect imitation of the woodpecker, to let me know he's been working on the cornice again. Or, a more-controlled, less-panicked rendition of the tones of my mouse-scream, to let me know there's another one in the capture-trap awaiting its re-home.
But she can't seem to learn any English. Which is too bad. I really want her to learn "Shower please, right now!" Because I struggle to understand her body-language command to provide this service.
But I have recently noticed, although she can't speak any English, she's got Perfect Pronunciation, as well as correct use-in-context, of at least one word in Russian.
Now I have been watching a Great Courses program on linguistics. But I don't think they've even gotten to Russian yet. And I'm sure I haven't left any language-learning tapes running -- since, I don't have any! So I don't know where she learned this. But she did.
Perfect pronunciation, and in context. I demand she leave her cage against her will? "Nyet!" Now she's comfy on my shoulder and not ready to return? "NYET!" I'm trying to remove my hand before she's done removing that freckle? Well, in that case she usually she wraps her claw tighter & hangs on. But, for anything else which I'm requiring & to which she's firmly opposed, she's got her Russian down cold. "Nyet. Nyet, NYET!"
