Making a Note

Dialogue Two Note
(4 ½ months)

Miyahira, arms full of Fei Yen, catches the eye of a maintenance worker driving a cart.

“Need a lift?” they ask.

Fei Yen gurgles.

“If you’re headed in the general direction of the marshal’s quarters,” replies Miyahira.

“Hop on,” offers the worker.

Fei Yen makes happy sounds.

“Thank you!”

“You’re very welcome.” Announces, “Vroom vroom!”, twists the key—

Beep-Beep!

Fei Yen makes happier sounds.

—and chauffeurs them through the halls.

.

“Thank you very much,” says Miyahira.

“You’re very welcome.” The worker tips their hat. “Have a good day.”

“Thanks, you, too!”

The worker restarts the cart—

Beep-Beep!

and drives off.

Miyahira lets her and Fei Yen into the marshal’s suite and heads to Fei Yen’s room. “Sorry, Feiby,” she says gently, laying Fei Yen on the playmat, “It’s tummy time.”

Fei Yen squalls and glares up at Miyahira.

She notes the time, lies down beside her.

.

''Child language production diary data—Xiong FY (0:4.18) and Miyahira S, Recorded 14:29, 24 May 2015 and thank heavens for air conditioning Marshal’s quarters [attachment: audio]''

14:29 – open-mid, back vocalic cries (experimenter note: FY on playmate on tummy)

14:30-32 – definite goos, only one coo; sonorants are more resonate than CLPDD_XFY_0:0.28 (experimenter note: experimenter has joined FY on playmate on tummy)

14:33-14:34 – ingressive back obstruent-like sounds, exhales are mostly soundless

14:35 – half a raspberry dissolving into a giggle

14:36 – squeaks and a trill, gurgling

14:37 – voiced ‘yelling’—

14:37a – ''experimenter note: I may have heard a voiced, dental consonant. ''

***14:38-14:40 – extreme pitch slides, (reminiscent of(?)) growling and squealing

14:41 – open back, vocalic —

14:48 – experimenter note: FY’s diaper changed.

14:49 – velars. More velars. Glottal stop-ish, kinda muffled—

14:49a – ''experimenter note: FY vocalizing around foot.''

14:50 – ''experimenter note: experimenter has given FY a teething toy (a triceratops)''

14:51 – FY gooing, kinda sounds like she’s saying ‘knaw knaw knaw’

14:53 – the most adorable yawn /ever

14:54 – experimenter note: FY showing signs of wanting a nap

Experimenter’s note: no sign of fricatives–can’t say I blame her, they /suck. (Goodluck, 2001)"