My 6-year-old son makes up words. Sometimes he makes up words when he can’t come up with the correct word to use. Other times they come about because he’s delightfully unaware of the ponderous rules of English grammar and usage.  His most recent creations include poink (“My brother poinked me with his fork.”) and saucering (“Will it ever snow? I want to go saucering down the hill?”)

I don’t discourage it. In fact, I use my own nonsense words when I’m with the little humans. A few conversations have taken on a Dr. Seuss-ish quality, minus the crazy-good poetic skills, of course, because if they were that good I would publish them and bask in the literary glory that would undoubtedly follow. (Excuse the slip into fantasy land…sounds like it’s time for my afternoon dose of caffeine.)

Do you use nonsense words? (And don’t you get a little irritated when you can’t use them on Words with Friends? Okay, maybe that’s just me…)

Happy Friday!

 

 

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