Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional Strange choice of words

Adding there are lots of examples here of it being benign - but you have concerns and not just about this, which is why I suggest checking it out.

DD 6 does this and had always done this. Her use of words is curious to say the least, although always correct in terms of usage. Just not what and average child or adult for that manner might use, however I have been known to do the same thing and have learned to chose my words based on who I am talking to, although, I have been asked by a friend who is a teacher what a word meant before, apparently I still have an extensive vocabulary LOL. DD had to define lethargic to a teenager she was speaking with the other day. DD loves to play with words so I chalk it up to that.

Interesting. I just assumed DS9's vocab was different simply because he reads so much. He's always had a unique way of saying things. But now that you mention it, perhaps he said he had to "adjust his eating habits" when he lost his tooth versus "change the way I chew my food" because the "ch" sound was one of the sounds he didn't have until after speech therapy.

Yes, that is exactly the kind of thing she would do! And she can't read so I couldn't blame that. I always thought it was because my husband and I like to tease the girls by phrasing requests or question in the most obscure way possible. (Which doesn't even phase them anymore but I love the look on the friend's faces.)

To further support this... my voracious reader is DD10, who speaks very typically (unlike my "odd choice of words/language disorder" DS8).

He's getting much better - although he still has moments where he'll either make an odd substitution or he'll describe or omit a word he can't access, like: "you know, those things that keep your hands warm" instead of gloves.

The above example is more relating to a vocab slip than anything else, but this thread makes me think that there are non-spectrum kids who are simply wired differently when it comes to social language.

Last week during lunch, my son used a word that escapes me at the moment, but was one which was in common use in another era. He used it correctly in the sentence, but I told him he should use ____instead.

When he asked why, I told him that language changes over time and words are sometimes dropped from conversation and others are invented. I gave the term, "Googled" as an example of one that is relatively new and told him a story about when I was in middle school and used the word "beholden" when speaking to my grandma about owing someone something. My grandma laughed at me and said she hadn't heard that word in ages.

I explained that while the word was correctly used, it wasn't the best choice in that instance.

As an aside, I recently stumbled across a wonderful pocket spelling dictionary in a used book store; copyright 1960. I couldn't help purchasing it just to enjoy all the wonderful words and marvel at how many you never see or hear.

DS5 does this also and has done since 2. I have always assumed it was due to the high level books he has read/had read to him. He also hears a word and uses it appropriately and in context. New words have always been interesting to him - English or other languages. His passions at present seem to be language and science.

That reminds me of another one! She will often say "I defeated_____(insert name of friend here)" instead of "I beat____".

So I would say her vocabulary choices are very dramatic and not always the best choice of words.

Here are her VCI subtest scores:

Similarities 13
Vocabulary 15
Comprehension 14

I was actually very surprised when I learned that her VCI was only 124. I always just assumed she was much stronger verbally since she loves reading and writing. She certainly isn't a little dictionary but I didn't picture her PRI to be that high in comparison to her VCI. Granted she was one of those early puzzle kids and obsessively doing 100+ puzzles as a toddler.

Where can one find a tester for a pragmatic language assessment? Is this something only done through the school? She does struggle socially but again I can't decipher if it is her level of giftedness, her personality, or the possibility of being on the spectrum. Even my 9 yo has been worried about her little sister and how she doesn't have any friends.

She tends to just play by herself a lot at school, looks for bugs, digs in the dirt, plays on the monkey bars by herself, etc. She also sits by herself at lunch (according to her, not sure how accurate this is and thought about popping in one day for lunch). *IF* she plays with others I notice she has to be the boss and direct/delegate her playmates and the play.