Tuesday 19 March 2013

Anthropology from a 5 yr old

We were driving home this evening and my 5 yr old says, "Mum, what language did Adam and Eve speak?"
Me: "I don't know, darling.  I don't think anybody knows.  What language do you think they spoke?"
Daughter, after a reflective pause:  "I think they spoke African."
Me, quickly reflecting on recent readings which stated that people probably originated in Africa, and wondering what on earth could have led my 5 year old to that conclusion, "Why do you think that?"
Daughter: "Because they lived in Africa?"  (Fair enough, I thought, they speak African because they live in Africa.)
Daughter:  "I think they spoke Aboriginal and Spanish and Italian too."
Me, somewhat bewildered:  "Why do you think they spoke those languages?"
Daughter:  "Because I think they spoke every language."
Me:  "Don't you think they would just have spoken one language?"
Daughter:  "No.  I think they spoke all the languages, or else where would they come from?"
That sounds like good logic from a 5 year old, I thought.
Daughter:  "They even spoke German!"
Me:  "Uhuh, why do you think they spoke German?
Daughter:  "Because they were African!" 

Five year old logic.  Can't beat it.

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