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| Alex | Casey | Jasmine | Bert | Loki | Chester | Boo-boo | Tookie |
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Boo-boo uses more pronouns than Chester (or any of the others), and uses them correctly and often. He uses "he, she, they, I, you" and uses them in conversation -- not just in phrases he's been taught, like "I love you." Boo-Boo often uses "I" to refer to himself; Chester doesn't. He also uses more verbs than Chester, and uses both past and present tenses.
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December 2007
Boo-boo was talking and showing off for Tookie during her visit, saying "hi" and "hello" to her. Tookie responded by saying her name. Boo said "What?" so I explained, and asked Boo to tell her his name. He decided to beat his wings instead. I tried again, asking, "What's your name, pretty bird? What name?"
And Boo said, "Einstein."
Then he kind of drooped, bringing his wings in, flattening his feathers, lowering his head.
I told him he was okay, he's a good bird, and he can be Boo-boo. I reminded him he had told me his name was Boo-boo, and asked "Do you want name Einstein?" He made a small throat-clearing-sort of noise. I asked, "Is your name Boo-boo?" He raised his head and looked at me, and asked, "Love Boo-boo?" I told him I loved him, name Boo-boo or name Einstein or name anything. He shook out his feathers, and said "Okay. Boo."
Einstein is not the name he had in foster care. ==================================================
May 2007
Tookie started chattering away in cockatoo to Boo during a visit, in her sweet little chrrr-ing voice. When she stopped, Boo looked at me and said "I don't understand what she said."
Sometimes Boo's speech is much like a human toddler's. He may not ennunciate all the sounds clearly. What I heard was, "I don' unnerstan wha she seh."
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Summer 2006
Boo-boo has learned to say "cockatoo" from Chester!
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June 2005
Boo-boo impressed me when I was introducing him to the other birds, telling him each one's name, and that Alex talks and Loki talks a little and Chester talks...
Boo-boo drew himself up and raised his crest, and said clearly, "-I- talk."
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October 2005
My sister Diane took care of the birds while I was in hospital and then recovering at her house. She apparently worked with Boo-boo to get him to change from "What-cha-doin'?" to "what are you doing?"
During a visit, I heard Boo-boo say clearly, "What are you doing?" Diane told him, "I'm sweeping the floor." And Boo-boo said, "I thought so."
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November 2005
After I moved back home, I had to go out for a few hours one evening, so I told the birds I was leaving but I would be back after their bedtime. Boo-boo said, "After lights" (go out). I told him, "That's right." He said, "'Kay. Good bye!"
I think that is a pretty impressive bit of conversation.
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I took Boo-boo out, and we went into the "playroom" to talk and groom. I coughed a bit, and Boo said, "(mumble-mumble) cigarettes".
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Boo-boo says (I think) "razzle-frazit" like the old cartoon character. (Anybody know which one? I think maybe Yosemite Sam ?)
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My furnace developed problems winter 2005-2006, leading to workmen traipsing past the birds. Boo-boo greets everyone who comes down. After the guys had gone past and back several times, Boo asked me "What are they doing?"
I told him, "They're fixing the heat, so you'll be warm." Boo said, "They better."
Spring 2006, a workman was here and made several trips past the birds. When he was outside, finishing up, he started shaking his head, then asked me, "Was one of your birds saying 'outside'?"
I told him, yes, one certainly was. (Boo-boo)
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One morning, as I headed upstairs after giving the birds their breakfast, Boo-boo hollered after me, "I want to talk to you!" Since I had just spent two hours feeding, cleaning cages, and TALKING to the birds, I told Boo I'd come back after I had MY breakfast. He mumbled something then said, "Well, okay, better come back." I told him I would.
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Chester and I were singing, sometimes together, sometimes singly. When we both stopped, I thanked Chester for singing so much. Boo-boo bobbed his head and said "He's a nice guy. Chester."
I remembered where he got this from -- When I was first introducing Boo to the other birds, Bert was doing his best to impress and intimidate Boo. So we went to see Loki, the girls, and Chester. I told Boo-boo, "Chester's a nice guy."
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Boo-boo and Bert still consider each other rivals. I brought Boo over to see Bert, and Bert of course puffed himself up and shook out his feathers to seem as big as possible. Boo watched him, then turned to me and said, "He's so excited."
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I washed a large acrylic box, and set it not far from Boo-boo to dry. Boo promptly asked, "What's that?" (so I told him). He also asks "why?" and listens to the answer!
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I came home after the birds' bedtime, and Bert started hollering, so I went down to tell them all good-night. Boo said hello, then leaned close to me and asked, "Am I your best friend?"
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| Alex | Casey | Jasmine | Bert | Loki | Chester | Boo-boo | Tookie |
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