# I Hate the Word "Veggies" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 2, 2011, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-word-veggies/576986 "2011-04-02T23:42:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-word-veggies/576986/201 "2011-04-10T22:21:04Z")
> [@anya\_marie](#): > > Logistics. > > Logistics makes me want to kick somebody’s teeth in. What’s a better word for it? ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-word-veggies/576986/202 "2011-04-10T22:57:08Z")
> [@xoferew](#): > > …I think it’s a human trait to appreciate song and poetry and want to contribute. “Toesie-woesies” is probably the extent of a 2 year old’s contribution in that direction. Should she have to wait until she can compose sonnets? > [@CitizenPained](#): > > I wonder if I failed to enhance my son’s language development because I talked to him in a normal voice. ☹ Adults don’t need to alter their speech in any way whatsoever for children to properly learn a language. _The bonding alone is what is what matters_. As long as the speech resembles what people naturally say to each other for the context, it’s not necessary to speak in “toesie-woesies,” etc. You can say, “Pick up your snot rag, kid” or “retrieve your sanity accessory,” if you want, and as long as it’s said in a nurturing way, the child will learn the language fine. The “toesies-woesies” are more to please the adult, than anything. ---
**Author:** ![xoferew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/e9a140/32.png) [@xoferew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xoferew)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-word-veggies/576986/203 "2011-04-10T23:42:47Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > Adults don’t need to alter their speech in any way whatsoever for children to properly learn a language. _The bonding alone is what is what matters_. As long as the speech resembles what people naturally say to each other for the context, it’s not necessary to speak in “toesie-woesies,” etc. > > You can say, “Pick up your snot rag, kid” or “retrieve your sanity accessory,” if you want, and as long as it’s said in a nurturing way, the child will learn the language fine. The “toesies-woesies” are more to please the adult, than anything. Sure, but I’m not talking about furthering the goal of language acquisition. I’m talking about finding joy in the manipulation of language as an aesthetic outlet, and strengthening phonemic skills that will aid in reading, such as changing the beginning sound (rhyming), or changing the vowels (like in the song about ooples and boonoonoos). Certainly, when teaching a science lesson I use language like, “Look at this brightly colored male bird, and here is the camouflaged female. She has to stay on the nest incubating her eggs, so the camouflage helps keep her safe from predators.” ---
**Author:** ![MissGypsy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8491ac/32.png) [@MissGypsy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissGypsy)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-word-veggies/576986/204 "2011-04-11T00:18:54Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > “retrieve your sanity accessory,” I would like a sanity accessory, because goodness knows, my sanity needs help. Where might I obtain one? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-word-veggies/576986/205 "2011-04-11T00:20:43Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > Adults don’t need to alter their speech in any way whatsoever for children to properly learn a language. With respect, I did hear - admittedly several years ago - that parents do alter their speech when speaking to children, and that they are remarkabley adept at using language and sentences structures _ **just a little beyond** _ the child’s currently capabilities. This is not to be taken in anyway as supporting the ‘tootsie-wootsie’ speech pattern. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-word-veggies/576986/206 "2011-04-11T02:30:21Z")
> [@xoferew](#): > > Sure, but I’m not talking about furthering the goal of language acquisition. I’m talking about finding joy in the manipulation of language as an aesthetic outlet, and strengthening phonemic skills that will aid in reading, such as changing the beginning sound (rhyming), or changing the vowels (like in the song about ooples and boonoonoos). > > Certainly, when teaching a science lesson I use language like, “Look at this brightly colored male bird, and here is the camouflaged female. She has to stay on the nest incubating her eggs, so the camouflage helps keep her safe from predators.” There’s no tootise wootsie in that! I talked to my son in a singsong voice at times, but there was no shriekage involved. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-word-veggies/576986/207 "2011-04-11T04:07:59Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > I hate it with the white hot hatred of 1000 blinding bright suns. > > In fact, there is a new restaurant I have heard good things about that I refuse to patronize because they have a section on their menu titled “Sammies!”. > > I’m not a freaking 8 year so stop talking to me like you think I am. But I like acting like I’m 8 every once in awhile. - farts in your general direction. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-word-veggies/576986/208 "2011-04-11T05:55:18Z")
> [@j66](#): > > With respect, I did hear - admittedly several years ago - that parents do alter their speech when speaking to children, and that they are remarkabley adept at using language and sentences structures _ **just a little beyond** _ the child’s currently capabilities. Yes, what I said was too simplistic. Parents do change the enunciation of words at points where children are verging on approximate production. It’s a kind of scaffolding. But they don’t need to change the actual words or syntax the children are acquiring. So I misspoke to say it isn’t altered at all. Still, it’s not clear that how essential this is to language acquisition, as we’re only now getting large amounts of data to know. [QUOTE=xoferew] .. I’m talking about finding joy in the manipulation of language as an aesthetic outlet… [/quote] I’m not sure, but I imagine that playing with language for its own sake engages perhaps even higher levels of cognition, and so I’d say it’s extremely important, but I don’t think it’s a necessary component of normal language acquisition itself. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-word-veggies/576986/209 "2011-04-11T06:33:25Z")
You can play with the nuances of language without sounding like you just inhaled some helium. Humor is its own dialect here in Casa de Citizen. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-word-veggies/576986/210 "2011-04-11T12:47:01Z")
I despise both “veggies” and “congrats.” If you can’t offer me full congratulations, don’t offer me any at all. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-word-veggies/576986/211 "2011-04-11T20:57:01Z")
> [@xoferew](#): > > Incidentally, almost all my …things… are boyshorts, and are those ever actually worn by boys? I mean, not my personal ones, but in general? They’re named because they’re closer to something like a boxer brief, not because men actually wear the same style. > [@Sigmagirl](#): > > I despise both “veggies” and “congrats.” If you can’t offer me full congratulations, don’t offer me any at all. Grats on your rant. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-word-veggies/576986/212 "2011-04-11T21:00:24Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > > [@Sigmagirl](#): > > > > I despise both “veggies” and “congrats.” If you can’t offer me full congratulations, don’t offer me any at all. > > Grats on your rant. Feel the burn! LMFAO! ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-word-veggies/576986/213 "2011-04-11T21:05:26Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Feel the burn! > > LMFAO! Yes, but how do you feel about “congo rats”? That one annoys me. I don’t like “grats” or “congrats” either, at least not in written form. My WoW guildies tease me sometimes because when I congratulate somebody on an accomplishment in-game, I always spell out the whole “Congratulations!” (I do say “grats” when speaking to them, though. I never say “congo rats.”) ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-word-veggies/576986/214 "2011-04-11T22:11:54Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > Yes, but how do you feel about “congo rats”? That one annoys me. > > I don’t like “grats” or “congrats” either, at least not in written form. My WoW guildies tease me sometimes because when I congratulate somebody on an accomplishment in-game, I always spell out the whole “Congratulations!” (I do say “grats” when speaking to them, though. I never say “congo rats.”) I have less hatred for congo rats than I do for canyon squirrels. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-word-veggies/576986/215 "2011-04-11T22:28:24Z")
I like conga rats, especially since someone linked a gif for them. [What’s not to like?](http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/files/2/6/1/9/115F4_congarats.gif) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-word-veggies/576986/216 "2011-04-12T06:44:56Z")
> [@anya\_marie](#): > > Logistics. > > Logistics makes me want to kick somebody’s teeth in. Okay, I’m a big ole’ dum-dum. What DO you call them instead? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-word-veggies/576986/217 "2011-04-12T18:48:19Z")
Honestly, I’m a big old word crank and I hate most abbreviations. My mother sayd “docs” instead of “doctors” and it makes me want to scream. ---
**Author:** ![phantom\_lamb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@phantom\_lamb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phantom_lamb)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2011, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-word-veggies/576986/218 "2011-04-13T12:00:11Z")
Poopie. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2011, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-word-veggies/576986/219 "2011-04-13T12:09:50Z")
> [@phantom\_lamb](#): > > Poopie. That reminds me, I have known two grown women in my life who use the word “tinkle”. And not just when talking to small children (which is bad enough…why teach another generation this awful word?). WHY??? WHY!!! ---
**Author:** ![impatien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c89c15/32.png) [@impatien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/impatien)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2011, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-word-veggies/576986/220 "2011-04-13T21:35:23Z")
> [@jasonh300](#): > > The word “veggies” is an attempt to make vegetables seem fun (to a 3 year old). It doesn’t work any more than calling dog shit “chocolate”. > > This may not be pit worthy…however, if a medical professional instructed me to “pee”, I would find a different medical professional. > > As I would find a different nutritionist if one told me to eat my “veggies”. That’s just condescending. Seriously?? You would actually find a different medical professional if you were instructed to pee in a cup. What the hell would you like them to say?? Please go urinate in this cup?? Wow, way to get worked up over something really stupid. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-word-veggies/576986.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-word-veggies/576986.md?page=12)