Speech

In celebration of Bastille Day, the French National Day, let's take a look at some French words we commonly use in our daily vocabulary. It's quite easy to mispronounce and say it as how it looks like on paper, because not everyone is fluent in French. Here are some of the more common French words and the correct ways to pronounce them:

Baguette: This long, barrow French bread is pronounced "ba-get."

C'est la vie: This is a phrase which means "such is life" and is used to downplay a disappointment. You pronounce it as "say-la-vee."

Faux pas: A faux pas is a mistake in etiquette or conduct. It is pronounced "foe-pah."

Chic: Chic is a word we often use in English to describe something stylish, and it's pronounced "sheek" not "chick."

Haute couture: Haute couture is basically high fashion. You pronounce it as "oat-koo-tuur."

Avant-garde: Avant-garde is a term often used to describe something unorthodox or experimental. It's used a lot as a description in the fashion industry. You should pronounce it "ah-von-gahd."

Eau de toilette: You'll see this phrase on most perfumes, or "eau de parfum" for stronger fragrances. You should pronounce it as "oh-do-toy-let."

Cache: Cache means a hiding place or anything that's being hidden. Since it doesn't end with an accented "e," you should pronounce this word as "kash," not "kashay."

Hearing your child speak his first clear words is one of motherhood’s most precious milestones. But what happens when he's approaching age two or three and the words have not yet come? Is this normal? Should you be concerned?

The American Academy of Pediatrics says that “Most toddlers master at least fifty spoken words by the end of the second year and can put two words together to form a short sentence." But the Academy also states that if your child doesn't fit this pattern, it isn't necessarily a reason to assume something's wrong: “There are differences among children. Even among those with normal hearing and intelligence, some don’t talk much during the second year."

Postings in various Circle of Moms communities made by moms of toddlers demonstrate that there are indeed vast differences in language development among children in this age range:

At one end of the spectrum are Jenee R.'s 22 month-old, who "uses (the word) 'hot' for everything;" Jeannie W.'s 2 year-old, who understands everything she says to him but "refuses to talk. I think he has about 10-12 words;" and Rhiannon T.'s daughter, who "can only say 'mom, dada, and my personal favorite: 'NONONO'."

At the other end of the spectrum, Melanie B. says that "My two-year-old is bilingual (her dad is Italian) and chatters easily in both languages. She had a vocabulary of about 50 words in each language by 18 months old." And Beth J. says, "My daughter never shuts up!!! She describes everything, she talks to herself when she is playing in her room. There are many times I have to go and look in her room to make sure she is still by herself!"

One mom with a slow-to-talk toddler, Brandi H., says reassuringly that a bit of time is the trick: "My older boy had a hard time with talking until he was about 26 months. He only said 'mama,' 'dada,' 'baba,' 'baby,' and 'Lulu.' Now he's three and his doctor is impressed at how well he talks for his age. I also have a 16-month old boy who already has a 12-word vocabulary and has already said his first sentence. So it really depends on the child."

Moms whose children experience language delays encourage others facing the same dilemma to not worry, but to also seek professional advice.

"I would bring it up with your pediatrician if you are worried," advises Amy G. Her son Kyan did not speak at 24 months of age. She took him to a speech therapist who diagnosed him with childhood apraxia of speech. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Assocation, it is a disorder in which "the brain has problems planning to move the body parts — for example, the lips, jaw, and tongue — needed for speech. The child knows what he or she wants to say, but his/her brain has difficulty coordinating the muscle movements necessary to say those words."

She knew something was wrong, but others told her that his older brother was doing the talking for him, which is not unheard of when an older sibling who can talk is in the picture.

But Amy G. went with her instincts: "It wasn't until I listened to that voice inside my head that we actually got him the help he needs," she admits.

Her proactive approach is what the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests when a parent suspect language delay in their toddler. According to the Academy, one in every ten children has trouble with language comprehension and/or speech.

"Early detection and identification of language delay or hearing impairment is critically important, so treatment can begin before the problem interferes with learning in other areas," the Academy states.

As Nina C. shares, following through with a speech therapist can net quick results for a child trying to gain language: "My 21-month old boy was only saying two words. We got him tested with a speech therapist and he is (indeed) a late talker. We were given some simple exercises to encourage his speech and it has worked," she says. "Within one week, he was using eight words and now he is using around 12 words. Learning more every day."

Image Source: linh.ngan via Flickr/Creative Commons

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, POPSUGAR.

Who knew the words of Jersey Shore's favorite guidette would cost this much? Rutgers University paid Snooki a hefty $32,000 for giving two question and answer sessions last night that were apparently sold out, reports the New York Daily News. Wearing a black dress and a gold headband and belt, Snooki dispensed gems of advice such as "Study hard . . . but party harder." Further, when asked about her biggest inspiration, she replied, "I'd honestly say, being tan . . . When you're tan, you feel better."

Sadly, Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison is going to be paid less than Snooki to speak at the school. Toni is going to be paid $30,000 to speak at the school's commencement in May. Do you think Snooki was overpaid?

Got a kid who's slow to talk or read? Language-based learning disabilities affect 15-20 percent of the population and are a commonly-discussed topic here on Circle of Moms, where moms frequently swap ideas for helping kids who struggle with writing, reading, speaking and spelling. Here we’ve rounded up some of their words of wisdom:

1. Learn the Difference between "Disorder" and "Delay"

A language-based learning disorder is not the same as a language delay. As Geralyn C. shares, a child with a language-based learning disorder processes information in a different way than others, and “requires direct 1:1 speech-language therapy by a highly qualified speech-language therapist.” Important to note: a language disorder does not indicate low intelligence. In fact, according the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASLHA) “most people diagnosed with learning disabilities have average to superior intelligence.”

2. Watch for Common Signs

My eldest daughter has dyslexia,” shared Morag S. “I knew around 4 that she was. She never understood her letters, she'd get the alphabet all mixed up... anything that involved letters just eluded her completely.” If your preschooler is simply writing her letters backwards, Circle of Moms members stressed that you probably don’t have anything to worry about—memorizing letter shapes correctly takes some time. But watch for other common signs of language-based learning disabilities, including difficulties with expressing ideas with age-appropriate vocabulary, learning new vocabulary, properly pronouncing words, identifying which sounds and letters correspond, following directions, and telling left from right. (Note: The ASLHA website has a full list of common symptoms.)

3. Get Professionals Involved ASAP

“Early intervention is the key,” emphasizes Sharalyn S. If you suspect your child has a language-based learning disorder, have a speech-language pathologist (SLP) evaluate her speaking, listening, reading, and writing abilities as soon as possible.

Similarly, Geralyn C. strongly suggested trying to identify the disorder before age seven: “The window for developing language is birth to 7 years. That is NOT to say that you cannot make a difference after 7 but I am a huge advocate for early intervention during those critical years.”

As Charlotte M. shared, an added benefit to early intervention is that you'll feel more in control: “I have found that getting an accurate diagnosis and developing a good therapy plan helped me to feel better about my daughters' numerous diagnoses. Information is power!”

4. Combine Therapy and At-Home Work

Circle of Moms members like Terra K., whose two boys both had language-based difficulties, encourage communicating with your child’s speech-language therapist about what they’re working on with your child: “If you and the teacher are on the same page, and she is getting constant reminders at both home and school, she will pick up on it much faster."

5. Be an Advocate for Your Child

You are your child’s best advocate. As Andrea D. counseled: “Remember to be proactive and not reactive when dealing with your child's education. Don't listen to teachers who have a wait-and-see attitude. You know your child, and you will be the best advocate. Also constantly let her know that people learn in different ways and no way is better than the other.”