i was the captain - children giving play instructions

[swedeheart]

Over here in Sweden when children have an idea on a role they'd like to play (for instance Prince or Princess) and they instruct their mates on the "plot", they always use the past tense, as if the story had already happened. For instance:

"You were a mountain climber and you were stuck on that mountain but then I rescued you cos I was the captain of a hot air balloon and I flew over the mountain and I saw you..." and so on.

I've always wondered what the past tense is about - if it's a reflection of having already seen the story enacted in your own imagination? ...but that doesn't really seem right cos the way I remember myself giving instructions as a child, the story unravelled even as I spoke, the better part of the story I had NOT "seen" in my head before starting to hand out instructions.

My question is, do English children (or wherever you are and whatever language you speak) also express instructions for play in the past tense, and if so, what's your theory about why they do that.

[swedeheart]

Me being a Swede living in Sweden karenmac I wonder might "make it" (in this context) be ascribed to your regional accent (if you've got one) or is it quite common d'you think? (I like it!)

[karenmac60]

I think it's probably a regional thing (I'm Scottish) and it more or less means 'make believe' or 'pretend', but it was always used when we wanted to speak as ourselves - almost like pilots always having to say Roger or something like that, it was an unspoken rule of the game.

[swedeheart]

Thanks karenmac. Funny thing is your post has made me remember that we, too, used to begin the instructions with a phrase I'm having trouble finding a good translation for, but it was a "this is pretence"-marker, certainly - and THEN we would switch to past tense. I really like your "Make it", it has a ring of magic as well as regal decree to it:) (Love the ginger kitteh too:)

[karenmac60]

Thank you - that's my wee Rufus sitting on his favourite radiator :)

[scotman]

My admittedly rapidly fading memory tells me it would have been in present or future tense. I certainly have no memory of anything such as you describe.

[swedeheart]

Aww, Rufus is a good name for a cat:)

"Negative" replies are of course just as valuable in this little research project of mine, so I thank you scotman:) BTW have you been to Ystad yet;-)

[annie0000]

Like Karen I am Scottish - so I can see where her "make it" comes from. I can't remember what I used to do as a child, but listening to my kids, they start with "pretend" as in "pretend that I am darth vader and I am coming to blast you away, you can be luke skywalker and we'll pretend that this is my base" etc. I guess that my kids play mostly in the present or future tense.

[swedeheart]

Thanks annie, I appreciate it!

[sophie_1003]

Is this just a ponderment by the way swede or are you doing some proper reseacrh onto it? I've done a fair bit on developmental pyschology at uni (I'm doing an education degree) and loads on play but only briefly looked at cultural influences and attitudes to play in a recent assignment, would be really interested in what you find out if you're following this line of enquiry at all!

[swedeheart]

No just a ponderment sophie. My one time walk of life did involve - amongst many other things - the study of developmental psychology and linguistics including semantics, but this "research" on AB is just because I've always wondered about it, I remember wondering even as a child, ha ha ha!

Your field sounds extremely interesting. What little I've read about it in recent years has been absolutely fascinating, but it's articles in periodicals written in Swedish and I haven't kept any of it so I can't even give you those references - sorry. Working with your assignment, did you find anything out that inspired you or gave you a new perspective on things?

[sophie_1003]

Definitely the cultural attitudes, is especially interesting because in the UK we have such a melting pot of cultures that finding an approach to education that suits all is a necessary (I believe) but difficult task.
Also I looked at 'risky play' where children challenge their physical abilties, that was very interesting too!

[swedeheart]

Hi Sophie, sorry for the delay but I threw my back out and am hardly able to sit:( And there wasn't even any "risky play" involved, just leaning forward to tie the bin liner handles ha ha... Thanks for your reply, I found it interesting. You have an important - and exciting! - task ahead of you in your walk of life:)

[sophie_1003]

Aww no, get better soon! And I'm glad you approve! So many people respond with "urrgh, don't know how you can work with kids" when they find out I want to work in early years!