Setting:
Evening. I was sitting on my bed. My sister and my 1year and 10-month old niece were also in the room. My sister was busy playing with an app on her smartphone and my niece was busy playing on her own. A moment came to pass when...
Niece: Me (pronounced with short letter e. Meaning: "May I have?" or "Give me some")
Sister: What do you like? What are you asking for?
Niece: Money.
Sister: Don't ask money from me, ask from Tita(Aunt-pertaining to me)
My niece approached me and spoke the same words with her hand stretched out, palm-up.
Me: What are you going to do with the money? (This seemed a little too confusing for her to understand so I rephrased it) What are you going to buy?
Niece: Ph-Phone
<I was dumbfounded>
Setting:
Evening. I just got home. My niece was busy watching cartoons and she looked towards me:
Niece: Hallwo (Hello..that's how she pronounces it)
Me: Hi baby!
Niece: bong? (bong = pasalubong = take out = "Do you have something for me?")
<At least she had thought of saying hello first!>
Setting:
Five minutes after the setting above, I was looking for something in my bag when she approached me-wanting to look into my bag as well.
Me: Do you like 'kiss'?
Niece: Eeeww!
<Again, I was dumbfounded. She usually smiles and offers her cheeks.>
Setting:
She was playing with her cooking toys. She wants me to just sit down and watch her. I had to ask for her permission before I could stand up otherwise, she'd throw a mini-tantrum.
Me: You wait for me and I'll just change, ok?
Niece: ture ture (Sure, sure)
Setting:
In the bedroom. Playing with her stuffed toys.
Niece: chain chain
My sister: What's chain chain?
<My niece falls silent and proceeds to play with the toys. After 10-15 seconds..>
Niece: choo choo
My sister: Oh! train train
<Then my niece smiled--probably feeling proud of herself for finding another term so that we could understand her>
