Why two sets? (updated)

Jr. was having some fun with an english workbook she got as a gift. This is now our usual routine in the evenings.

Today she had to answer a question which was :

_______ went to swim.

the three choices were

Him
I
i

She figured out that Him was wrong as soon as she read that option.

Then she looked at me and asked me a very profound question.

"Daddy, why do we need two set of letters with all this uppercase and lowercase stuff? Why can't we have just all uppercase or all lowercase?"

I really do not have an answer for that one! Why? Why?

Now, I have a question for my parents!

Was I smart or lazy enough to ask that question when I was learning english? and if I did, were you proud of me?

Why do we need two sets of letters people? Answer me!

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Anon commenter... Just a thought!

THIS IS SHOUTING

THIS IS NOT SHOUTING

i rest my case

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now I have another question.. Does Tamizh have ! in the alphabet, punctuation.. I have to go and read about the history of punctuation marks. Tonight's homework..

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Do you still hold on to your..

Big, Fat, Red...

"Wren and Martin" English Grammar book?

Do you go to sleep happy in the knowledge that this book that created something close to a Stockholm syndrome inside you, is tucked away in a loft somewhere, halfway across the globe?

Do you know in the bottom of your heart, that in spite of going through this book from cover to cover over a three year period in middle school, you somehow thank those dudes who came up with this book for helping you grasp a language that has opened many a door for you, and continues to do so?

Do you get flashbacks of this book on a chapter to chapter basis starting from "The Articles", to "Gerunds, participles" to Precis writing? Are they flashbacks that evoke mixed emotions and you start tossing and turning?

If you are going, Yeah, Me too, that's right!, it is high time you join the Wren and Martin Anonymous club that I plan to start..

We can discuss about our middleschool english grammar experiences..

Do they still use this book in CBSE schools today?

Has this book now changed in thicknes, color, addded authors..let me know! Sometimes, google doesn't tell everything!

Going to have some sweet dreams of subjects and predicates.

Now stop counting the number of mistakes on this post, will you?

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The little devil

What does it mean, when a married couple who have Tamizh and English as their default languages, are seen speaking in Hindi? This from a couple who were recently seen talking to each other in "Spell"!

If you do not know spell, here is an example.

Dad : Do I G-I-V-E her I-C-E C-R-E-A-M today ?
Mom : A L-I-T-T-L-E

or

Dad : have to G-O T-O O-F-F-I-C-E soon etc.

There are two reasons..

1. Jr. has now figured out the English language in its totality. She can speak, write and read! That means, she KNOWS spell. That also means she is privy to information that we try to keep from the little one when we talk in Spell and promptly goes and tells the little one. This makes it look like we are conspiring against baby and Jr. is her guardian angel!

2. The little one now understands Tamizh and English to a point where she can embarass us in public. Here is a conversation from our trip to the east coast over the last weekend:

Mom : enga pora ? (where are you going?)
Me : Bathroom (in hushed tone). Watch them for a few minutes.
When I come back towards the stroller...
Me : lets go
Little one : (with a big smile on her face on seeing me walk towards her)

Daddy? Pooh-pooh DONE ?

I have no idea how she heard or caught on to the fact that I was visiting the restroom. She announced the question, in a tone that would put the airport public address system to shame. Everyone in Terminals A through C would have looked up and thought "Good for you Daddy. But why tell everyone at the airport?", and continued on with their business.

Now the adults in the family only speak in Hindi.

We are also planning to enroll in Chinese classes starting next quarter at the local community college as a backup plan.

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