Funny Misunderstandings of Grown-Up Speak in The Railway Children

This is my last post about the Railway Children, I promise.

One element that I loved in this book, other than the playfulness of the parents, is the misunderstandings of grown-up actions and phrases by the children.

Imitating Things Grown Ups Say

After the children’s father is arrested, the children try not to fight, for their mother’s sake. In their discussion, Roberta comedically attempts to use a grown-up phrase:

“There’s nothing to be good ABOUT now, silly,” said Peter.

“We might begin to try to FEEL good,” said Phyllis, “and not call names.”

“Who’s calling names?” said Peter. “Bobbie knows right enough that when I say ‘silly’, it’s just the same as if I said Bobbie.”

“WELL,” said Roberta. “No, I don’t mean what you mean. I mean it’s just a — what is it Father calls it? — a germ of endearment! Good night.”

Nesbit, Edith. The Railway Children.

A “germ” of endearment! I love it.

Throughout the story, the oldest child Bobbie/ Roberta tries to act mature by talking like a grown up:

Then, when the dining-room was lighted by fourteen candles, Roberta fetched coal and wood and lighted a fire.

“It’s very cold for May,” she said, feeling what a grown-up thing it was to say.

Nesbit, Edith. The Railway Children.

Grown Ups Use Meaningless Phrases

It’s funny how grown ups can sometimes use simple phrases to explain things and have it go over a child’s head. What’s funnier is the child’s perspective. They see through the adult “nonsense,” as they perceive a situation differently from an adult.

I enjoyed Nesbit’s observations on this through the children’s eyes:

Mother had told them more than once that they were ‘quite poor now,’ but this did not seem to be anything but a way of speaking. Grown-up people, even Mothers, often make remarks that don’t seem to mean anything in particular, just for the sake of saying something, seemingly. There was always enough to eat, and they wore the same kind of nice clothes they had always worn.

Nesbit, Edith. The Railway Children.

The children are largely unaffected by the fact that they’re poor. Though they feel the burden of this later in the story when they don’t have enough coal for the fire, their view of their position in the world at present is simple: if they have enough food to eat and a place to stay, then it’s the same whether they’re rich or poor.

There is something nice and comforting about seeing the world through the eyes of a child, don’t you think?

How about you? Any funny misappropriations or misunderstandings of adult-speak by children that you’d like to share? 🙂