MovieChat Forums > Nell (1994) Discussion > Idioglossia, The Language of the Twins

Idioglossia, The Language of the Twins

posted 19 years ago by beztvarny
6 replies | jump to latest

It has been documented that twin siblings who don't have much contact with other children develop a unique version of the English language, called "idioglossia", because it's idealistic speech. Nell and her late sister May had this form of communication, and I guess the directors put in that the mother's inability to enunciate properly just nurtured the idioglossic way of speaking. It sounds like gibberish to most of us, but it makes perfect sense to the two who speak it. This is why we see the two young girls by the lake reciting their "chickabee" poem. Nell never grew out of it.

Sorta makes me wonder about the Olsen twins....tho' they were famous and had contact with many people at a young age.

~Bez

I was put on this earth to comfort the disturbed and disturb the comforted

[–] Molly-31 19 years ago

The Olsens wouldn't have had the opportunity, having not much time to themselves, but consider the Kennedy girls,
http://www.trivia-library.com/b/languages-with-few-speakers-idioglossia-or-twin-speech.htm
and the "silent twins", June and Jennifer Gibbons. Jon Amiel did a film about them, http://akas.imdb.com/title/tt0311808/combined There is also something about idioglossia at Wikipedia.

[–] Ezekiel_Stone 19 years ago

Nicole Kidman has also admitted she has a special language she speaks with her sister that they made up as kids, im not sure if shes her twin but i think they are about the same age give or take.

[–] blynnpatton 14 years ago

There is some debate about whether a special twin speak actually exists. I'm not talking about jargon or expressions that a child might make up. People use to think that twins might have their on special language that was innate. Most experts no longer believe this.

[–] Molly-31 14 years ago

Twins make up their own languages but it's not like they all make up the same language.

Let's just say that God doesn't believe in me.

[–] Ithilfaen 9 years ago

Twins make up their own languages but it's not like they all make up the same language.

I've always wondered where that particular twin myth came from. There are a lot and most of them can be easily traced to either an exaggeration of facts or the mystification of twins but this one? I'll never know.

I'm an identical twin. I'm very close to my sister even to this day, in my 40ies. Every time someone asks us about our "secret language", I can't help but laugh. Never had it. I guess we skipped that phase. And we both speak several foreign languages so we would have loved to have our own really 

Seriously, I know a lot of twins and none of them had a secret twin language. I'm sure there are kids who do have one, not necessarily twins, but it's by far not a given for twins. Maybe people are confused because a lot of twins seem so in tune. At least it's better than people who assume we have special powers and can read each others minds 

All this being said, I liked that it's believable in the movie. It's more related to their complete isolation and their lack of "normal" speech as a reference. They only had each other growing up so it would make sense for them to develop a language of their own.

For every lie I unlearn I learn something new - Ani Difranco

[–] NeoDeMover 14 years ago

Its a developmental problem. There are windows in which humans are able to learn speech and language, easily. Children who are abused/isolated (such as those locked in a closet, like one such girl for about 10 years) may learn some basics, but for the most part are unable to ever speak a language. Not hearing proper language for the first 3 years is damaging - yes, babies are hearing and learning, even if they are drooling and pooping. After about 5~6 years old, learning language is pretty much lost cause. The brain's wiring during those developmental years are done. Just as we as adults have a very difficult time learning something new, including a new language - but we are able to because we understand abstracts and concepts, etc and can apply what me know to another language. Try learning Japanese, its very different and looks nothing like our ABCs - but it does work very well.

Also the concept of nudity and sex is a problem... like when Nell pulls up her shirt. The some of real life girls that "Nell" depicts, that were locked up had/have chronic masturbation issues. It feels good and communicating that its not proper to do so in front of others just doesn't make sense to them. Hence around 5~7, we as children learn about nudity / being bashful.

This info is available in psychology books and medical documents.