They may sound meaningless to the average adult, but the nonsense-speak, fantastical word-play and strange puns of children’s fiction play a pivotal role in the development of young readers, a new study suggests.

In her inaugural lecture at the University of Cambridge this evening (Wednesday, April 29th), Professor of Education Maria Nikolajeva will argue that the spells cast by Harry Potter, the Grinch of Dr Seuss, or the elusive “woozles” once hunted by Winnie-the-Pooh, are about more than just entertainment.

Instead, the study reveals how the specialised language of some of the best-loved children’s books has for generations been playing a part in educating children, socialising them and preparing them for adult life by illustrating the power of language.

But it also questions how good an example some children’s authors are setting and claims that not all are above abusing that power. The study suggests that Lewis Carroll, for example, frequently used Alice’s bewilderment as a vehicle to mock his young readers’ limited mastery of English in Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland.

The lecture aims to explain why some of the best children’s authors are so fond of puns, wordplay and seeming nonsense. It forms part of a wider research project examining the issue of power in children’s literature.

“Children’s authors should be aware of the power of language, its possibilities and also the dangers it presents in terms of manipulating children,” Professor Nikolajeva said. “A lot of people presume that writing children’s literature is relatively simple, but in fact it demands great sophistication.”

The presentation argues that the curious language in children’s stories helps young readers to understand the difference between the “imaginary” and the “symbolic”.

To engage with the adult world, children have to learn that words and letters carry a symbolic meaning. As a result, many books depict children, or child-like characters, who need to be “socialised” by becoming literate.

In Winnie-the-Pooh, the lack of an ability to associate words and meanings lies at the heart of many of Pooh’s and Piglet’s problems. As well as being guilty of frequent misspellings (most famously “hunny” for “honey”); the bear and friends struggle to understand the meaning of words such as “ambush” (which Pooh interprets as meaning a type of bush).

As a result, they are just as likely to be terrified by Christopher Robin’s made-up notion of a “Heffalump”, which Pooh thinks might be a monster that will deprive him of food, or to spend their time hunting for ever-elusive “woozles and wizzles”, which Piglet frets could be “Hostile Animals… of Hostile intent”.

The lecture argues that as well as being fun, therefore, the invented language of A. A. Milne plays a role in teaching children about the importance of linking meanings to words. It also illustrates the power of language to young readers – Christopher Robin is often at an advantage in the stories because he can distinguish between real and made-up terms and understands words the other characters cannot.

This power and the need to be able to understand meanings and figurative speech is a recurring theme in children’s literature, the lecture suggests. In the Harry Potter series, for example, Professor Nikolajeva argues that “magical power is connected with the mastery of language: the knowledge of the magical spells”.

As well as being made-up words, spells such as the “Alohomora” or “Evanesco” represent a language that the characters must acquire in order to be able to exert power over the world around them. “It is in this respect interesting to consider the character of Hermoine, who gets all her knowledge from books and who is the most proficient of the three friends in magic incantations,” the study adds.

The lecture warns, however, that in illustrating the power of language writers are often only one step from patronising and alienating their young readers.

In Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland, it suggests, the character of Alice is disempowered because she exists in a world where she has no mastery over the logic of language and communication. The creatures of Wonderland make fun of her and deliberately talk in a way that she cannot understand.

Professor Nikolajeva argues that in a manner which perhaps reflects attitudes towards children in the Victorian era, Lewis Carroll often uses this treatment of Alice as a vehicle through which he also cajoles his younger readers and demonstrates the supremacy of adult over child.

Alice is mocked for not understanding words like “Latitude”, “Longitude” and “Antipathy” – but their meaning is never explained. Puns, such as the Duchess’ words of wisdom: “Take care of the sense and the sounds will take care of themselves,” play on adult sayings that would mean little to children. The constant derision of Alice for her failure to understand language therefore often comes close to being directed at the children reading the book as well.

By contrast, the lecture argues that the books of Dr Seuss, which are full of imaginary characters and nonsensical rhymes, offer “a perfect training in verbal competence”.

Characters such as the Grinch and its less-celebrated associates, such as the duck-dog and the Fiffer-feffer-feff, are clearly works of fiction, but are accompanied by clear illustrations showing the reader what they mean. Youngsters reading the book therefore learn to associate words and ideas in a fun and colourful context.

Perhaps more importantly, the books also show that language is a flexible tool which, as well as giving meaning to the adult world, can be used creatively to lend expression to children’s own imaginations.

“The creative employment of language in children’s books gives the child the power of expression,” Professor Nikolajeva concludes. “By challenging the arbitrary rules of language,
especially written language, children learn to be critically-thinking individuals.”

The inaugural lecture by Professor Maria Nikolajeva: The Power Of Language: Literacy, (mis)communication and oppression in literature for young readers, will be held in the Mary Allan Building Auditorium, Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge, 184 Hills Road, Cambridge, at 5pm on Wednesday, April 29th. For more information, or to book a place, please contact Susannah Lacon, Tel: 01223 767626 or Email: sml44@cam.ac.uk

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