The severe and scholarly among us—those prone to cultural nostalgia—seem often to decry the current “bastardization” of the English language, and are quick to attribute a rise of phonetic spellings and abbreviations to the tech revolution and an intellectually phlegmatic youth culture. However, while those citizens are longing for the good old days (before the advent of “LOL” and “ur”), they should consider this fact: Winnie the Pooh, that much-beloved, much-translated bear, was once considered a direct cause of the decline of the English language. Dorothy Parker lambasted Pooh creator A.A. Milne for his “dumbing down of English for children” and was particularly offended by his spelling of “hunny.” Those who can live with Milne’s “hunny,” however, can enjoy live appearances by Winnie the Pooh for the holidays, along with other favorite childrens’ book characters.
Eric Carle Museum, Dec. 27-28, 1:30 and 2:30 p.m., free with museum admission, (413) 658-1100, www.picturebookart.org.