“English is a shitty first language.”

“Better a first than a second,” Jarrod chuckles.

“Exactly!” says Mori. “So it would be easier than ever as a zeroth language.”

“Oh, like how they teach babies sign language?” Jarrod says brightly. “I’ve heard that can be really helpful when–”

Mori flaps that away. “So zeroth has been done,” she says. “But know what hasn’t? A negative-oneth language.”

“Negative-first,” says Jarrod.

Mori frowns. “No, I checked,” she says. “There’s nothing in the APA Manual–”

“So what’s after that?” Jarrod laughs. “Twoth? Threeth?”

“A negative-oneth language wouldn’t have these problems,” Mori grumbles.