The Importance of Talking Baby Talk to your Baby

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Laura Bradway, Ph.D.

I have to confess. I'm a speech-language pathologist who talks "baby talk" to babies. And not only do I enjoy doing so, I maintain that it's good for them!

Baby talk refers to standard vocabulary words that have been modified by grownups to make them easier for Baby to say. They contain easier sounds, shorter syllables, and lots of repetition. For example, the baby talk word for stomach is "tum-tum," for good night, "nightie-night," for train, "choo-choo," and so on.

In addition to using different words with babies, it's natural for adults to slow their pace, simplify sentence structure and singsong their words. When a baby enters the room, note how your pitch gets higher and you begin talking silly! This is an instinctive way of communicating with babies, and it makes learning to talk fun for grownups and babies alike.

Baby talk then is a variation of adult language, invented by adults and passed on to each generation of babies, its sole purpose being to teach children to talk.

An Anthropological Study

Peter Farb, a linguist and anthropologist, carried out a fascinating study about baby talk. He researched the vocabulary of six very different languages-English and Spanish, two Asian languages, Comanche, and the language of a small, non-literate community in Siberia. What he discovered was that every one of these languages had a baby talk vocabulary. While the actual words differed, of course, from culture to culture, the themes were amazingly similar. Baby talk words referred to eating, sleeping, toileting, good and bad behavior, animal names, and terms for close relatives. These, of course, are the words that are most important in the life of every baby, whether born in Siberia or Seattle.

The most common sounds in baby talk are the consonants made with the lips which are "p," "b" and "m." These are the first sounds a child can make, probably because the lips are used early on for nursing. The next three consonants a child produces are formed with the tongue and are "t," "d" and "n." So it is not surprising that the earliest words infants speak are those like "papa," "mama" and "dada," which contain lip and tongue sounds.

My Own Experience

When my daughter, Isabel, was just beginning to talk, there were many things she wanted to say but couldn't pronounce because the words she needed contained consonant sounds that were too difficult for her. For example, at 18 months one of her favorite treats was popcorn, but she couldn't yet produce the "kuh" sound. To make the word easier to say, I began to call popcorn "pop-pop." She loved this new word that she could pronounce, and the power it gave her to get what she wanted.

Often Isabel would take the lead in inventing a baby talk word. As she turned two, she referred to our pet cat, "Smokey" as "Mo." A few months later, she began to call him "Mokey. By the age of four when she had mastered some consonant blends, he became "Smokey." and was able to pronounce more difficult sounds. Baby talk helped her progress naturally from one speech stage to the next and provided communication success at every age.

There are many benefits to the time-honored tradition of speaking baby talk to children. Babies get practice with simple sounds and short syllables as well as lots of opportunity for repetition. And, by the time kindergarten begins, baby talk will be left behind just like a well worn teddy bear.

http://www.helpingchildrengrow.com/babytalk.php

Video

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/pop...23&src=news

[Peikko 1,575]

I didn't do the baby talk thing too much, but I did try to understand the things my son said that werne't readily understandable. The most intersting word he 'made up' was 'gubby' which he used for bottle. For a while I was non plussed, what had 'gubby' and 'bottle' in common? Finally, the light dawned. Whenever I gave him a drink in the bottle I would give it to him and say 'good boy' (for the life of me I don't know why now) so 'gubby' was a corruption of 'good boy'.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I didn't do the baby talk thing too much, but I did try to understand the things my son said that werne't readily understandable. The most intersting word he 'made up' was 'gubby' which he used for bottle. For a while I was non plussed, what had 'gubby' and 'bottle' in common? Finally, the light dawned. Whenever I gave him a drink in the bottle I would give it to him and say 'good boy' (for the life of me I don't know why now) so 'gubby' was a corruption of 'good boy'.

My baby grunts, but I know he's trying to talk to me...his face gets very animated and he gets excited, so I reaffirm whatever he's trying to tell me like I'm having a conversation with a mute. It's very cute. I think he's going to be really smart...must have got it from his mom.

[Peikko 1,575]

Wind does that to the face you know Steven

[melusine 5]

yeas and anyway..... it's not because your talk baby talk when you are a kit that you are still stick to choo choo when u r a teen ! lol

It sound indeed cool (and i actually never even thought about doing it another way)..(well... when i'll have kids !)

[one...two...tree 2,762]

yeas and anyway..... it's not because your talk baby talk when you are a kit that you are still stick to choo choo when u r a teen ! lol

It sound indeed cool (and i actually never even thought about doing it another way)..(well... when i'll have kids !)

Yep. I find it a bit bizarre when I hear parents talking to their toddlers as if they are adults. If I were the toddler, I'd revolt and spit up on their nice clothes.

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

As a father of four, I never spoke a word of "baby talk". All my children's school instructors were impressed with the amount of words my children knew when they entered school. My oldest daughter now has two children and she doesn't do it either. I save the "baby talk" for domesticated animals!

[DeadPoolX 9]

I must confess... when my little brother (who was born in 1984, so he's not so little anymore) was still very young and innocent, I sat him down and provided him with an exceptionally valuable education. In other words, I taught him every single bit of foul language I knew and how to use it.

Edited April 24, 2008 by DeadPoolX

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

interesting

[Amby 490]

No one has ever done babytalk with my cousin Emma and she speaks whole sentences now. Sometimes those whole sentences don't make sense but most of the time they do and she is 21 months. If you don't understand her you just ask her what she said and she will say it again. She answers questions as well. She will tell you exactly what she wants for lunch or what she wants to wear if you ask her. There are also a few books that she has either memorised or that she can read. My family has always been about reading lots to babies even before they're born and always talking to them like they're an adult.

[Peikko 1,575]

You should never discuss politics with babies though

[HAL 9000 96]

I didn't do the baby talk thing too much, but I did try to understand the things my son said that werne't readily understandable. The most intersting word he 'made up' was 'gubby' which he used for bottle. For a while I was non plussed, what had 'gubby' and 'bottle' in common? Finally, the light dawned. Whenever I gave him a drink in the bottle I would give it to him and say 'good boy' (for the life of me I don't know why now) so 'gubby' was a corruption of 'good boy'.

My baby grunts, but I know he's trying to talk to me...his face gets very animated and he gets excited, so I reaffirm whatever he's trying to tell me like I'm having a conversation with a mute. It's very cute. I think he's going to be really smart...must have got it from his mom.

Is that grunt as in... "GRUNT :: Get me my bottle... or GRUNT:: Get me my beer bottle..." ???

Male practice

[mnieto 2]

I'm not a big fan of baby language. I guess it's ok to do it in the beginning while they are very very small and don't get a word anyway, but as soon as they start to understand words they should be taught to speak "properly" ...(at least as much as possible)...

This was my opinion even before I was confronted with the fact that my child would grow up bilingual ( before his Daddy came into the picture ... I'm due in September ).

We were discussing the subject "bilingual or not" and it's quite clear that we'd like this child to grow up with two languages.And that's not only because I'd like to be able to talk to my kid in my own language but also because it's going to be a great asset for the lil' one later. I grew up bilingual myself, it's very easy for kids anyway.

But in order to make it easier for the child, the languages should be clearly distinguished . When I was a kid I had the tendency to mix German and Croatian (my Croatian born parents were raising me in Germany), until my Dad got mad at me and said that I should either talk German or Croatian. The result was that I speak both languages fluently now (BTW: thanks Papa!).

But back to the subject....I guess it's a great asset for kids if they can properly verbalize things already at an early stage, not only if you want to raise them bilingual.

Edited April 25, 2008 by mnieto

[mnieto 2]

BTW, Jabberwocky, Joshua is just ADORABLE!!!

[HAL 9000 96]

When I was a kid I had the tendency to mix German and Croatian

So is that like greeting someone like this:

Kako gehts? or Vie ste?