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The Importance of Talking Baby Talk to Your Baby
- by Lauren Bradway, Ph.D. |
It's time 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 urinate,
'pee-pee,' and so on.
In addition to using different words with babies, it's natural for adults
to exaggerate pitch, slow the pace, and simplify sentence structure. 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 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.
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 non-literate community in Siberia. He discovered that every
one of these languages had a baby talk vocabulary. While the actual baby
talk words differed, of course, from culture to culture, the themes were
amazingly similar. In all languages studied, the baby talk words referred
to eating, sleeping, toileting, good and bad behavior, animal names, and
terms for close relatives. These are the types of words that are most
important in the life of every baby.
My Own Experience
When my daughter, Isabel, was just beginning to talk, there were many
things she wanted to say but couldn't because the words she needed
contained consonant sounds that were too difficult. For example, at 18
months one of her favorite treats was popcorn, but she couldn't yet produce
the "kuh" sound. Remembering that one of the rules of creating a baby talk
word is to simplify, 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' and then finally 'Smokey' as she
matured and was able to pronounce more difficult sounds. Baby talk seemed
to help her progress naturally from one speech stage to the next.
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. Don't miss out on using these
special words with your baby.
Dr. Bradway consults with parents online and in person.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lauren Bradway, Ph.D., is a speech-language pathologist who has specialized
in the treatment of speech and language disorders in children for over
twenty years. Dr. Bradway is the author of How to Maximize Your Child's
Learning Ability (Avery Publishing Group, Garden City Park, New York), a
book about children's learning styles, which has sold over 15,000 copies
nationwide and has been translated into six languages. She consults with
parents online at www.helpingchildrengrow.com.
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if you have any questions or comments!