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I was recently listening to the ‘conversation’ between relatives and their 3 month old baby when the film ‘Look Who’s Talking’ (1989) came to mind. I began to wonder just what the baby made of all these sounds and ‘words’. I was sure that this had been studied and made a mental note to look into it in more detail one day. Perhaps one of you has already done this and can enlighten me a little.

I can’t recall what was said to me in this way when I was a baby. Whether that is normal or simply because of my age I can’t say. Either way it is probably fortunate!

I did a quick search (Wikipedia) and came up with the list below of ‘words’ adults use in baby talk (a.k.a.: motherese, parentese, mommy talk, caretaker speech, infant-directed talk (IDT), or child-directed speech (CDS) - for those who may wish to know) with their meanings in brackets. Some of them are well known, as are their meanings. I wonder just how quickly a baby ‘understands’ these.

* baba (blanket or bottle)
* beddy-bye (go to bed, sleeping, bedtime)
* binkie (pacifier (dummy) or blanket)
* blankie (blanket)
* boo-boo (wound or bruise)
* bubby (brother)
* dada (dad, daddy)
* didee (diaper)
* din-din (dinner)
* doedoes (In South African English, the equivalent of beddy-bye)
* num nums (food/dinner)
* ickle (little (chiefly British))
* icky (disgusting)
* jammies (pajamas)
* nana (grandmother)
* oopsie-daisy (small accident)
* owie (wound or bruise)
* passie or paci (pacifier (dummy))
* pee-pee (urinate or penis)
* poo-poo or doo-doo (defecation)
* potty (toilet)
* sissy (sister)
* sleepy-bye (go to bed, sleeping, bedtime)
* stinky (defecation)
* tummy (stomach)
* wawa (water)
* wee-wee (urination or penis)
* widdle (urine (chiefly British))
* widdle (little (chiefly American))
* wuv (love)
* yucky (disgusting)
* yum-yum (meal time)
* mama (mother)
* uppie (wanting to be picked up)

These don’t include the ridiculous noises we make to or at them that have no known meaning, as far as I know anyway.

I am sure that you can all come up wih many more. Perhaps you have ones that are a little more original that you use. Do let us all know them, complete with meanings. Perhaps there is already a dictionary of these in print or maybe Kidz Things could start an online one! - Sorry Claire! 

I had to laugh reading your post because I use a few of these words with my toddler, but had never really thought about how funny they actually sound to a grown-up!! 

The only other one we use regularly which instantly springs to mind is ‘duddle’ = ‘cuddle’, but that’s because my daughter replaces some of her ‘c’ sounds with a ‘d’ - so she started it!!! 

Not a bad idea about a Kidz Things motherese dictionary - let’s see how many other posts we get and go from there…

i have a 3mth old daughter and my grandson is 6mths and they are always smiling and baby talking to each other i always say they understand each other so i think baby talk is a fact x

Hi kimanne!

Your post adds a dimension I had not considered when I opened the topic. I was thinking solely of the ‘conversations’ between adult and baby and the comical ‘words’ we use when we speak to them.

‘Baby to baby talk’ is even more fascinating. Even if it can’t be proved, it is nice to think that babies do have a verbal ‘language’ between themselves. Does anyone know if a study has been done to confirm or deny this ability? Assuming that they do, woudn’t it be great if adults didn’t loose this ‘baby to baby talk’ ability and could join in the ‘converstaion’!

I certainly believe babies communicate by gestures and that they can learn a ‘signing’ ability to communicate.

A fascinating subject all round.

More information on any form of ‘baby talk’ if any of you have any, please!

I love the photo! 

Speaking of babies communicating by gestures and that they can learn a ‘signing’ ability to communicate, I offer this site for information if anyone wishes to pursue this further with their child and is not yet aware

Sing and Sign
(helping babies communicate before speech)
http://www.singandsign.com/

Information about where classes are held throughout the UK are available on the site.