This kind of speech interestingly enough can actually help babies learn to speak better due to the exaggerations that are done by adults in the pronounciations. My original thought was that squeaky baby talk encouraged babies not to learn to speak properly because of its simplistic nature.
Now that I understand what motherese is and how specifically it helps babies, I do agree with the fact that it can help them acquire language better. This is comparable to how any adult learning another language would need to hear a breakdown of the pronounciation to "get" the word.
Definately, I want to investigate more on the topic because the beginning stages of language acquisition have become even more intriguing to me. This would fall under that category. Also, there is a new baby in the family and we all talk to him like that. Now I can feel that I am actually helping his language learning rather than stunting it. This topic affects everyone who has children or is close to babies and small children. Afterall, most of the time it is like an instict we have to speak to babies in this squeaky and exaggerated speech. Here is a video of what it entails: excuse the humor.
What a funny video! This is all very interesting. I never would have thought. I, too, thought it was just a parenting instinct to talk as such with babies. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI think everyone talks to babies like that but never really realize it, It's just one of those thing you do because everyone eles does it haha.
ReplyDeleteI tried not to get too motherese with my son, because those high pitched tones drive me crazy, however, I can still identify with this video. We definately focused more on the vowels and less on the consanents. That's an interesting break down for an innate ability. I wonder why we do that?
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting. I had a child development class back in high school and they discouraged speaking to the children with "baby talk" so I thought the same way you did. It does make more sense in a way to speak to them in a way that is a little more simple.
ReplyDeleteI love that 'parentese' is helpful, because I'm sure I won't be able to avoid it when I have kids! :D It makes sense, too, now that I think about it.
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