Linguists who have studied the structure of baby talk words have pointed out that there are some typical sound change rules that relate the baby talk word to its adult equivalent. For instance, reduction of the word to a shorter form is common, as is reduplication of the short form, hence, words such as 'din din' and 'bye bye.' It is not clear, however, how some baby talk words were derived: no simple rule explains how rabbits turned into bunnies.
Although there is a traditional baby talk vocabulary, almost any word in English can be turned into a baby talk word by the addition of a diminutive ending, '-ie': foot becomes 'footie,' shirt becomes 'shirtie,' and so forth. These diminutive endings convey affectionate as well as size connotations.
With all this in mind we return to baby talk among ABs, which in my opinion is a new dialect of the language. A number of processes appear to be at work.
1. loss of points of articulation
2. loss of grammar
3. over-application of regular rules
4. diminution of vocabulary items
5. specialised baby vocabulary
1. loss of points of articulation
This is the classic signature of baby talk. The adult mouth regresses to a state where certain articulations seem difficult and easier substitutions occur, some of which are carried over into “lazy” adult speech
t or d for th
b for th
f for th
w for l or r
t for k or hard c
b for v
f for v
dropped h, dropped final g, final d
Example:
da fingy was siwwy, otay? I habe a baba., I did nuffin
also in this category we see the substitution of “ibs” for “is”
2. loss of grammar. Simplification, elision of prepositions and other copula, reversion to “two word sentence” mode – go potty, drink baba
3. over-application of regular rules, also to already inflected forms, hence “maked” and also “maded”
4. Diminution of vocabulary, such as “diaper” yielding the diminutives “diapee”, “didee” and “dippy”, as in “does oo want changie diapee?”
Also in this case is the addition of superfluous “s” – “I cans sees yous”
5. specialised vocabulary: such as baba = bottle, binky = pacifier.
With these simple rules baby talk can be generated freely from any text.
Wib dese rulie fingies, baby talkies is maded fweely from anyfings.
Baby Talk Dictionary
Words for Mummys and Daddys
bad boy/girl np. term of scolding
big boy/girl np. term of praising for mature behavior
cootchie-cootchie-coo interj. sound eliciting attention or laughter, often used while tickling
good boy/girl np. term of prase
variant: good baby
go beddy-bye vp. go to bed, say goodnight
go bye-bye vp. go away, bid farewell
googoo gaga interj imitation of babbling
number one np. act of urinating
number two np. act of defecating
oopsie-daisy interj. identifying a mishap
play pretty vp. share, be sociable with playmates
smarty-pants n. smart-aleck child
whooping n. physical punishment, paddling
Words for babys
1-2-3's n. the numbers
A
abc's n. the alphabet
allgone adj. empty, gone
B
ba-ba n. baby, bottle, blanket
baa-ba n. sheep
baff n. bath
beddy-bye n. going to bed; child's bed vi. go to bed, sleeping, bedtime
variant: go beddy-bye
[?] bibby n. pacifier
binkie n. pacifier blanket
blankie n. blanket [usu. a favorite]
variants: bankie, binket, binkie
birdie n. bird
boo-boo n. bruise, slight lesion to the skin, accident
boo-boo n. feces vi. defecate
boom-boom n. bottom, buttocks
variant: bommon
boom boom n. thunder
bopper n. pacifier
bow-wow n. 1. dog, 2. barking sound
brek-brek n. breakfast
bro-bro n. brother
variant:bubba
bubby n. brother
buggie n. insect
bunny n. 1. rabbit; 2. flatulence
but-but n. buttocks (see also boom-boom)
C
caca n. feces vi. to defecate
choo-choo n. train [sound of steam locomotive]
clicker n. remote control
cooties n. germs [someties associated with touching a child of the opposite sex]
confuzzled, confuzzle = confussed
D
da adj the
dada n. father, dad, daddy [form of address]
dats pron. thats
didee n. diaper
diddley n. blanket
din-din n. dinner, meal
ding dong n. phallus
doggie n. dog
dolly n. doll
doo-doo n. feces
variant: dukey vi. to defecate
doggy n. dog
variant: puppy
duckie n. 1. duck, water fowl; 2. plastic toy duck
E
eat-eat vi. to eat [often used as request]
egalent n. elefant
F
fishie n. fish
footsie n. (pl.: feetsies) foot
G
gammy n. grandmother
giraffey n. giraffe
go bye-bye vi. leave
go ride vi. have a ride in a car
googoogaga [sound baby makes when non verbal]
H
hiney n. buttocks
horsie n. horse
hurt n. a bruise or slight lesion to the skin
variant: hurty
I
icky adj. distasteful, dirty (cf. yucky) vi. to defecate
itty adj. little
variants: itty-bitty, itsy-bitsy
ipood n. ipod
J
jammies n. pajamas
variant: nanas
juicy-juice n. juice
K
kiss it better vp. [consoling schema]
kitnen n. kitten
kitty n. cat, kitten
variants: kitty-cat, kiki
L
lolli n. lollipop, hard candy
M
mmmh interj. [appreciation of taste]
make bubbles vp. to urinate [mainly for boys]
make ti-ti vp. to urinate
maw-maw n. grandmother [address]
variant: mee-maw
meanie n. mean person
meow n. cat
variant: meow-meow
mimi n. injury, cut, scrape, or bruise
mommie n. mother [address]
variant: mumu
moo-cow n. cow
variant: moo, moo-moo
Mr. Pointer np. index finger
mummy n. mother, mum [address]
N
nana n. grandmother
variant: nanny
nap-nap n. daytime sleep vi. to sleep during the daytime
night-night interj. social expression before going to
sleep vi. going to bed
varianta: nini, nightie-night
ninny n. breast, breast milk vi. to breast-feed
nippy n. pacifier
no-no n. forbidden behavior
num nums n. food, dinner
nuckie n. pacifier
O
ob prep. of
oopsie-daisy n. accident
oos pron. you
otay adj ok
ouchie n. a bruise or slight lesion to the skin
ouwie n. a bruise or slight lesion to the skin
P
pank n. spank
pasketties n. spaghetties
variants: bisketties, sketties
passie n. pacifier
patty cake n. [a hand game accompanied with a nursery rhyme]
paw-paw n. grandfather [address]
variants: grandpappy, pa-pa, pappaw, pop-pop
peekaboo n. game of hiding [covering and un-covering the eyes] interj. [establishing eye contact]
variants: peek-a-doo, pee-pie [infants, Southern]
peenie n. penis (see also wee-wee)
pee-pee vi. to urinate n. genitals
variant: pee
pewie interj. smelling bad
piccys n. pictures
piggy n. 1. pig; 2. child's toe
play-play vi. to play n. make-belief, role play
pwaying interj. playing
poo-poo vi. to defecate
variant: go poo-poo n. 1. feces, 2. soiled diaper
poop n. feces vi. to defecate
variants: go poopie; poot (pass gas)
poopy adj. soiled
pooter n. computer
[?] po-po n. buttocks
potty n. 1. child's toilet, toilet, bathroom; 2. feces vi. to defecate and/or urinate
variant: go potty
possed adj supposed
puppy n. dog
variant: doggy
Q
quack-quack n. water fowl, duck
#R
rhino-saurus n. rhinoceros
S
shoo-shoo n. 1. feces, 2. dirty diaper vi. to defecate
sippie n. 1. baby cup; 2. drink
sissy n. sister
variant: sis-sis
sleep-sleep vi. sleep
sleepy time n. bedtime
spank-spank vi. to adminster physical punishment n. physical punishment
stinky n. soiled diaper, feces; go stinky
swimmies n. arms floats
T
ta n. thank you
tanks interj. thanks
tee-tee vi. to urinate n. phallus
tick-tock n. clock
variant: tee-tock
tinkle vi. urinate
tippitoes n. tiptoes
toesies n. toesn. toes
tummy n. stomach
tush n. behind
[?] tuty n. vagina
tweetie-bird n. bird
U
uh-oh interj. [realization of accident, transgression]
undies n. underwear
upsie adv. upwards [motion]
variant: upsie daisy
W
wammie n. lamb
wa-wa n. water
wed n. red
wee-wee n. child's phallus
variant: weenie
wha interj. what
wif prep. with
wubbie n. blanket
wuv n. love
Y
yack vi. throw up
yemer n. leamer
yion n. lion
yucky interj., adj. distasteful, dirty
variant: yuck
yum yum adj. good tasting
variants: num-num, yummie
Tips for Mummys and Daddys
These tips are designed to help an AB feel more like a actual baby dueing age play and stuff. short sentances and hard to understand words mean that baby talk is a limited form of comunication and AB's should be encouraged to excell in both adult and baby speak.
Speach restrictions can help your little one learn how to act and behave like a baby. The tips below are focused around teaching a little baby speak and are not recomended for everyday speach. Spead at which baby speak is picked up can be increased if speach restrictions are used dueing training. Its is because the little one is forced to think of the right baby word to express themselves.
Some general tips (extra help on this would be apreciated)
Prohibit your little one from speaking at all dueing training. If they need something they must make gestures or use the correct baby words to express themselves.
Introduce the baby vocablurey and use it when talking to your baby.
Explain to your baby that they may only use words from the baby vocalubery.
Reward your baby with lots of prase when they correctly use a baby word.
Correct your baby stirnley if they use an adult word. Your baby may need to say something but has forgotten the baby word. Remind your baby of the correct word and get them to repeat it. Give prase when they get it right.
Your baby may need some time withought speech restrictions at first. It will take abit of time to master the baby vocablery and as they do you will notice that they use big boy/girl words less and less. When this starts to happen training is almost compleat(yay)
Look at your baby's eyes while you are talking to him/her.
Keep your talk simple. Say "pretty baby." Use the words "mommy" and "daddy" when you talk to him/her.
Add gestures to your talk. Say "wave bye-bye to the doggy" as you wave to the dog.
Ask your baby questions. "Would Maria like to have her baba now?" "Does Maria want to go nini?"
Talk about what you are doing. As you dress, bathe and change your baby, talk about what you're doing useing the baby vocalbury.
Read to your baby. Babies love nursery rhymes and poems. You can even use a lively voice and read your favorite magazine or book to her. If you can, use books with stories that include a baby, a rattle or other common things. (You can find lots of children's books at your public library.) Everyone loves a story.
Crib talk
Crib talk or crib speech is pre-sleep monologue made by young children while in bed. This starts somewhere around one-and-a-half years and usually ends by about two-and-a-half years of age, though children can continue longer. It consists of conversational discourse with turn-taking often containing semantically and syntactically coherent question-answer sequences. It may contain word play and bits of song and nursery rhyme.
Crib talk has been found in deaf children in their early sign language. It also occurs in autistic children.
Types
Crib talk has been divided into three somewhat overlapping varieties.
Enactment sequences
This occurs most commonly in early monologues and is done in a low tone. It concerns using language to bring about action and occurs when playing with toys and dolls as “friends” with language embedded in ongoing play. Whilst like conversational speech, it can occur in long uninterrupted sequences in which the child describes what they are doing.
Proto-narrative
In this a child creates a story about events that have happened or imaginary events in temporal-causal sequences that can be as short as five words or as long as 150. They may include the reciting of stories that have been read to them. They occur throughout the period in which a child engages in crib talk.
Problem focused
These concern what happened in the past, what will happen in the future and how events are organized. They incorporate descriptions used by others to enable prediction.
Function
Such monologues have been argued to play a key role in providing a practice space for developing complex connected discourse, aiding a child to use language as a tool to categorize, explain and know the world, and to “clarify what may originally have been problematic or troublesome”.
Such talk is more complex than that done by children in interactions with others, and this has been suggested to be due to the freedom to control what they say and so not have their cognitive abilities stretched by having to work out how to respond to what someone has just said.
While similar to private speech which usually starts after 3 and ends about 7, crib talk lacks its self-regulatory instructions.
*Problems
Crib talk is difficult to transcribe because such young children typically have poor pronunciation, and because there may be little context to infer the likely meaning of a child’s words, even with the help of a parent. This has limited the number of children studied and the length of time over which the development of crib talk monologues have been researched.
The children studied are also atypical in that they are the offspring of researchers or their close colleagues, and so are from highly-educated backgrounds. The child studied by Nelson, for example, was highly precocious in her language abilities, which raises questions about the generality of findings on that one child.
Examples
Anthony
Antony is here between 28 and 30 months playing at grammatical transformations and combinations.
Step on the blanket
Where is Anthony’s blanket
Where is Anthony’s blanket
Where’s hiding
Books
Down
Down
Have the books today
I take the white blanket off
On the blanket
Under the blanket
Sleep go
What a blue blanket
What the take the blanket
Emily(21 months)
The broke, car broke, the ..
Emmy can’t go in the car.
Go in green car.
No.
Emmy go in the car.
Broken. Broken.
Their car broken, so Mommy Daddy go in their car,
Emmy Daddy go in the car,
Emmy Daddy Mommy go in the car,
broke,
Da … da,
the car … their, their, care broken
(23 months)
When mormor get me,
when Mormor mae pretty,
Mommy had a help, my sleep,
Mommy came and Mommy get, get up, time to go home.
When my slep and, and, Mormor came.
Then Mommy coming then get up, time to go ho-o-me.
Time to go home.
Drink p-water.
Yesterday did that.
Now Emmy sleeping in regular bed.
Comments
Post a Comment