Baby Talk

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The acquisition of language skills by a baby, which occurs in 5 overlapping stages
(1) phonation—humming with the mouth closed (up to 2 months)
(2) primitive articulation—use of tongue and jaw to form new sounds (1 to 4 months)
(3) expansion—squeals, screeches, whispers, seemingly exploring the range of sounds, pitch, and amplitude—e.g., growls, ‘raspberries’ (3 to 8 months)

(4) babbling—the formation of Baby’s first syllables—da-da-da-da, ma-ma-ma-ma, etc. (5 to 10 months)

(5) sophisticated babbling—the stringing together of various syllables and meaningless sounds which have the rhythm and pacing of real sentences (9 to 18 months)

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References in periodicals archive ?

Researchers say these findings suggest some types of baby talk words - more than other words - can help infants develop their vocabulary more quickly.

Infants exposed to baby talk words develop better language skills

Some parents consciously avoid baby talk with their infants because they believe they are stalling their child's cognitive, linguistic growth.

Expert: Motherese is good up to 18 months

(1) "Before Baby Talk, Signs and Signals" New York Times, January 6, 2004

Baby, sign to me! Benefits of teaching sign language to hearing infants

Brian Wilson, who had nicked a vocal hook from "Baby Talk" for "Surfin'," and Berry became fast friends and collaborated on an album's worth of material to surround "Linda." Included in the album "Jan and Dean Take Linda Surfin'" were versions of "Surfin'" and "Surfin' Safari" featuring Berry singing bass, Torrence singing lead and the Beach Boys handling the rest of the vocals.

Berry was surf music star

magazine enough to reply "yes" to some very personal questions, such as received a gift of intimate apparel from a member of the opposite sex (10 males, 21 females), used baby talk with a lover (11 males, 23 females), broke wind while lying in bed beside a sleeping partner (35 males, 32 females), engaged in sex out of doors (14 males, 22 females) and thought of another person during intercourse (16 males, 9 females).

I want my thin TV!

Planned parenthood, prenuptials, prearranged funerals--always this hopeful notion that we might prefeel the feelings--the untidy, potentially embarrassing dynamics of birth and love and death and grief; the blubbering and baby talk, the sense that these unpredictable, existential events might be turned into manageable retail experiences with numbers and prices that always add up.

Grave responsibilities: funeral director and poet Thomas Lynch wonders whether being a burden to your children may not be such a bad thing, really

Interior architecture firm IA is putting the final touches on a unique 67,000-square-foot office space on three floors at 530 Fifth Avenue for Time, Inc.'s popular magazine group, The Parenting Group, which publishes "parenting," "Baby Talk" and "Family Life."

IA puts finishing touches on Time Inc.'s Fifth Avenue space

Next Breazeal talks baby talk, cooing like a new mother.

It Smiles, it Frowns -- it's a Robot!

According to Viselman, many parents objected to the fact that the Teletubbies speak baby talk. "The truth is, baby talk is actually very good for kids," Viselman maintained, explaining that the baby talk on the show sparks recognition in young viewers, encouraging them to make their own sounds and thus to speak earlier.

An itsy bitsy business: CEO talks about bringing TV to toddlers

The importance of baby talk: Stein is baby talk and nonsense, Jackie is baby talk.