In with “parantese,” out with baby talk. Wait, there’s a difference? Yes! We’ll break it down in this short article.

Parentese is an exaggerated, singy-songy way of communicating with your baby or toddler, formally known as “infant-directed speech.” Compared to the way adults speak, it tends to be slower paced and higher pitched. It is, however, accurate and emphasizes the real pronunciation of words. “Gooood mooorrrnnning, baby!!”

On the other hand, baby talk refers to the use of nonsensical sounds when communicating with babies. It often involves speaking in a manner that exaggerates infantile speech patterns, such as using overly simplistic language or substituting real words with gibberish, like, “Be be want na na!” – A missed opportunity to practice “banana!”

Parentese supports language development by providing infants with a rich linguistic environment. The exaggerated – but accurate speech – captures their attention and helps them acquire new words. Baby talk can impede language acquisition by depriving your little one of meaningful language input. Instead of exposing them to proper vocabulary and grammatical structures, baby talk may reinforce immature speech patterns and delay understanding of real words.

In short, go ahead and be silly – but keep it real!