Why do people use "baby talk" with kids?

Question

1. Why do people do this?

2. Would there be a downside to just speaking normally to them?

Thanks.

Answer 1

They think its cute.

And no, there is no down side to talking normal.  in fact, the down side is with the baby talk.  They learn to speak by imitating the sounds we make.  Using baby talk around babies can actually delay speech if used all the time.

Answer 2

most adults forget that all kids are people and are able to

understand basic languages..but they think it will make the child smile

Answer 3

1. babies don't get used to sad stuff, they like smiles, hugs, high voices, and even if you say bad stuff to them in a happy high pitched voice then they'll love it

2. the baby might get depression later on in life.

Answer 4

because they think just because there children that theyd have upsoloutly no brin whatso ever so they cant talk normally!

but then of corse the children pik this up from there parents and carry this gene and use baby talk with there children and even with there pets!!

thank god my parents didnt torture me like this!

plz help:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?...

Answer 5

#1 People do it because they are small children and it seems fit. (I really don't do it much but my sister does)

#2 the down side might be the child turning into a brat who thinks that he's better then everyone else but I think that its doubtful

Oh sorry on #2 I thought you ment the downside of NOT speaking to them clearly!

heres the real #2

Not much

Answer 6

Well you do this because they are babies and they seem happy about it.. You cant talk to them all strait.. they need their happy times. You could talk normal but try talking to them more their way so they could feel they are loved...

Answer 7

I always used mature language with my children. and they do with their kids. Sometimes people, including ourselves, are amazed at the words that these small people use correctly. My daughter uses mature words with her son, age 2, but talks baby talk to her aged cat.

Answer 8

I don't know why parents do this, but baby talk actually has scientifically proven to make kids' mental growth r****d by a large margin.

Answer 9

It is really hard to not talk "baby" to a baby. They are just so cute!!!

I will say that I did not use "baby" words for most things (scetti for spaghetti, wawa for water, baba for bottle, etc) although my tone was more high pitch. I think using "baby" words in that way can definitely have a downside when it comes to speech.

Good question.

Answer 10

1. Because they feel like they have to make a fool of themselves to their kids

2. No.

Answer 11

because they think their kids cannot understand if they talk normal. I did this with my 2 older kids, they had converstion problems later in life. WIth my two young kids, I talked to them normal . My 2 year old is like a little computer. She retains everything I teach her because I talk normal to her.  I wished I would have done it with my older kids.

Answer 12

I never really thought about this before.  I guess some people (myself included) just get silly around kids.  Now whoooooze a widdow booooyyyyy....whoooze a widdowwww boyyyyy.

Answer 13

1. Babies like that weird high pitch voice ppl use.

2. There is not a downside to speaking normally.

I use both.

.

Answer 14

Babies can't understand language but they can identify tones. Using a higher pitch tones alerts the baby that you are talking to them, and they immediately recognise and associate this higher pitch with attention. It's also meant to be a natural, biological instinct or 'survival mechanism' for mothers and babies since the dawn of time - that's why they do it without really knowing why.

Answer 15

i think people do it b/c thats what we are kind of thought is the way you talk to a baby.  i personally do not see the point i think there is no down side b/c if you talk to them like that thats how they are going to think they should talk so i talk to my baby all the  time just like shes another adult. we still make funny noises and faces and have fun.