Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Child-directed speech.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun baby talk

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun an adult's imitation of the speech of a young child

Etymologies

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Examples

  • It is not accidental that we find ourselves cooing to an infant in silly, giddy tones called motherese—and might greet a wagging dog with similar baby talk.

    INSIDE OF A DOG ALEXANDRA HOROWITZ 2009

  • It is not accidental that we find ourselves cooing to an infant in silly, giddy tones called motherese—and might greet a wagging dog with similar baby talk.

    INSIDE OF A DOG ALEXANDRA HOROWITZ 2009

  • This kind of talk, dubbed motherese, is an instict that crosses cultural and linguistic boundaries.

    WNYC New York Public Radio 2009

  • They smile at them and exaggerate their gestures, modify their voice pitch-the so-called "motherese" - and kiss them.

    Scientific Blogging 2009

  • In linguistics, systematic studies of "motherese," or the speech caregiver's use when talking to young children, have usually been taken as one of the best pieces of evidence for the poverty of stimulus though see the references in footnote 2 for counterarguments.

    Poverty of Stimulus in Ethics: Some Criticisms Chris 2004

  • Kuhl and scientists at Tokyo Denki University and the University of Minnesota helped develop a computer language program that pictures people speaking in "motherese," the slow exaggeration of sounds that parents use with babies.

    unknown title 2009

  • Even when words are used, moms typically express themselves in a language style called "motherese" or "mom speak" that babies seem to love.

    unknown title 2009

  • Newborns prefer their mother's voice over other voices and perceive the emotional content of messages conveyed via intonation contours in maternal speech (a.k.a. "motherese").

    The Times of India 2009

  • Pepperberg tended to speak to Alex in the singsong “motherese” that doting parents use with young children, and he replied in a voice that seemed to convey a toddlerish pride.

    Birdbrain « Isegoria 2008

  • Primatologists at Kyoto University and their colleagues note that such overemphasis is much like what human mothers do when teaching infants, dubbed “motion­ese” by behavior scientists after “motherese,” or baby talk.

    Psychology / Neuroscience Link Dump William Harryman 2009

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