Motherese, also called fatherese, caretakerese, baby talk, or (most scientifically) child-directed speech (CDS), is a way in which adults speak to children. It is not just an American phenomenon, it happens in languages from Chinese to English, and it isn't an event bound only to one's own children, hence why the terms caretakerese and child-directed speech arose. In fact, it isn't even bound strictly to an adult-to-child situation; it is often used in situations such as when a four-year-old child is talking to his baby brother, when anyone is talking to a pet, or when an adult is speaking to another adult that he feels isn't as intelligent as he is himself.
This particular speech register is typically higher pitched than adult-to-adult conversation, uses simpler vocabulary, repetition, and verbs in the present tense, has an emphasis on objects, and emphasizes the key phonemes in a word. Research has shown that babies prefer to listen to child-directed speech over adult-directed speech, likely because of its melodic nature. The language of the child-directed speech is not important in this experiment; an English-born baby prefers child-directed speech in any language over English adult-directed speech. There is some indication that simplifying language when speaking to a child is genetically hard-wired into the human brain. There is also evidence that second language acquisition, even in adults, is easier if the adult listens to child-directed speech.
But what happens from the child's point of view? Do they speak differently to their parents than they do to their siblings, a classmate, or a stranger? Is there such a thing as reverse motherese?
For my project, I recorded conversations between three of my four siblings; Danielle, 17; Amanda, 11; and James, 7. Pay special attention to the intonation of their voice and how it changes it the different recordings.
Transcription
Amanda and James watching The Lion King.
(“Circle of Life” playing, smacking)
Amanda: You haven't met Pumba yet.
James: That's right! ( pause) And it doesn't have to be one of those. [referring to the warthogs on screen]
Amanda: You do see Kiara… (swallow) in this movie. But you
James: Kiara?
Amanda: (pause) Yeah, Kiara…or Kiera or whateverhernameis.(pause) You don't know what gender she is or anything…but you do see her.
James: [What] flavor's that? [referring to the candy she's eating]
Amanda: (directed to someone other than James) Uhn Up.(to James) Strawberry.
Danielle and Amanda listening to the radio in the car.
Amanda: What's solving an avocado?
Danielle: You can't solve an avocado. (pause) That's why that commercial's really stupid.
Amanda: Sort of like the thing you did that when you solve some… (unintelligible)
Danielle: Yeah. (pause) It's a stupid commercial.
Amanda: (pause) Yeah.
Amanda talking to our mom about her bird project
Mom: Mmhmm
Amanda: Uhh I'm doing my, I'm trying to finish my science fair bird feeders today…
Mom: Uh huh
Amanda: Annnd I think we might have to go the store to get some various things such as dowels…
Mom: K
Amanda: Yeah…I'm gonna..make a list.
Danielle explaining the functions of an iRiver to the family at Thanksgiving
Danielle: It plays mp3s, it can..listen to the radio..FM, it can record, it can hold pictures…
Grandma: Well it just about does it all, doesn't it?
Danielle: I think that's all it does.
Uncle Mark: It doesn't make your coffee…
Dad: No video
Danielle: Umm…it, it'll hold anything. I mean, you can use it as a USB, but I don't think..[well] you can..no, it does do video. You can watch videos on it.
Amanda and James quarreling over a spot in line for Thanksgiving food
James: Amanda, you couldn't have got that spot. I went to go to the bathroom.
Amanda: So did I..
James: (pause) Well then let me get back in my spot. (pause) Let me get back in my spot.
Amanda: James, stop! It doesn't matter.
James: Hey!
James explains part of a game
Start at 0:19 End at 0:32
James: Hartford , Connecticut …is up here, which really you don't need…oh yeah! you can also ask me for cards I put down, and if it blocks the other person, you can put it down without telling them.
Danielle explains part of the game
Restart at 1:00 End at 1:18 or 1:19
Danielle: Like, let's say you draw Kentucky …
Amanda: Yay Kentucky .
Danielle: And you don't want to play Kentucky …'cause you'd probably give James part of his path.
Amanda: Yeah
Danielle: Then you can just hold it and not play it…and then like [if he] wanted…
James: Kentucky
Danielle: He'd have to say ‘You have Kentucky .' Then you have to play it.
Analysis
The concept of register is generally accepted, and can be heard in the files. For example, Danielle uses a different register when she is talking to Amanda in the car, as a casual conversation, than she does when she's explaining something to Amanda and James, as in the conversation about the game they were playing. However, she doesn't have only one didactic tone. Her tone changes again when she's explaining the functions of an iRiver to other adults at Thanksgiving.
Amanda was my original focus in this project. When first posing my question, I planned to specifically compare Amanda's speech patterns when she was talking to different members of her family. My hypothesis concerning my concept of “Reverse Motherese” was that not only would an adult change their register when speaking to different people, but children would use a different register with different people as well. For example, just as adults switch into child-directed-speech when they speak to children, children would switch into adult-directed-speech when speaking with adults. In Amanda's case, this is proven true by comparing the way Amanda speaks to different people. The ways she speaks to her mother and Danielle are much more similar than either is to the way she speaks to James.
Amanda's tone also changes according to her intention, which is an accepted quality of register. When she's telling her mother that she needs something, her pitch is lower, and her tone is serious. When she's quarreling with James her pitch slides higher as she mocks him.
When considering James' speech, his register does not change much based on whether he is talking to Amanda or Danielle. However, his register and tone do change based on his intent. Notice that they change when he is explaining something or when he is arguing.
If I were going to do this experiment again, I would focus more on James. The advantage of focusing on Amanda was that, because James is younger, I could capture her use of child-directed-speech, even though she herself is still lingering on the edge of childhood. However, I would be interested to see if James changes his register when he's speaking to adults who aren't in his immediate family.
With further research I believe I could find the age at which children have developed the use of register. My current research shows that Amanda has certainly reached that age, and I believe James has too, hence how he knows that it is appropriate to change his tone when he is teaching something and one should not use an everyday, casual tone. I would predict that the age at which use of register develops would be very young, and I also think that it may be learned from observation of their parents using different tones to speak to different people. Thus, an additional purpose of motherese could be to introduce an elementary version of register to one's offspring.
Gopnik, Alison, Andrew Meltzhoff, and Patricia Kuhl. The scientist in the crib : minds, brains, and how children learn . New York : William Morrow & Co., 1999.
Hoff, Erika. Language Development. Belmont , CA : Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 2005.
Pinker, Steven. The Language Instinct . New York : Perennial Classics, 1994.
About the
Author
My name is Kristina Simmons; I was raised in Orlando , FL with both of my parents, two brothers, two sisters, and a whole bunch of animals. I am over half German by heritage, but I haven't learned any of the language. I am only fluent in English, but I have been studying French for four years now, thus I know enough to get by if the need arose. I have never been outside the United States , but I hope to participate in Study Abroad some day.
I am efficient in using information technology. Although I can't build a computer from scratch or write programs myself, I do have fundamental knowledge of most aspects of operating a computer and using one for storing information.
I have been playing clarinet for six years, and I am currently in the marching band at UNC. I also enjoy dance although I haven't had much in the way of structured experience.
In this course I would like use my aptitude for languages to explore the fundamental differences and similarities between not only different languages, but communication in all forms; written or typed words, body language and gestures, music, etc.
Motherese, also called fatherese, caretakerese, baby talk, or (most scientifically) child-directed speech (CDS), is a way in which adults speak to children. It is not just an American phenomenon, it happens in languages from Chinese to English, and it isn't an event bound only to one's own children, hence why the terms caretakerese and child-directed speech arose. In fact, it isn't even bound strictly to an adult-to-child situation; it is often used in situations such as when a four-year-old child is talking to his baby brother, when anyone is talking to a pet, or when an adult is speaking to another adult that he feels isn't as intelligent as he is himself.
The concept of register is generally accepted, and can be heard in the files. For example, Danielle uses a different register when she is talking to Amanda in the car, as a casual conversation, than she does when she's explaining something to Amanda and James, as in the conversation about the game they were playing. However, she doesn't have only one didactic tone. Her tone changes again when she's explaining the functions of an iRiver to other adults at Thanksgiving.
My name is Kristina Simmons; I was raised in Orlando , FL with both of my parents, two brothers, two sisters, and a whole bunch of animals. I am over half German by heritage, but I haven't learned any of the language. I am only fluent in English, but I have been studying French for four years now, thus I know enough to get by if the need arose. I have never been outside the United States , but I hope to participate in Study Abroad some day.