The New York Times reported on the 24th (local time), citing the latest research results, that 'baby words', which parents use to soothe their babies, are universal.
According to the paper, 40 scientists recently found this by analyzing 1,615 audio files spoken by 410 parents on six continents in 18 languages.
The lifestyles of these parents varied from those living in isolation to those with complex social relationships, those with no internet or no computer use, and hunter-gatherers in Tanzania, to those living in downtown Beijing, China. It was.
Research has shown that, regardless of where they live or cultural diversity, the words that all parents say to their babies are very similar and are different from those used by adults.
The results of this study were published in the latest issue of the scientific journal Nature Human Behavior.
Professor Courtney Hilton, a psychologist at Yale University's Haskins Institute in the U.S. and lead author of the study, said, "Parents modify their words as if they were 'Ooo, hellooooo baby' and give them a high pitched tone to the baby. say," he said.
The gist of the analysis is that such voice modulation appeared in a similar form to all humans.
Greg Bryant, a cognitive scientist at the University of California, USA, said, "Wherever you go in the world, anything you say to a baby makes that sound."
"The way you sing a lullaby or talk to a baby is the same everywhere," explains Cody Mosser, a graduate student studying cognitive science at the University of California and also lead author of the study.
The New York Times commented that the results of this study suggest that 'baby words' and 'baby songs' have nothing to do with social and cultural differences.
Scientists have hypothesized that the sounds humans make to babies may have multiple functions in development and evolution.
In a situation where human babies are very vulnerable to survival, what you say to them is an explanation that not only helps them survive, but also helps them with language and communication.