1.
baby talk; child language; infant speech
Simplified words and expressions used by or with small children. Includes words like わんわん (doggy), ぶーぶー (car), まんま (food), and other childish vocabulary.
「わんわん」は幼児語です。
"Wanwan" is baby talk.
子供が幼児語を使わなくなってきた。
The child has stopped using baby talk.
幼児語には音を繰り返す言葉が多いのが特徴だ。
A characteristic of baby talk is that many words use repeated sounds.
幼児語 refers to the simplified vocabulary that small children use or that adults use when speaking to small children. It is a neutral, descriptive term.
WORD FORMATION:
幼児 (infant, small child) + 語 (language, word)
COMMON EXAMPLES:
- わんわん: doggy (from the barking sound)
- にゃんにゃん: kitty
- ぶーぶー: car (from the engine sound)
- まんま: food, meal
- ねんね: sleep, bedtime
- おんも: outside (外)
- おべべ: clothes
CHARACTERISTICS:
Japanese baby talk often features repeated sounds (onomatopoeia), simplified pronunciation, and substitution of difficult sounds. Many words are based on sounds associated with the object.
USAGE:
Used in child development, linguistics, parenting, and everyday conversation about children's speech. Adults gradually reduce 幼児語 as children grow, typically phasing it out by school age.
RELATED WORDS:
- 赤ちゃん言葉: baby talk (more casual synonym)
- 敬語: honorific language (another speech register)