Mary, a new parent, is embracing her daughter, Samantha. Mary can be heard speaking slowly to Samantha, at a higher pitch, and with pauses inserted between her words. What would developmentalists call Mary's speech pattern?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Mary's speech pattern is referred to as "Motherese," also known as "parentese" or "infant-directed speech." This style of communication is characterized by a higher pitch, slower speech, and exaggerated intonation, which is believed to help infants learn language by making it easier for them to discern speech sounds and patterns.

Mary, a New Parent, Is Embracing Her Daughter, Samantha