HudsonValleyBabyGuide.com 9
cultures and even children with
disabilities...deaf children actually
babble with their hands."
They begin saying "da-da," "ba-
ba," and "goo-goo," and eventually,
Zeifman adds, "at around 9
months, they will play with
intonation, meaning they'll say 'ba-
ba,' as if to say, 'Can I have my
bottle?' This is called 'jargoning,' a
more advanced version of
babbling."
By 12 months, the babble and
jargon begin to sound like talking.
These are the roots of the first
words which typically come
around that one-year mark. But
what does the babble mean?
Zeifman explains it doesn't really
have meaning outside of the fact
that babies are playing with sounds
and imitating the talking that goes
on around them.
From 1 to 2 years of age, the
toddler will typically start by
saying simple words like "car" or
"dog" which will soon transition
into two-word sentences.
In his book, "Your Baby's Mind,"
Dr. S.H. Jacob discusses ways to
encourage communication with
baby. "You will find that your
baby's vocal activity will increase
in reaction to the sounds made by
others." And as a way to encourage
this ability, he writes, "When you
hear your baby making a sound,
such as 'ah,' you can they say a
prolonged 'aaaah.' Soon your baby
will, in turn, imitate you."
Jill DiGiovanni is a health & fitness
writer.
"Babbling is universal
across cultures."
DEBRA ZEIFMAN
Professor, Vassar College
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