Why Do Couples Baby-Talk Each Other?

Have you ever come across people who have nicknames like sugar, plum, nugget, etc? Couples who have such nicknames for each other also tend to talk like a baby with their partner. Adults do talk like babies because it is how some people show affection.

The question here is why do adults do that? What’s so special about baby-talk? In fact if you over hear someone talk like a baby with their romantic partner, you’ll find it funny! Because it just sounds unusual as an adult.

The funny thing is, baby-talk is an exaggerated version of how babies actually talk. The baby-talk which adults do is very different from that of a baby.

After much research I finally found the reason behind why you might talk like a baby with your boyfriend/girlfriend. Want to know what makes you do that?

What’s The Psychology Behind Adults Talking Like A Baby With Their Partners?

A communication researcher, Karl Floyd, found that some specific vocal behaviors make you feel affectionate towards the other person. Floyd found the Affection Exchange Theory which states that high pitch, high intonation or soft voice which highly resembles the way people tend to talk to babies. This style of talking when done by adults can signal affection between couples.

This theory basically says that when two people treat each other like a baby and talk to them like they would talk to a baby can inflict affection and attachment in between them. It is the way many people show affection.

The idea can be that babies are treated with so much love and care and you or your partner want to give the other the same kind of love and care. It’s a way of telling someone that they are as dear and special as a baby to them.

Also Read: 10 Things Every Couple In A Happy & Healthy Relationship Knows (And You Should Too!)

Other Reasons Why You Might Baby Talk In A Relationship

Other than the affection exchange theory, people might talk like a baby in a relationship for other reasons too.

• It might be their safe haven: We are living a life full of responsibilities, difficulties and stress. Some people want to be carefree when they are with their somatic partner and who is more carefree than a baby? They might become a baby themselves or treat their partner as a baby so that at least one of them is free of all the stress, even if it is for a few minutes only.
• You see yourself as a protector: Some people are more on the shield side of the relationship. They feel like it’s their responsibility to protect their partner from all harm (big or small). Therefore, you might baby-talk your partner because mentally you have become a shield for them.
• It is a sign of their bond: idiosyncratic communication (baby talk) is considered as a sign of strong bond. It takes a lot of time to become so comfortable with someone that you completely surrender yourself. Therefore baby talking has been considered as a sign of strong relationship and bond.

If you don’t indulge in baby talk, that doesn’t mean you can’t have a strong bond. However if you feel like your relationship is not getting any stronger or is declining day by day, give couples counselling a try.

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These are some other reasons why you might like talking  like a baby with your partner. These are not the only reasons, you might indulge in baby talk because of some personal reasons too, some personality types might indulge in baby talk more than others.

Also Read: 6 Ways On How To Prepare For Couples Counseling

Final Thoughts…

Talking like a baby in a relationship is very common and is completely normal. If fact experts have even said that baby talk can be good for your mental health. Having said that you don’t need to talk like a baby purposely, but if it comes to you naturally have fun with it. Feel the love and affection that talking like a baby brings with it.

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog. Well, now you know why adults talk like babies in a relationship. So if you find someone talking like a baby with their boyfriend or girlfriend you won’t laugh at them anymore.

Thanks for reading.

Take care and stay safe.