UW News
sarah roseberry lytle
February 3, 2020
Not just ‘baby talk’: Parentese helps parents, babies make ‘conversation’ and boosts language development
![Parent and baby sit facing each other, playing patty-cake.](https://uw-s3-cdn.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2020/01/27111937/ILABS-parentese-photo-20201-150x150.jpg)
A study by the Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences at the University of Washington finds the value of using “parentese,” an exaggerated speaking style that conveys total engagement with a child.