motherese
Britishnoun
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The behavior—the first time motherese has been found in a nonhuman animal—may enhance bonding and, possibly, learning.
From Science Magazine • Jun. 25, 2023
These higher and lower frequency patterns produced an overall greater bandwidth—mirroring the patterns seen in human motherese, the researchers say.
From Science Magazine • Jun. 25, 2023
It's the exaggerated pitch, tempo and intonation that parents use when talking to their little ones — what linguists call "motherese" or "parentese."
From Salon • Dec. 18, 2021
The timbre – the voice color – also changes when people speak "motherese" compared to when talking to other adults.
From Salon • Aug. 28, 2021
Aigner-Clark hired the women from a nearby language school and instructed them to speak in "motherese," the universal, high-pitched tone that many mothers use when talking to their children.
From Time Magazine Archive
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
