First, motherese is not baby talk. Baby talk is that nails-on-a-blackboard, shrill way of speaking to babies that makes most people want to run screaming from the room. Motherese, on the other hand, is the sing-song voice of mothers that relies heavily on exaggerating sounds. Usually spoken in a higher pitch than your regular voice, speaking motherese seems to be an almost automatic reaction to holding a baby. It is not the voice you use in the boardroom. It is the voice you use in the baby’s room.

Reading in this voice changes the sentence from “Look at the ball” to “Looook at the ballll.” After every sentence you’ll be apt to hum. Why is this so important? Well, since we do this instinctively, it’s bound to be important. Studies aside, instinct is pretty valuable in and of itself. But if you’re looking for some more solid thoughts, consider the sound and the pace of motherese. When you are learning any new skill, isn’t it better received in a pleasing tone? The sing-song voice sounds pleasant and draws babies in. Its pace is slower, giving little ears extra time to absorb these exaggerated sounds.