Language Experts Reveal Why Dada Is Usually a Baby's First Word
Babies reaching important milestones is an exciting journey for parents, with many parents most thrilled by listening to their babies utter their first word. However, it can be surprising and even slightly disheartening for mothers when that initial word is "dada" rather than "mama." However, the reasons behind this occurrence have more to do with linguistics than personal preference or affection.
The Linguistic Explanation
Linguistic professor Valerie Fridland, a writer for Psychology Today, explained that babies tend to prefer oral over nasal sounds. The letter "d" is an oral sound, while "m" is nasal because air has to flow through the nose as we say it. Due to their developing speech patterns, babies tend to favor oral sounds, thus making "dada" a more likely first word simply because it starts with an easier sound for them.