What counts as a word?

[AFWife]

I know that right now 3-5 words is normal (16mo) but I have to ask: What is a "word?"

Does it have to be clear? Or does it count if we know what he's saying?

Examples:

"dat" = cat

"duh" = dog (or duck we're not always sure)

"muh" = milk

"iss" = kiss


So, can we say that he says at least 4 words?

[Novus]

I'd say those definitely count as words. I asked my pedi this question at the 12 month appt and according to her, any verbalization that's used repeatedly to refer to the same object/situation is a word. DS has lots of words, but many (most?) of them are abbreviated or mispronounced...we still count them!

[Ruthla]

Yup, I'd count those as words.

[AFWife]

Very cool.

Okay, another question...what if it's just the rhythm of the phrase? We think he's trying to learn "I love you" because he babbles the same rhythm after we say it (and, recently, started doing it himself) Does that "count" too?

[Tway]

Oh, this is great to know! DD is 10 months and understands words, but can't pronounce more than the first letter. But she says meow for cat, oof for dog, mmm for cow, rrr for car/truck, gong for doorbell, and so on. She understands what they mean when I say the actual word, and I understand her when she makes their sound, so I've been wondering if they count as words!

[sapphire_chan]

At that age, even stuff like barking like a dog when he sees one would count And waving bye bye. As long as it's an attempt to communicate and is in the appropriate context.

[oolongtea]

I've been wondering this too! Around here, we have:

Bah: ball
Bah: badge
Bah: bank
Buh: bus
Bang: bang
Bong: clock
Bong: bell

[kriket]

DS has one word for EVERYTHING! His world is Keykey. He has started babbling a lot, and he knows a lot of signs. He can pick them up after only showing him a could times.

He also pants when you say dog, or signs when you say a word he knows!

I feel like there is going to be a lot of talking soon!

[~cassie]

For me, as long as they use it with meaning, it's a word!

[Abraisme]

Yup, I agree with the others, so long as it's close and is used in context it counts.

My 12mo DD has:

Dog
Kkkt: Cat
Gah: Goat
Ga: Bunny (this might not count as the bunnies are next to the goats)
Dada
Hhht: Hot
Uhh: Up
Uh Oh: I dropped something
Uh Uh - No

She also knows several signs and shakes her head no.

[4 Butterflies]

Originally Posted by ~cassie

For me, as long as they use it with meaning, it's a word!

[crunchy_mommy]

DS has so many words but definitely not all of tham are clear! They still count IMO as long as he's consistently using the same sounds for whatever he means. He's always referred to 'stick' as "gnacht" and 'horse' as "clop-clop" and 'more mac & cheese please' often comes out like 'maw... mac UN... peas" so he sometimes blends a word or two together in a sentence or skips a word though other times the pronunciation becomes clearer when he uses phrases (i.e. "piece of dirt"). Other words like cat, moon, playground, hat, seat, car, blue, etc. are very clear or at least very close to the proper pronunciations. He does seem to have trouble with S's, L's, and a few other letters and it's in those circumstances that he's more likely to make up a totally different word for it.

As far as rhythms -- I don't count those as words but I definitely appreciate them as I do any form of communication! He does "where'd it go? there it is!" all in a perfect, consistent rhythm, but he doesn't even attempt to say the words. He also makes a kissing sound for 'kiss' and will only nod (not say) 'yes' -- I think they are all super cute ways of communicating but I don't personally count them as words... curious what others think on that though!

[EdnaMarie]

Any sound associated with an object so as to give objective meaning to the sound. That makes it a word. It does not have to be the same sound other people use.

Around here, we have:
Bah: ball
Bah: badge
Bah: bank
Buh: bus
Bang: bang
Bong: clock
Bong: bell

We have:

thi = this
tha = that
thA = look at THAT
a tha tha tha = another one
a tha tha = other side
THAAAAA = give me that
ba = ball
baBAba = banana
nuuuu = nuuuuuuuurse

[hrsmom]

Originally Posted by ~cassie

For me, as long as they use it with meaning, it's a word!

I agree!

[handsandfeet]

Originally Posted by EdnaMarie

Any sound associated with an object so as to give objective meaning to the sound. That makes it a word. It does not have to be the same sound other people use.







We have:

thi = this
tha = that
thA = look at THAT
a tha tha tha = another one
a tha tha = other side
THAAAAA = give me that
ba = ball
baBAba = banana
nuuuu = nuuuuuuuurse

These are great!
We have:
duh = dog
duh = duck
buh = ball
buh = book
buh buh = buttons
buh boo = bubbles
muuuuh = milk
muh = mas/more
muh muh muh = no more monkeys (jumping on the bed)
ah ah = hot hot
awa = agua/water

[JD5351]

AJ turned 15 months yesterday.

So far other than Momma (Which he likes to look in the mirror and say in this tiny sweet voice Mommmmaaaaa then scream in this horror movie shriek. It freaks me out! lol) and Daddy we have:

"Cack" for Clap. He'll say "Cack Cack Cack" and clap his hands.
"Naanaa" for No
"Ahhduh" All done
"Hi-ya" for Hi.

As far as rythyms He will say "Da Da, Da Da, Da Da Da" in perfect rythym to Patty Cake Patty Cake. He even will do the inflection that I use when we play it.

[hdeering]

Lorelei is almost 18 months. We've got Mama, hat, Daddy, kitty, shoe, uh oh, hot, get out, now, boo boo, ow, bye bye, eye, poo poo, pee pee, baby, no, down, and boot.
There's a good deal of ABC's but she likes to sing the song and makes up the missing ones.

be-yo= bear
Wa-we= water
Na= milk
Shou= shower and outside
Row Row= Xander
Now= meow
EEEE= Please
Tin Too= thank you
I nekie= I'm naked
ba= ball, balloon, block
hep= help
Aday= Aaron (a friend)
uh= up
I sow= I'm sorry

And a few word groupings like "Where Daddy", "Where Row Row", "Where Aday", "What that".

[shnitzel]

DD is almost 15 months
we have
dis = this
dat = that
ba = bath
Eh-ma/mama/ma = Ema (mommy)
Ah-bah = Abba (daddy)
all da = all done
uh = up
uh oh = uh oh
yeah = yeah
na na na = no no no (when she is doing something she knows she shouldn't)
i = hi
and I am pretty sure she says "nursey"
It's even cooler how she understands every thing we say.
I like seeing that other kids around her age seem to be around the same level as her. I keep thinking she's slow with speaking b/c DH and I both spoke really early so everyone is always asking us if she is speaking yet as though her language is delayed. My little brother also spoke early so it seems late. So it's nice to see she is actually doing well event though I wasn't worried.

[AFWife]

Originally Posted by shnitzel

DD is almost 15 months
we have
dis = this
dat = that
ba = bath
Eh-ma/mama/ma = Ema (mommy)
Ah-bah = Abba (daddy)
all da = all done
uh = up
uh oh = uh oh
yeah = yeah
na na na = no no no (when she is doing something she knows she shouldn't)
i = hi
and I am pretty sure she says "nursey"
It's even cooler how she understands every thing we say.
I like seeing that other kids around her age seem to be around the same level as her. I keep thinking she's slow with speaking b/c DH and I both spoke really early so everyone is always asking us if she is speaking yet as though her language is delayed. My little brother also spoke early so it seems late. So it's nice to see she is actually doing well event though I wasn't worried.

She's totally right there. My son is a month older and not saying as many words. I spoke early too (and so did DH and his brothers) so I worried for a little while.

[steferrari]

Hello, the other day we found out our friends son who is 22 months old only knew a few words. We were very surprised as we thought our 20 month old girl knew so many more words. So we did a word count and it came to 160 words! She even says many words in 3 different languages as thats what we speak at home. They are all words she uses repeatedly and in context. Is this out of the ordinary?