Twin language

My guys were pretty early talkers, and have really good language skills, so I figured that they would never develop "twin language". I guess I always assumed that twins would babble at each other *instead* of speaking "normally", or that they would develop a twin language before they could speak very well. Obviously I was completely wrong, because just in the last month my guys have started speaking gibberish to each other!

They still talk to us in complete sentences, and mostly speak to each other in regular English, but sometimes they will get going in this twin-speak and laugh hysterically! They do understand each other (it's not just random sounds they're making) because they will react and respond when they talk like this. Sometimes I think I can hear a few "words" that might be abbreviated English words, but mostly it's totally random, like they will chant "Gako? Yaaaaaaaa!!" repeatedly. :blink:

Anyone else have twins that developed a twin language later in toddlerhood, or are my kids just weird?

 

I don't think my boys have a twin language (they barely have the english language) but they definitely understand eachother better than anyone else. I love to watch them talk to eachother and make eachother laugh... they are developing such a cool bond... they always want to know where the other one is... this morning in the car Finn asked where Van was (he was his car seat but Finn couldn't see him.) Sorry, I'm off topic, but I don't think that your boys are weird at all (I know you don't think they're weird either) I think it's really neat and a reflection of the strong bond and relationship that they're building...

(edited for spelling.)

 

I don't know if it's a completely separate twin language, but my girls definitely use words that between them they totally understand, but me, dh and day care provider have no idea what they mean or where they came from. For example, since they could talk they have always referred to Dora the Explorer as Ga Ga. I have no idea whatsoever why. They have also always walked around saying "ABBA-CA!", to eachother and us. Recently, they have been singing something like, "A BACH A LOLA - A BACH A LOLA" to eachother and laughing hysterically. The other funny thing they say every evening when we pick them up from daycare is, "ok, see you later. goodnight. DO-NUT!" They laugh hysterically every time they say that too.

Our first and primary language is English, our day care provider's first and primary language is Spanish, and our girls are spoken to exclusively in Spanish while they are at daycare (basically all day). They are bilungual and are quite fluent in both English and Spanish. So, we initially assumed that some of these words or phrases were Spanish words we didn't perhaps know or where some kind of combination of Spanish and English. But we've asked the daycare provider about the words and she has been just as clueless as we are. :search:

 

Just recently (the girls are four), I have heard words that aren't words, or at least aren't English words. I ask the girls about it, and they seem to understand what each other is saying, and I say do you mean X, and they usually repeat whatever they said and say yes. I can't even type the words because they are such nonsense.

I am trying to decide if they are just being silly or if it is the start of a twin language. I was under the impression it started earlier also.

 

I think my two have started developing their own language. They are still working on English but I have noticed some weird stuff between them. I need to listen more to them and see what I hear.

 

Mine have started doing this in the last month. For my girls, twin talk is basically baby babbling. They can understand each other, but I have no idea what they are saying. When they answer me with baby talk I correct them. I tell them I can't understand what they are saying and they need to talk like big girls. A lot of times the other twin will then interpret for me what sister is saying.

I thought that by 3.5 if they didn't have twin talk they wouldn't ever develop it, but they have. They will twin talk back and forth to each other for an entire conversation. I can sort of understand them, they basically change words so that everything has an "ee" sound at the end, like baby talk. I think. :unsure:

 

I think it sounds adorable and I'm curious if my girls will do it.

 

So I did some research on lunch yesterday and all of the "experts" say that twin language (called idioglossia or cryptophasia) is caused by language delay. I guess the experts don't know everything! :lol:

I tried to catch it on video yesterday, but of course they won't perform on demand. :gah: I'll try again tonight and see if I can preserve it for posterity.

Thanks for all your feedback!