when is it considered "talking?" or "saying" words?

I was just wondering. My one dd has recently started developing quite a little vocabulary of words. They are words that pretty much only I can understand because she says it the same way everytime (even though I continually answer her with the precise prenounciation) and within a particular context. My dh doesn't even always understand her because he's not with her all day but I've been telling him what she is saying so he is now also starting to pick up on her words and their meanings. I was just curious, if we are the only ones that understand her, in other words, if a complete stranger came along and she said it they probably wouldn't understand her, is that considered words? I mean, whatever it is, I LOVE IT!! The other day she had just woken up from a nap and she was pointing to something on top of the bookcase and she was saying "aw wa, aw wa." I picked up a toy and that wasn't it and then I picked up her sippy cup and she grabbed it and started drinking it. I realized that she was saying agua, agua (the spanish word for water). I was so excited!!

 

I think when they say it in the right context and knows what it means, it's a word, no matter what the pronunciation. For example, Grace says her sister's name (Lily) but it comes out wiwwee. Still counts.

I've been writing down their words lately, so when the pedi and EI ask me how many they have, I know.

 

Good question, glad you asked it b/c I was wondering the same thing. My girls both say mama, dada, and bye-bye but have both started saying "sissy". They know who sissy is b/c they point at them and say "sissy" so I guess this is an actual word and not just talking.....

 

Most kids can only be understood by their close families at first. Many times I have turned to the mom/dad/big sister for translation. To me it is considered a word if it sounds like the real thing, they are using it properly ie saying nana & pointing at a banana, and they do it more than once on different days.

I'm still waiting for ours. I had the time and ability to attachment parent Emily and her first word was 'Up' of course.

 

I definitely think those count as words. My girls say the first syllable of a lot of words, and unless you know what they're trying to say it doesn't sound like much.