It’s a common phenomenon that many babies will say “dada” before “mama” when starting to talk. This has led many parents to wonder why dada seems to come easier than mama for most infants. There are several theories that aim to explain this pattern.
Theories on Why Babies Say Dada First
Easier to pronounce
One idea is that the word “dada” is simply easier for babies to pronounce than “mama.” The vowel sound in dada is the same on both syllables (“ah” in dad/dah), whereas the vowel sounds are different in “mama” (ah/eh in mah/muh). Generally speaking, repetitive babbling with the same syllables is simpler for infants as they begin experimenting with vocalizations. The consonants d and m also influence things. The d sound is one of the earliest consonants babies can say as it only requires using the tongue and lips. The m sound is more complex as it involves using the lips and nose/throat. Therefore, the physical motions needed to produce dada are less complicated than those for mama.
More exposure to dada
Babies may hear dada more frequently than mama in their environments. This increased repetition of dad/dada reinforces those sounds and makes them more familiar to an infant. Studies have shown babies have better recognition for words they hear often. Dads are also more likely to use their own name “dada” frequently when interacting with their babies. The higher number of dada repetitions compared to mama could help explain why it gets picked up first.
Dads play more physically
On average, fathers engage in more vigorous physical play with infants compared to mothers. This boisterous engagement full of excitement may capture a baby’s interest and attention. Infants may then associate the word dada with these highly stimulating interactions. The correlation between energetic play and hearing dada could make it more salient and memorable for babies compared to the word mama.
| Theory | Summary |
|---|---|
| Easier to pronounce | Dada uses repetitive syllables and easier consonant sounds for babies. |
| More exposure | Dada is used frequently by fathers talking to infants. |
| Play style differences | Fathers play vigorously which may connect dada to excitement. |
Early language development stages
To better understand why dada precedes mama, it’s helpful to look at the typical progression of language milestones in babies:
| Age | Milestones |
|---|---|
| 0-3 months | Reflexive vocalizations like crying and cooing. |
| 3-8 months | Babbling sounds with repetition. |
| 6-9 months | Babbling starts to include distinct syllables like ba-ba, da-da. |
| 9-12 months | First words spoken, often dada, mama, or baba. |
During the babbling phase from 3-9 months, babies begin playing with syllable sounds like na-na, da-da, ma-ma. The repetitive nature of early babbling and the tendency to use the same sounds could explain why dada gets emphasized over mama. Dada’s consonant and vowel sounds get repeated (da-da), whereas mama has two different vowel sounds (ma-muh) which is harder.
Mama emerges soon after
While dada may come first, mama is typically close behind. By the time infants are one year old, most can say both dada and mama. The lag between dada and mama is a short-lived phenomenon. It reflects the predictable progressions babies go through as they master speech sounds, not necessarily a preference for fathers. After infancy, babies expand their vocabularies rapidly and the dada/mama order of emergence is insignificant. Research on baby’s first words shows both parent names are commonly used during the first year as infants interact with their immediate world.
Other Factors that Influence First Words
Hearing and speech difficulties
Hearing impairment in babies can affect the pace at which they learn words and vocalize sounds. So babies with hearing deficits may show delays in saying dada/mama. Physical limitations involving the mouth like cleft palate can also inhibit speech development and delay early words. For babies with atypical physical development, the pattern of saying dada first may not apply.
Gender
Some research has found a slight tendency for baby girls to say mama first more often than dada when compared to boys. This suggests subtle gender differences in parent-child interactions from a very young age. Fathers may unconsciously emphasize dada a bit more with their sons, while mothers balance mama and dada more with girls during early vocal play. However, this gender effect is quite small and doesn’t account for the overall dada trend.
Individual differences
Babies show natural variation in the rate their speech skills develop, just like other milestones such as walking. Advanced infants might start using mama earlier than typical, while other babies may take longer to build a vocabulary. Factors like premature birth can also cause individual variability that affects the onset of first words. Some babies learn quickly through repetition, while others need more time to cognitively grasp meaning and pronunciation. So while dada first is common, it will not apply to all infants equally depending on their communication abilities.
Conclusion
In summary, the tendency for babies to say dada before mama appears linked to vocal repetition in babbling, easier consonant/vowel sounds in dada, and frequency of exposure to dada during interactions, especially through active play with fathers. Mama follows soon after as infants expand their vocal skills between 9-15 months. Both dada and mama typically appear during the first word stage of language acquisition, just with dada coming a bit earlier. While not universal, this pattern is seen in a majority of normally developing babies across cultures. Understanding the progression of early language milestones explains this common phenomenon where dada precedes mama as an infant’s first verbalized word.