Do noises count as words?

[gnu]

DD has just turned one and is very vocal, but I'm not sure if she has any words as such. What count as 'first words'?

For instance, I was quite proud this morning of our little un-picture-aided conversation:

What do ducks say? DD- "quar quar"
What do monkeys say? DD - "ooo ooo"
What do lions say? DD - "raah"

She occasionally joins in pointing at flowers and says "ower" and shouts "Dad..diddy...de...",etc whenever Dad arrives. She will also point and quack at almost anything with a beak or a bill. Approximations of "hiya" and "ta" sometimes accompany waving or being given a rice cake.

She can say Mama but I think it means more food!

Definitely words. Lots of them. She sounds utterly adorable as well.

god yes most definitely, now you can tell everyone she speaks wonderfully

my fave is "what do bees say?"

dd2 - "BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE" wiggling her finger

Oh good So we don't have to wait until she says 'crepuscular' or 'teutonic' or somesuch (in proper context of course)!

This makes me feel a little better about her non-standing, crawling, etc (past threads passim) too. She's maybe focussed on pushing forwards in this area (and perfecting her majestic pincer-grip) rather than in the more literally physical sense. Although, saying that, she has been seen to crawl properly in the last few days, albeit for six inches at a time.

I'll have to try bees - sounds fun. We have been focussing on the animals that spell her name the letters on her door. Struggling with the Iguana and the Ants though!