Do you think this is weird, or just really endearing?

[bohemianbint]

DS is nearly 18 months and he doesn't really speak much. I mean, he chatters on all day but not much in the way of recognisable words. He says "all gone" and a cross between "hi" and "bye" which does for either.

He knows loads of animals, but rather than saying the name of the animal, he does the noise. He's got loads of these noises and it's very cute. He also understands most of what is said; if you ask him to point to a part of his body, or to get something, he does.

It's not something to worry about, this lack of "proper" talking, is it?

Endearing
DD didn't do much more than this at 18 months and is now chattering away at 3.

No, sounds perfectly normal to me (and v.cute). In DDs nursery, they move them to a different group when they are around 2 and a half as it's at this age that they are expected to be a bit more verbal.

I wouldn't worry yet, sounds like my dd and she speaks perfectly now.

My dd1 was exactly the same. You can't shut her up now and some of the things she comes out with!?!?!?(she's now 2.5)

Oh good, that's reassuring. I know loads of people whose offspring seem to be reciting the Gettysburg Address already so good to hear that mine's ok! Thanks for the replies!

Oh god, ignore the parents who go on about the Gettysburg Address....they're all different, and boys do tend to be a bit later with their speech anyway
DS (coming up to 16 months) is the same, only a few words, but lots of animal noises, his words are "yayyyyyy", "bye", "drithe" (drink) and "wee wee".
a couple of his nursery chums are already fluently bilingual apparently...yaddah yaddah....brush it off already!

DS1 hardly spoke at all until he was 2 (altho he would point at body parts/make animal noises etc), he is now an almost 4 yr old with verbal diarrhea.

DS2 has been talking in sentences since he was 16mths, they are very different, but, as far as I can tell, fairly equally intelligent.

sounds like dd at 18 months - she still does exactly same thing now at 22 mo re animals/making the noises rather than saying what they are!

Ds2 is just about 18 months, and I think his entire vocabulary comprises No, peepbo, bye (very occasionally) and once or twice he's said 'oof' at a dog. He understands everything I expect him to and nods and shakes his head accordingly.

I'm not at all worried. In fact, I'm pretty sure that once he really gets going he'll never stop, so I'm enjoying the peace and quiet.

I can't what dd was doing at 18months (she's almost 7 now) but I do have an 18month old niece and he sounds just like her. She has a few recognisable words, she says dd's name, the cats name, same hi/bye thing, and all gone.
So I think it's fairly normal

Perfectly normal and reasonable (and cute).

my dd is 18.5mths and probably has about 15 or so words but most sound quite alike- eg ketchup is de dup
button is du do
tiger is di de

she doesn't even get animal noises consistently- the only ones she can really do are tiger and elephant (bizarrely)

about 3 weeks ago I would have said she had about 3-4 words- mama, dada and ta

I have noticed a massive change over the last week so I think she is about to take off!

Aw.. he sounds perfectly ok and normal to me.. I love them at that age

DD used to shout "BAAAAAAAATTT!" at any small amimal, which was her generic word for car, dog, guinea pig, rabbit, etc etc. Seems like yesterday! Sigh.

She's nine now. Just looked at her in bed. She's got one little foot hanging out and the rest of her is hidden by quilt and teddies. Se says a LOT more than BAAAAAAATT now!

totally normal & very lovely

Sounds very normal (& very cute!) to me. My DS was exactly the same at 18 months & by the time he saw the HV at just over 2 was constructing short sentences. Now at 3.5 you can't shut him up!

My DS was the same at age 2. By 3 he was speaking completely normally! Silence is worrying but jabbering away is fine!