to 'say ta' or not to 'say ta'....baby language snobbery?

[nello]

the other day my OH told our DD to 'say ta'. It made me cringe...i just hate it. does anyone else have issues with language taught to babies or is it just me?

My Dd is 14mo and says "ta" at all the right times - when she gives me something, or when I give her something, or is she sees something she wants I.e. Sippy cup, she will point at it and say "taa".
I don't see a problem with it.

God so many righteous snobs on this thread.

We say ta plenty in Scotland. As a nation we must be lazy and common.

Get a grip.

'Ta' is my pet hate, it's right up there with 'youz' and 'boc boc.' My 1 and 4 year old don't know what 'ta' means, haha

NickyEds - it would be a pretty miserable person who thought badly of your son's hard-won 'ta'. I'm sure the posters you quoted didn't read your first post, and aren't thinking about speech delays.

Fwiw, I'm not a huge fan of baby talk and it doesn't come at all naturally to me. And I really, really hated DD doing the sign for please (hand moving in front of the mouth) because tbe way she did it felt like whining or begging. Once she was speaking I was pretty sharp about that too, and she soon learned to ask for things in a proper strong voice

But I would absolutely be cheering right alongside you at your boy saying 'ta', NickyEds. And if a child who struggled to communicate used the sign for please (or any other) I'd be overjoyed and excited for them and their family - and would acknowledge their success whole-heartedly. That goes without saying though doesn't it?

Thanks strawberry I'm probably just touchy about it. Have you ever just wished you'd never even seen a thread title, much less clicked on it? It literally never even entered my head that people would be judgy about little children saying ta.

I prefer to say thank you but not out of snobbery at all. Correct modelling of language is more helpful to a child developing their speech than cutting words short. Its great to acknowledge the child for having a go and then modelling it correctly will enhance their language skills. In my opinion (although ask speech and language therapists and they will agree im sure ) x

Daisy your shiny Parent of the Year Crown is in the post.

Haha, thanks 'President.' When you live in Merseyside, 'ta' is said in a strong scouse accent, often followed by 'pack it in, will yer, or I'll levver all a yuz.' If not talking to my kids this way means I get a parenting award then I'm very proud of myself

Only ignorant people that know little about language's or prejudiced people that want to eradicate the native language and regional variations would object to Ta as its meaning cannot be replaced by thank you as it has more meanings like hand it to me please. It saves a excess words.

"Ta" was DD1's first word and the only one she had for months. I don't think of it as a baby word particularly - it's pretty normal for adults to say it to each other in casual conversation - just a word that's a bit easier to say than "thank you".

FWIW she's 2.5 now and says "thank you".