Baby talk. It's inescapable. And it's universal. I don't mean the annoying speech-impediment pattern shared by Tweety Bird and my kids in embarrassing public occasions, no, "baby talk" (the technical term, but also referred to as "motherese") refers to that singsong swooping inflection we use when we talk to babies. Any babies. No matter where we live.
And no matter if we are monkeys.
Female Puerto Rican rhesus monkeys were observed speaking to the babies in their group in this manner. Experts conjecture that doing so makes other females, the mothers of the babies being addressed in this manner, more receptive to social overtures such as grooming.
I can see how valuable that would be on a playdate.
In addition, speaking that way seems to get the babies' attention. What, screeching at them doesn't work?
