The Dynamics of Baby Talk and Academic Language Bias

This chapter examines the role of infant-directed speech, often referred to as baby talk, in language development, highlighting its appeal to infants and the misconceptions surrounding it. It juxtaposes this discussion with a critical analysis of the challenges faced by non-English scholars in academic circles, focusing on the inequities in linguistic accessibility posed by search engine algorithms. The speakers reflect on the cultural biases in both realms and the implications for communication and research across different languages.