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Developmental pattern

Reduplication

A syllable gets repeated instead of the word being produced in full.

Resolves
By 3;0
Sounds affected
Whole-word structure rather than individual sounds
Word pairs
15

What it sounds like

  • "water" becomes "wawa"
  • "bottle" becomes "baba"
  • "cookie" becomes "coco"
  • "blanket" becomes "baba"

Also called: Doubling

What is going on

Reduplication is one of the earliest word-shape patterns, and it is a sign that a child is trying to produce a two-syllable word before they can manage two different syllables. Rather than fail at the word, they repeat what they can already say. Total reduplication copies the whole syllable ("wawa"); partial reduplication keeps the vowel but varies the consonant ("wada").

Reduplication is completely normal at 18 months to 2 years and is actually a good sign - it shows the child is attempting longer words. It matters only when it continues past age 3, or when it is the child's only strategy for every multisyllabic word.

Try this at home

Choose target words with two genuinely different, easy syllables and exaggerate the contrast - "bay-BEE," "puh-PEE." Once a child produces one true two-syllable word with different halves, the pattern usually unlocks quickly.

When to refer

Still reduplicating after age 3, or using it for most longer words at 2;6.

Print it

Reduplication minimal pairs15 pairs grouped by sound · PDF

Play it

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