Reduplicated babbling is best described as

• A. Repetition of the same syllable (e.g., "ba-ba")
• B. Sequences of different syllables (e.g., "bagada")
• C. A word-like vocalization with consistent meaning to the child but not a true word
• D. The influence of surrounding sounds on the articulation of a sound

Answer: (A)

Reduplicated babbling is the repetition of the same syllable, such as "ba-ba" or "da-da." This pattern shows a baby is practicing the skill of producing a stable consonant-vowel pair and coordinating the timing of sounds. It’s a hallmark of the early canonical babbling stage, typically emerging in the first year as infants gain better control over their articulators. The key feature is repeating the same syllable in succession, which distinguishes it from sequences of different syllables like "bagada." It’s not about a word with meaning (that would be a protoword) and it isn’t about how surrounding sounds influence articulation (coarticulation).