Talking baby-talk to animals

Hi there

There was a little dog tied up outside a shop.  I bent down to talk to it:

"Hello, darling.  Aren't you beautiful?  You are such a gorgeous widdle doggie-woggie. If all the little-bitty doggie-woggies were placed in a row, you would be the most lovely-wuvly-"

A shopper passed me.  She smiled indulgently.  Immediately, I got all embarrassed.

"Am I the only person in the world who talks baby-talk to puppies?" I said.

"We all do it, dear," said the woman.

And this got me thinking.  What is it that makes us talk so silly?  When I had my beautiful cat, StarGirl, I would come home from work, calling out, "I'm home, Sweetie-pie...."  

Oh dear. 

One of my favourite tunes from the wonderful Judy Garland/Fred Astaire movie "Easter Parade"  is "Snookey Ookums" where the two sing in baby-talk.

Well if Garland and Astaire can sing like that to each other, I can most certainly croon to any passing animal I come across.  So - new resolution - from now on I am going to proudly hold my head up high as I chatter away in baby-talk.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co_70AlyB0k

Above is a link to a short three-song medley from "Easter Parade" featuring "Snookey Ookums" which is the middle song.

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