There Is an Actual Explanation for Couples Who Love Nicknames and Baby Talk

Have you ever wondered why couples use nicknames and speak in baby talk? Well, we have the answers for you.

According to a study, most couples that use this behavior actually have great relationships, Hello Giggles reports. Nicknames create a sense of intimacy between the partners and represent a secret world the two only understand.

Carol Bruess, the author of the 1993 study, "'Sweet Pea' and 'Pussy Cat': An Examination of Idiom Use and Marital Satisfaction Over the Life Cycle," said, "I think it's a really human, natural behavior to take language and shape it for our own purposes. I think that's how nicknames evolve. We name things, we give things symbols, and over time we tend to naturally manipulate those symbols toward a certain outcome."

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In her research, she described the behavior as "couplespeak," which she believes is a marker for martial satisfaction.

Dr. Frank Nuessel, a University of Louisville professor, explains that couples' pet names typically begin with letters b, m and p because they are the easiest to make and require no tongue movement. They are also some of the first sounds babies make.

"When parents, and usually it's the mother who interacts the most, tries to teach the baby language, they use the terms of the child: mama, papa, baba," said Nuessel. "Then the adults transfer the language to other adults or significant others in their life, and they use those as terms of endearment."

According to an article in Psychology Today, the baby talk used between partners resembles the feeling of a parent's love, one that is unconditional and secure.

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