ENGLISH 4263-001 Linguistics and Language Learning
Spring 1997
TR 02:00 - 03:20 p.m., 202 Fretwell Bldg., UNCC

Child English Dictionary

The following is a list I collected, with contributions from students in this and last year's language acquisition classes, of words and expressions commonly used between children and adults. If you happen to spot an omission, I'd be grateful for your contributions as well. I don't know what I'm going to do with this material yet, but I'd like to get as complete a collection as I can eventually.

used mainly by adults:

bad boy/girl	np term of scolding
big boy/girl	np term of praising for mature behavior
cootchie-    cootchie-coo	interj. sound eliciting attention or laughter, often used while tickling
go beddy-bye	vp go to bed, say goodnight
go bye-bye	vp go away, bid farewell
googoo gaga	interj imitation of babbling
number one	np act of urinating
number two	np act of defecating
oopsie-daisy	interj. identifying a mishap
play pretty	vp share, be sociable with playmates
smarty-pants	n. smart-aleck child
whooping	n. physical punishment, paddling

used by adults and children:

and .

1-2-3's	n. the numbers
A
abc's	n. the alphabet
allgone	adj empty, gone
B
ba-ba	n. bottle
ba-ba	n. sheep
beddy-bye	n 1. going to bed; 2. child's bed vi. go to bed  variant: go beddy-bye
[?] bibby	n. pacifier
binkie	n. pacifier
blankie	n. blanket [usu. a favorite]  variants: bankie, binket, binkie
birdie	n. bird
boo-boo	n. 1. bruise, slight lesion to the skin, 2. accident
boo-boo	n. feces vi. defecate
boom-boom	n. bottom, buttocks  variant: bommon
boom boom	n. thunder
bopper	n. pacifier
bow-wow	n. 1. dog, 2. barking sound
brek-brek	n. breakfast
bro-bro	n. brother
bubba	n. brother
buggie	n. insect
bunny	n. 1. rabbit; 2. flatulence
but-but	n. buttocks (see also boom-boom)
C
caca	n. feces vi. to defecate
choo-choo	n. train [sound of steam locomotive]
clicker	n. remote control
cooties	n. germs [someties associated with touching a child of the opposite sex]
D
dada	n. father [form of address]
diddley	n. blanket
din-din	n. dinner, meal
ding dong	n. phallus
doggie	n. dog
dolly	n. doll
doo-doo	n. feces  variant: dukey vi. to defecate
duckie	n. 1. duck, water fowl; 2. plastic toy duck
E
eat-eat	vi. to eat [often used as request]
F
fishie	n. fish
footsie	n. (pl.: feetsies) foot
G
gammy	n. grandmother
go bye-bye	vi. leave
go ride	vi. have a ride in a car
H
hiney	n. buttocks
horsie	n. horse
hurt	n. a bruise or slight lesion to the skin  variant: hurty
I
icky	adj. distasteful, dirty (cf. yucky) vi. to defecate
itty	adj. little  variants: itty-bitty, itsy-bitsy
J
jammies	n. pajamas  variant: nanas
juicy-juice	n. juice
K
kiss it better	vp [consoling schema]
kitty	n. cat, kitten  variants: kitty-cat, kiki
L
lolli	n. lollipop, hard candy
M
mmmh	interj. [appreciation of taste]
make bubbles	vp to urinate [mainly for boys]
make ti-ti	vp to urinate
maw-maw	n. grandmother [address]  variant: mee-maw
meanie	n. mean person
meow	n. cat  variant: meow-meow
mimi	n. injury, cut, scrape, or bruise [Greek imigrants]
mommie	n. mother [address]  variant: mumu
moo-cow	n. cow  variant: moo, moo-moo
Mr. Pointer	np index finger
N
nana	n. grandmother  variant: nanny
nap-nap	n. daytime sleep vi. to sleep during the daytime
night-night	interj. social expression before going to sleep vi. going to bed  variant: nightie-night
ninny	n. breast, breast milk vi. to breast-feed
nippy	n. pacifier
no-no	n. forbidden behavior
nuckie	n. pacifier
O
ouchie	n. a bruise or slight lesion to the skin
ouwie	n. a bruise or slight lesion to the skin
P
pasketties	n. spaghetties  variants: bisketties, sketties
passie	n. pacifier
patty cake	n. [a hand game accompanied with a nursery rhyme]
paw-paw	n. grandfather [address]  variants: grandpappy, pa-pa, pappaw, pop-pop
peekaboo	n. game of hiding [covering and un- covering the eyes] interj. [establishing eye contact]  variants: peek-a-doo, pee-pie [infants, Southern]
peenie	n. penis (see also wee-wee)
pee-pee	vi. to urinate  variant: pee n. genitals
piggy	n. 1. pig; 2. child's toe
play-play	vi. to play n. make-belief, role play
poo-poo	vi. to defecate  variant: go poo-poo n. 1. feces, 2. soiled diaper
poop	n. feces vi. to defecate  variants: go poopie; poot (pass gas)
poopy	adj. soiled
[?] po-po	n. buttocks
potty	n. 1. child's toilet, toilet, bathroom; 2. feces vi. to defecate and/or urinate  variant: go potty
Q
quack-quack	n. water fowl, duck
S
shoo-shoo	n. 1. feces, 2. dirty diaper vi. to defecate
sippie	n. 1. baby cup; 2. drink
sissy	n. sister  variant: sis-sis
sleep-sleep	vi. sleep
sleepy time	n. bedtime
spank-spank	vi. to adminster physical punishment n. physical punishment
stinky	n. soiled diaper, feces; go stinky
swimmies	n. arms floats
T
tee-tee	vi. to urinate n. phallus
tick-tock	n. clock  variant: tee-tock
tinkle	vi. urinate
tippitoes	n. tiptoes
toesies	n. toesn. toes
tummy	n. stomach
tush	n. behind
[?] tuty	n. vagina
tweetie-bird	n. bird
U
uh-oh	interj. [realization of accident, transgression]
undies	n. underwear
upsie	adv. upwards [motion]  variant: upsie daisy
W
wa-wa	n. water
wee-wee	n. child's phallus  variant: weenie
wubbie	n. blanket
Y
yack	vi. throw up
yucky	interj., adj. distasteful, dirty  variant: yuck
yum yum	adj. good tasting  variants: num-num, yummie

...any confirmations of the following?

buster browns	n. pants
doodle	n. boy's phallus
hissy-fit	n. tantrum
snoodle	n. girl's genital area

comments, additions, questions - please let me know at fen00rt1@unccvm.uncc.edu

acknowledgments:

Eric A. Borland, Heidi Campbell, Maya M. Daughtry, Crystal

Eubanks, Christy Hahn, Tracy Hartis, Nancy L. Hoffarth,

Lesley D. Huntley, LaTasha Martin, Angie H. Miller, Beverly

M. Nunley, Michael T. Petrosino, Mary Phillips, John Player,

Jonathan J. Roberts, Mari-Beth Romeo, Hillary E. Saunders,

Danielle L. Schaffer, Michael L. Sheffield, Karen Surprise,

Todd Trogdon

Ralf Thiede - 03-10-1997