A unique and specific language still mystifies scientists studying brain development and communication.

Many languages are spoken worldwide, and they are learned in school, in textbooks and by living in our cultures. But one specific type of language is unique to individuals and reaching into that world where this language is spoken has been extremely difficult for research researchers. Now, however, more attention is centering on what is known as “twins speak.”

Researchers used systematic assessments at 20 months and again at 36 months to investigate the prevalence and developmental course of this supposed "secret language" in a sample of twins and closely spaced singletons pairings. A singleton child is a child that is born alone, rather than as part of a multiple birth.

There were two kinds of “secret language” that were studied: (1) speech that was directed at their parent but could not be understood by the parent, and (2) speech that was directed at the other twin or sibling and could not be understood by the parent but was understood and used by the child and their sibling alone.

Parental Interactions

Gestural cues mirror the gender gap in early speech development, with girls beginning to produce more words and a wider range of vocabulary than boys. It is worth noting that parents exhibit differences in speech production when conversing with their only sons as opposed to daughters.

Essentially, a study that looked at parent-child interactions found no evidence of sex or dyad-composition differences in either parent speech or gesture. However, there was evidence of a group difference in gesture, with parents of singletons providing more gestures overall, more variety, and more complexity than parents of twins. Gesture may be the first indicator of disparities in parental input to singletons compared to twins, according to these findings. How do twins react?

Our present understanding of early language acquisition could be expanded by examining twins, who typically exhibit less physical gestures and lag behind single children in terms of language development.
Since they have to divide their attention between two children, parents of twins may have shorter and less complicated conversations with their newborns. Parents of singletons are more likely to provide their children with personalized and regular input.

Researchers have found that twins establish their own basic communication systems while they are infants, which may cause a minor delay in the acquisition of their native language.

Reasons for Twin Talk

How did twin speak come to be, and what theories exist to explain it? There may be multiple reasons for the development of this type of communication.

1. Problems related to premature birth or difficulties during delivery. There is a higher chance of speech delays associated with each of these.

2. Caregivers’ focus divided. When parents are caring for two young children at once, they have less time to devote to each child individually, which means that the kids get less one-on-one time, fewer tales, and less words said to them.

3. Heredity. There is a higher probability that speech delays can be inherited.

4. “Twin chatter.” Twins and multiples communicate with each other using these made-up words, gestures, and basic syntax. Their language and speech development could be postponed at times because they are so good at communicating nonverbally.

5. Variations in personality. A more reserved twin may take longer to acquire language and speech if their sibling is naturally more extroverted.

6. The “spokesperson” is one of the twins or multiples. Children whose elder siblings “talk” for them also exhibit this behavior frequently. However, other children’s speech and language development may suffer as a result, since they may lack the motivation to express themselves verbally.

Reasons It Fades Out and Steps to Take

Research indicates that up to 50% of identical twin pairs may establish a shared language that appears to be distinct from their parents’ native tongue. This kind of language development may be influenced by the fact that twins spend a significant amount of time engaging with one other.

If twins hear each other making the same noises repeatedly, they may begin to associate certain meaning with them. They will continue to use these incorrect sounds when speaking to each other because this reinforces them. This is the key that unlocks the mystery of their apparent foreign tongue.

At some point, twins must learn to imitate certain sounds for everyday items so that those close to them, such as their parents and extended relatives, can comprehend them. That is why it is not uncommon for children to stop speaking their native language by the time they start elementary school, if not sooner.

Parents can play an active role in preventing or reducing language delays by following the NHS’s many recommendations:

1. Embrace one-on-one time by discussing separate routines like bathing and changing diapers.

2. For the first half an hour each day, without the television, infants will be able to focus on your voice.

3. Listen for and react to the unique sounds that each baby makes.

4. Set aside some time to play with each twin individually, addressing them by name and engaging in interactive activities.

5. Get other family members involved, too, by having them play and chat with the twins separately.

It is an interesting aspect of the development of communication in twins and it can lead to school delays, so parental attention to twins, as separate babies, would suggest it’s the way to begin to help them develop language.