“Beep beep” is nearly as versatile as the word “fuck”



“Beep beep” is a surprisingly versatile phrase. My two year old daughter, who is learning to communicate, uses it continuously. Of course it lacks a precise meaning but a lot can be taken from the context she uses it in. I’ve been told that 90% of communication is actually based on body language and not on what we say (warning: this number is a totally made-up).

Additionally she doesn’t pronounce it right yet and it sounds something like “babe”. Problematically, she does pronounce baby the same. Luckly there is a way to tell the difference. For beep-beep, she’ll say “babe” twice.

Here are some examples of her usage of this amazing phrase:

“Get out of my way immediately. I’m pushing my dolls through.”

It should be noted that she can and does say please, pronounced “plzs”, and thank you, pronounced “than-kin”. The use of beep-beep is never preceded by please or followed by thank you. We’re a little surprised at her pronounciation of thank you. It sounds nearly German, which is surprising since her mother is French and I’m Irish.

“Daddy get up. I will direct you to where you should be.”

She will then pull my hand to where she thinks I should be.

“Daddy you are in the wrong chair. You should be in the armchair.”

Yep, apparently I should always be in the armchair and it’s a bad thing to move to the sofa, unless I’m reading her a story or we’re watching monkeys on the TV.

“I’m hungry and require immediate nourishment. I don’t care that my dinner will be in half an hour.”

This is always said within the kitchen.

“I want to go for a walk.”

This is followed by going to the front door and attempting to pull down the coat rack to get her coat. Alternatively, if she finds her hat and scarf first, she’ll put these and then head to the door (without her coat).

“This is fun. Daddy is chasing me.”

This involves running from the front door through the hallway to the living room, saying “boom” and slapping the glass back door and then back to the front door.

“A Car!”

Can be said while in the car and stuck in traffic or walking along a road when a car goes by.

“A Train!”

I think she gets a little confused between cars and trains as she’ll also calls trains “chew-chew”.