Reduplicated babbling is defined as:

Reduplicated babbling is characterized by the repetition of the same vowel and consonant sound sequences. This stage is crucial in child language acquisition as it represents an early attempt by infants to produce the sounds of speech in a structured way. During this phase, infants often produce syllable-like sounds such as "baba" or "dada," which consist of repeating the same consonant-vowel combinations. This kind of babbling is essential for developing speech patterns and is typically observed around the age of 6 to 9 months.

The focus on the same vowel sounds being repeated ensures that infants gain experience with articulatory movements, which eventually leads to the formation of words. This phenomenon is not merely about random sounds but serves a foundational role in preparing for actual language use. In summary, reduplicated babbling allows infants to practice vocalization in a meaningful way, fostering their emerging linguistic skills.