3 ms·
Im a native English speaker, and I'm shocked to learn that the writer meant it to mean "lover." Baby is used for lover, so I can see how it's confusing. Still,
by dalbasal 8y ago
Im a native English speaker, and I'm shocked to learn that the writer meant it to mean "lover."
Baby is used for lover, so I can see how it's confusing. Still, I never even considered it.
I actually like it a lot better as a literal "baby." It makes the character in the song more unusual and mysterious.
- tabtab 8y agoWhen I first heard it, I considered both interpretations, and left it ambiguous in my mind. Ambiguity is actually a selling point, in my observation: people shape it in their head to mean whatever they want it to mean. It's just like (alleged) news: if they tell you what you want to hear, you are more likely to tune in again: Confirmation Bias. It's partly why media choice has made the nation more divided.
- John_KZ 8y agoWait, I'm confused. Do native english-speakers intuitively interpret the lyrics as "infant" or as "lover"? "Babe" is common word for "lover" in many languages, including mine, and I never thought someone would think this upbeat song is about getting pregnant.
- yayana 8y agoAs a native I assumed infant. Another baby lacks the usual possessive and seems doubly ambiguous for a lover.. (Is it a new lover or an additional one?) Wanting another baby (infant) is both a common phrase from 30 somethings and a kind of warning that fits nicely into a pop song where the audience is treated as having a 16-21 level of maturity. The peer warning about a temptress or other opportunity that is a threat to their irresponsible lifestyle.. "Watch out for that vixen-cougar" was the subtext I was hearing. A little nicer than "she is a man eater"..