Whenever we see something cute or adorable, our first inclination is to release all the energy somehow regardless of all logic. Whether it's tickling a baby's chin or petting a small dog, it's a gesture meant to introduce yourself and let them know they're just absolutely adorable.
Well, let's hope that you have fast reflexes, because it turns out that they don't like you, and they're going to let you know about it. Painfully.
This is what happens when you treat someone or something like a baby. Especially if you say "coochie coochie coo", that's just Tempting Fate.
Often seen in Slapstick comedy because it subverts an otherwise cute and wholesome moment with some good old-fashioned pain. However, it also has a place as Foreshadowing in more serious stories, usually to signal that the person getting hurt is actually evil or just a Jerkass through the good instincts of an Evil-Detecting Dog or baby.
Or maybe it has nothing to do with instincts. Maybe it's because someone was being a jerk and deserved some karmic payback. Or maybe they were never a jerk at all but the "cute widdle thing" is, either because they're a Mister Muffykins, Enfant Terrible, naturally-adorable abomination or some sort of disguised evil being pretending to be cute and cuddly.
Or maybe they're both jerks. The options are limitless.
Alternatively, it's meant to convey a character's stupidity especially if it's done to the wrong person or creature. Since Baby Talk is basically treating someone like they're an infant, it's considered condescending and teasing because it implies they have baby-level intelligence. When it is directed at a baby, the issue is usually because it's seen as immature or annoying especially when a normal, calm voice can be used instead.
Rarely, it's intended to show a character's innocence and inexperience with animals or children, usually because they don't know how to talk to them well, and also the potential for their finger to be mistaken for food and bitten. As such, expect a cartoonish level of Fingore to follow.
Sub-Trope of Baby Talk and sister trope to Squish the Cheeks. Compare Bullying a Dragon. Contrast Bite of Affection. See also And Call Him "George" for when someone accidentally hurts the cute widdle thing. Compare and contrast Cub Cues Protective Parent, when the baby is safe but the mama or papa will kick your butt.
Not to be confused with The Dog Bites Back. See Man Bites Man in cases where a human bites another human for more serious reasons, often inflicting heavy damage.
Examples:
- The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You: In Chapter 84, Kusuri tries to get Kishika to take a baby transformation drug by acting as though the latter were a toddler refusing to take her medicine. This leads to Kishika smacking the vial out of Kusuri's hand with a kendo sword, causing the drug to envelop all the girls who weren't babyfied in the first Baby Morph Episode.
- Rosario + Vampire: The first chapter of Season II has two randos, who are mostly there so the mains can have someone to exposit Season I to, talking baby talk to Yukari. Cue Hyperspace Mallet.
- Calvin and Hobbes: Hobbes has beaten up Calvin on at least two occasions for baby-talking to him and waking him up from a nap, which he doesn't like. The second time Calvin baby-talks to him, this time without petting the tiger in his sleep, Hobbes gets up to give Calvin a pretty good glare before the panel cuts away to a beaten-up Calvin.
- This strip from March 8, 1990
:
Calvin: Hewwo! Is Hobbesie-wobbsie sweepy? Ooh, he's just a big snoogie-woogie, isn't he? Yes, he is! Hewwo, snoogie-woogie!(Hobbes bites Calvin's head)Calvin: Hey! Hey! (while fighting with Hobbes) OW! OW! LEGGO, YOU BLOODTHIRSTY CARNIVORE! (after getting beaten up) I can see why little tabby cats are so much more popular. - This strip from September 29, 1993:
Calvin: Ooh, wook at da big, stwipey putty! Is oo a fuzzy, fwendwy putty??(Hobbes wakes up and glares at Calvin)Calvin: (after getting beaten up) Tigers don't like to be called "putties."
- This strip from March 8, 1990
- Despicable Me: Vector plays around with the stolen Shrink Ray and shrinks his toilet. He then talks in a higher-pitched, baby-like manner to the tiny toilet until it pops off its pipe, getting water sprayed in his face.
Vector: Oh, look at you a little tiny toilet for a little tiny baby t- Argh! Curse you, tiny toilet!
- Finding Nemo: When Dory tries to adopt a small jellyfish whom she names Squishy, she starts babbling to him affectionately, only for him to sting her.
- The Rescuers Down Under: When the eagle's eggs hatch, Wilbur gets the bright idea to try to scratch one of the baby chick's chin but it bites him since it doesn't know any better.
- The Road to El Dorado: While pretending to be a god to the people in El Dorado, Con Artist Tulio tries to tickle a toddler's chin but receives a good chomp on the hand in response.
- Shrek 2: When Puss in Boots first arrives, Shrek starts calling him a "little kitty" in a baby voice. Puss then attacks Shrek.
- Captain Marvel (2019): After escaping from the Kree, Nick Fury lifts and coos at the housecat-resembling-flerken Goose, despite that he's seen that it's much more dangerous than it looks. Goose snarls, and when that doesn't dissuade Fury it claws him in the face, costing him an eye.
- Gremlins: Gizmo gets water spilled on him, and promptly spawns several Gremlin eggs. They actually hatch into Mogwai, and while initially cute, the ominous music, Gizmo's pained screaming, and the malevolent gazes of the babies as they hatch lets the audience these new critters are very different from Gizmo. Billy's little brother thinks they're cute, and reaches towards one while saying "Hi Cutie". It promptly snaps at his finger.
- The Pink Panther Strikes Again: Inspector Clouseau is staying at a Bavarian hotel outside Castle Mondschein, where former Commissioner Dreyfus is keeping his doomsday weapon, and he sees a dog sitting in the doorway.
Clouseau: (to the receptionist) Does your dog bite?Receptionist: No.Clouseau: (bends down to stroke the dog) Good doggy. (the dog growls and bites his hand) I thought you said your dog did not bite.Receptionist: That is not my dog.
- RoboCop (1987): Subverted. Before Murphy is resurrected as a cyborg, he is captured by Clarence Boddicker's gang. As Murphy lies helplessly on the floor, Clarence puts his hand on Murphy's cheek and says "You probably don't think I'm a very nice guy, do ya?" Instead of attacking him, Murphy calmly replies "Buddy, I think you're slime".
- The Three Stooges: The Movie: Curly, dressed as a nurse, is about to change the diapers from baby triplets. He tries to scratch one of their chins, but the baby bites his finger.
- Tak and the Power of Juju: When Tak summons the pint-sized Dinky Juju for help, Tak talks to him like a baby and asks him to go get his mommy or daddy to help him instead. Even after Dinky Juju demonstrates his power by destroying a flower with a fireball and causing an earthquake, Tak continues to infantilize him. Dinky Juju then puts on his magic boots, teleports behind Tak, and sends him flying with a kick.
- A memetic video features a man wearing a Mickey Mouse glove, whilst petting a dog. He says to the dog "You're a cute one! Do you like squeaky toys?" in a Mickey Mouse voice, before the dog bites him on the finger, causing him to scream. The video can be seen here.
- JoCat's A Crap Guide to D&D [5th Edition] - Goblins ends with JoCrap poking the gobbo while cooing at him and getting bitten, then attacked, for his troubles.
JoCrap: ...an innocent little cutie pie that was just minding its own business and just wanted a widdle bit of love. ^3^ Isn't that right, you sweety potato- ^3^ (gets bit) OW SON OF A BITCH
- Girl Genius: When Agatha meets Maxinia, baby daughter of her adoptive parents (who are both constructs and couldn't have children prior to being rebuilt by Gil), she calls her "an adowable widdle miwacle of science". Unfortunately, Maxinia is rather stronger than the average infant and really doesn't like baby talk. She punches Agatha in the face, almost knocking her out.
- The Legend of Zelda (1989): Apparently Ganon's idea of flirting with Zelda involves holding her by the chin and going "coochie coochie coo" while she's being held hostage. She immediately bites him on the finger.
- Martin Mystery: In one episode, when Martin, Diana, and Java are called to The Center, they meet M.O.M., who has a cute-looking baby alien. Martin wags his finger in front of it to say hi, only for it to bite down with some razor-sharp teeth.
- Mr. Magoo: In the episode "Pink and Blue Blues", Mr. Magoo babysits a baby named Homer. While going on about how they're going to get along, he wags his finger in front of Homer while saying "coochie coochie coo" only for the kid to bite his finger.
- Tom and Jerry:
- In "The Cat's Me-Ouch!", Tom picks Jerry's mouse-sized bulldog and tosses him up playfully like a toy, which the dog isn't happy with. Then he has the audacity to point and laugh at his size while holding him, which prompts the little dog to become a hurricane with teeth that shaves his arms.
- In "The Yankee Doodle Mouse", Jerry slips Tom a stick of dynamite that, after a series of fakeouts, is very tiny. Thinking it harmless, Tom picks it up and starts fawning over it, pointing and laughing at its size. Naturally, it blows up in his face.
- Woody Woodpecker: In "Hot Noon", Woody gives Buzz Buzzard a Kewpie-like baby doll as a shooting prize. Buzz scratches her chin, saying "coochie coochie coo" and she spits water on him.
