I get to wondering about the funniest things...
Don't know what made me think of this.
I noticed when we visited Debbie that her kids (even her oldest daughter in her 20's) call her "mama". I thought that was so sweet. Around here, the name "mama" is typically only used by very young children. Then the normal name is "mommy" or "mom".
My own kids call me "mum". When they were little, they used to call me "mummy" - Brent still calls me "mummy". It's so sweet, he doesn't even realize he still calls me that. He'd probably be embarassed if I pointed it out to him.
"Mum" or "mummy" is not commonly used around here though. I got it from my own mom (mum!) who has a British/Scottish background.
What do your kids call you?
6 comments:
It's "mama" here. I'd blame it on them growing up southern, except that "up north" I started calling my own mom "mama" when I was young. I attribute that to "The Waltons."
The one name that I hope they don't pick up from their cousins is the term "Mother"... as in "Muh. Therrrrr." Aaack.
My kids call me mama and mom. I call my own mother mom and ma and when I was a small child I called her mommy. My mother calls her own mother ma, mom and mommy.
So now, how do you pronounce "mama"? Is it like the southerners do like MAW-muh...or is it like the French "maman" which is more like mah-MAHN.
And is "ma" a regional thing? Like they show on tv the New Yorkers always call their moms "ma".
Never thought about it before but I would guess "Mum" is a more natural sound for little ones since they would acquire the "mmmm" sound before the short o sound.
Anyway, I get "Mom" and "Mommy" but what I find really interesting is the regional names for "grandma" and where exactly does "nana" fit in? LOL
Mama is my own eccentricity - no one else around here uses it. pronounced mah mah with the accent slightly on the first syllable.
I think Ma might be a regional thing. It is not in as common usage as it was when I was younger - maybe because the world is shrinking.
Most people around here use mom (and mommy for younger children.) My mother calls her mother mommy only when talking about her to one of her siblings, eg. "Did you talk to Mommy today?"
Beth, I called my father's mother Nonna, which is Italian for grandmother. Maybe that's where Nana comes from.
Mine call me mama to my face, but I am mom when they speaking about me to others
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