Why do American women call themselves "mums."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's better than "mama"

Really, my 4 year old still calls me this once in a while. I've never encouraged it one way or the other. I think it's sweet.

It's fine if your 4-year old calls you that. It's annoying when women call themselves "mama." Has a man ever called himself a "dada"?

Is it more annoying than when women call themselves "mom" or "mommy"? (Or "mum")?

Seriously, why is "mama" more or less annoying than any of these options? I call myself "mama" to my baby. Other than that, I don't generally refer to myself in the third person. THAT would be annoying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's better than "mama"

Really, my 4 year old still calls me this once in a while. I've never encouraged it one way or the other. I think it's sweet.

It's fine if your 4-year old calls you that. It's annoying when women call themselves "mama." Has a man ever called himself a "dada"?

Is it more annoying than when women call themselves "mom" or "mommy"? (Or "mum")?

Seriously, why is "mama" more or less annoying than any of these options? I call myself "mama" to my baby. Other than that, I don't generally refer to myself in the third person. THAT would be annoying.

Also, maybe not "dada," but I know plenty of dads who refer to themselves as "papa."

[Anonymous]

Sorry, 16.40, but I really struggle to suppress a grimace over "I'll write you" and "I could care less". For the record, even though we Australians are renowned for massacring the endings of words, we're still supporters of correct grammar.

[Anonymous]

You all have too much time on your hands to generate 5 pages of this.

[Anonymous]

Never heard this, and I thought I was trendy.

[Anonymous]

Well how about why do American mothers call themselves "moms."? Its really irritating for a woman to keep identifying herself as a "mom" as if that's all she is. Stay at home mom, work at home mom, mom of three... I'm so sick of it.

[Anonymous]

Hahaha I'm from Pittsburgh and I just realized we say mummy instead of mommy! My siblings and I all call her mummy still. More Pittsburghese no one understands!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, 16.40, but I really struggle to suppress a grimace over "I'll write you" and "I could care less". For the record, even though we Australians are renowned for massacring the endings of words, we're still supporters of correct grammar.

But "I'll write you" is correct grammar, in Standard American English.

And the problem with "I could care less" is not grammar, it's logic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well how about why do American mothers call themselves "moms."? Its really irritating for a woman to keep identifying herself as a "mom" as if that's all she is. Stay at home mom, work at home mom, mom of three... I'm so sick of it.

If I made the rules, the word people used to refer to mothers would be "mothers", and the word people used to refer to fathers would be "fathers". I'm a mother, not a mom. "Mom" is a name.

Also if I made the rules, the verb "to parent" and its associated forms would all disappear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Remember Princess Diana's coffin with the card on top that said "Mummy"? So weird.

You are so weird and parochial. The world over people call their moms 'mummy'.

My kids call me mom, ma, mumma

I call my mom "mummy" or "ma". I see nothing wrong in it.

I am not American but my kids are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. It's not something I lose sleep over. I'm curious. Deal. I had no idea that this is a common term in the Pittsburgh area.

Yep. For ex.: where is mum? I need to tell she that I am taking yinz down to the cellar. Definitely not an attempt at being cosmopolitan or trendy

I'm from Western PA, and even though some Pittsburghers with heavy accents pronounce it "Mum" I don't think they would spell it "Mum." It would just be the way they say it, but would spell it "Mom."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well how about why do American mothers call themselves "moms."? Its really irritating for a woman to keep identifying herself as a "mom" as if that's all she is. Stay at home mom, work at home mom, mom of three... I'm so sick of it.

If I made the rules, the word people used to refer to mothers would be "mothers", and the word people used to refer to fathers would be "fathers". I'm a mother, not a mom. "Mom" is a name.

Also if I made the rules, the verb "to parent" and its associated forms would all disappear.

Agree! When did people start saying all of this anyways?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Common in Boston too...our accent maybe as Maine poster pointed out?

I referred to my mother as Mumma, short form Mum, as did friends. That is what my kids call me, tradition.

+1

My father and his sisters (born and raised outside of Boston, as was I) always called my grandmother "mum" and I call my own mother the same. Many of my childhood friends called their mothers "Mumma." My own kids use "mum" and "mom" interchangeably.

[Anonymous]

11.34.

Both of your contentions are utterly wrong.

The first egregious claim that "I'll write you" is good grammar , is legit clearly stems from some dodgy reference book - perchance the equivalent of 'Dianetics' which must be true because they sold loads of copies.

But I'm more intrigued to know how the phrase "I could care less" is logical? (I think that's what you were implying). Please discuss.

[Anonymous]

Lol, who cares?