Mom [OT]

I find it most annoying when little brats in American TV series refer
to "My Mom" or say something sick-making like "I love my Mom".

What I am curious about is the word 'Mom'. Is that what children
actually say? for that matter do they say that yucky word in England
nowadays?

If anyone wonders what my problem is then I learnt 'Mum' and 'Mummy'
and never heard this word 'Mom' until a few years ago.

--
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Yup. We call our "Mums" "Mom" or sometimes when younger "Mama" (though my
siblings and I held on to that one for a long time actually.) "Mother" is
generally held for referral use only OR when aggravated by said parent.

Karen

"David Stevenson" wrote in message
...

I find it most annoying when little brats in American TV series refer
to "My Mom" or say something sick-making like "I love my Mom".

What I am curious about is the word 'Mom'. Is that what children
actually say? for that matter do they say that yucky word in England
nowadays?

If anyone wonders what my problem is then I learnt 'Mum' and 'Mummy'
and never heard this word 'Mom' until a few years ago.

--
David Stevenson Storypage: http://blakjak.com/sty_menu.htm
Liverpool, England, UK Emails welcome
Nanki Poo: SI Bp+W B 10 Y L+ W++ C+ I T+ A- E H++ V- F Q P B+ PA+ PL+ SC
Minke: SI W+Cp B 1 Y++ L-- W- C+

On Fri, 26 Mar 2004 11:15:58 -0600, "Karen"
yodeled:

Yup. We call our "Mums" "Mom" or sometimes when younger "Mama" (though my
siblings and I held on to that one for a long time actually.) "Mother" is
generally held for referral use only OR when aggravated by said parent.

Karen


And Mommy. My brother and I called our mother Mommy when I was little
(which is an increasingly long time ago ), and all the children I
knew growing up said Mommy. My mother called her mother Mommy when
she was little. I know English people say "Mum" or "Mummy," but I
never found it irritating. It's what they do. So what?



Theresa
alt.tv.frasier FAQ: http://www.im-listening.net/FAQ/

Single-mindedness is all very well in cows or baboons; in an animal
claiming to belong to the same species as Shakespeare it is simply disgraceful.
(Aldous Huxley)

"Kreisleriana" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 26 Mar 2004 11:15:58 -0600, "Karen"
yodeled:

Yup. We call our "Mums" "Mom" or sometimes when younger "Mama" (though my
siblings and I held on to that one for a long time actually.) "Mother" is
generally held for referral use only OR when aggravated by said parent.

Karen


And Mommy. My brother and I called our mother Mommy when I was little
(which is an increasingly long time ago ), and all the children I
knew growing up said Mommy. My mother called her mother Mommy when
she was little. I know English people say "Mum" or "Mummy," but I
never found it irritating. It's what they do. So what?


Oh, some things are just like that. I dislike "Ma'am". And I know a lot of
women who do and yet people use it all the time. I swear, it makes me feel
ancient!

Karen

"Karen" wrote in message
...

"Kreisleriana" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 26 Mar 2004 11:15:58 -0600, "Karen"
yodeled:

Yup. We call our "Mums" "Mom" or sometimes when younger "Mama" (though
my
siblings and I held on to that one for a long time actually.) "Mother"
is
generally held for referral use only OR when aggravated by said
parent.

Karen


And Mommy. My brother and I called our mother Mommy when I was little
(which is an increasingly long time ago ), and all the children I
knew growing up said Mommy. My mother called her mother Mommy when
she was little. I know English people say "Mum" or "Mummy," but I
never found it irritating. It's what they do. So what?


Oh, some things are just like that. I dislike "Ma'am". And I know a lot of
women who do and yet people use it all the time. I swear, it makes me feel
ancient!

Karen

Greetings...

It's not to make you feel ancient, it's to show respect. As a proper GRITS
(Girl Raised In The South), I will use ma'am to women I ~know~ are younger
than me when they're in charge and I'm asking them to do something for me
(IE: at the DMV getting my licence renewed, in a store asking for help).
Remember, it's not always what happens to you. It's how you choose to
react.

lal

"LAL" had some very interesting things
to say about Mom [OT]:

It's not to make you feel ancient, it's to show respect. As a proper GRITS
(Girl Raised In The South), I will use ma'am to women I ~know~ are younger
than me when they're in charge and I'm asking them to do something for me
(IE: at the DMV getting my licence renewed, in a store asking for help).
Remember, it's not always what happens to you. It's how you choose to
react.

When I was working in tech support [and I suspect this'll happen on my
new job too], I'd very frequently have Southern-sounding callers who
sounded old enough to have children or even grandchildren my age
calling me Ma'am. :-)

--
"Don't mess with major appliances unless you know what you are doing
(or unless your life insurance policy is up-to-date)." - John, RCFL

Karen wrote:
"Kreisleriana" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 26 Mar 2004 11:15:58 -0600, "Karen"
yodeled:

Yup. We call our "Mums" "Mom" or sometimes when younger "Mama"
(though my siblings and I held on to that one for a long time
actually.) "Mother" is generally held for referral use only OR when
aggravated by said parent.

Karen


And Mommy. My brother and I called our mother Mommy when I was
little (which is an increasingly long time ago ), and all the
children I
knew growing up said Mommy. My mother called her mother Mommy when
she was little. I know English people say "Mum" or "Mummy," but I
never found it irritating. It's what they do. So what?


Oh, some things are just like that. I dislike "Ma'am". And I know a
lot of women who do and yet people use it all the time. I swear, it
makes me feel ancient!

Karen

You're not the only one, Karen! "Yes ma'am" in the U.S. is considered
polite but it makes me feel like someone's grandmother. Granted, I'm almost
old enough to *be* someone's grandmother, but point in fact, I'm not.
Still, I suppose it's intended to be polite.

Jill

On Sat, 27 Mar 2004 04:23:43 -0600, "jmcquown"
yodeled:

Karen wrote:
"Kreisleriana" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 26 Mar 2004 11:15:58 -0600, "Karen"
yodeled:

Yup. We call our "Mums" "Mom" or sometimes when younger "Mama"
(though my siblings and I held on to that one for a long time
actually.) "Mother" is generally held for referral use only OR when
aggravated by said parent.

Karen


And Mommy. My brother and I called our mother Mommy when I was
little (which is an increasingly long time ago ), and all the
children I
knew growing up said Mommy. My mother called her mother Mommy when
she was little. I know English people say "Mum" or "Mummy," but I
never found it irritating. It's what they do. So what?


Oh, some things are just like that. I dislike "Ma'am". And I know a
lot of women who do and yet people use it all the time. I swear, it
makes me feel ancient!

Karen

You're not the only one, Karen! "Yes ma'am" in the U.S. is considered
polite but it makes me feel like someone's grandmother. Granted, I'm almost
old enough to *be* someone's grandmother, but point in fact, I'm not.
Still, I suppose it's intended to be polite.

Jill


Another regional difference. It's pretty standard in the south,
almost non-existent in the north. So it can be a jolt to a northern
woman to be "ma'amed" when it's nowhere in her experience.




Theresa
alt.tv.frasier FAQ: http://www.im-listening.net/FAQ/

Single-mindedness is all very well in cows or baboons; in an animal
claiming to belong to the same species as Shakespeare it is simply disgraceful.
(Aldous Huxley)

"jmcquown" wrote in message
. ..
Karen wrote:
"Kreisleriana" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 26 Mar 2004 11:15:58 -0600, "Karen"
yodeled:

Yup. We call our "Mums" "Mom" or sometimes when younger "Mama"
(though my siblings and I held on to that one for a long time
actually.) "Mother" is generally held for referral use only OR when
aggravated by said parent.

Karen


And Mommy. My brother and I called our mother Mommy when I was
little (which is an increasingly long time ago ), and all the
children I
knew growing up said Mommy. My mother called her mother Mommy when
she was little. I know English people say "Mum" or "Mummy," but I
never found it irritating. It's what they do. So what?


Oh, some things are just like that. I dislike "Ma'am". And I know a
lot of women who do and yet people use it all the time. I swear, it
makes me feel ancient!

Karen

You're not the only one, Karen! "Yes ma'am" in the U.S. is considered
polite but it makes me feel like someone's grandmother. Granted, I'm
almost
old enough to *be* someone's grandmother, but point in fact, I'm not.
Still, I suppose it's intended to be polite.

Jill


When I was a kid, here in the US, I always called my mother Mom. My
children called me Mom, Mommy, Mum, Mummy, but never Ma. Don't know why,
but Ma, drove me nuts!

Charleen

On Sat, 27 Mar 2004 04:23:43 -0600, "jmcquown"
wrote:

Karen wrote:
Oh, some things are just like that. I dislike "Ma'am". And I know a
lot of women who do and yet people use it all the time. I swear, it
makes me feel ancient!

Karen

You're not the only one, Karen! "Yes ma'am" in the U.S. is considered
polite but it makes me feel like someone's grandmother. Granted, I'm almost
old enough to *be* someone's grandmother, but point in fact, I'm not.
Still, I suppose it's intended to be polite.

Jill

Well, like others have said, I think it's pretty much a
regional/cultural thing. California's a pretty big state, and there
are, at least in my opinion, definite differences depending where you
are. I grew up in the Central Valley surrounded by Okies who had come
out during the Depression. BTW, Okie is one of those labels that can
be either an insult or perfectly alright depending on the situation.

Authority figures were always Sir or Ma'am; all adults, Mr, Mrs, or
Miss (don't think we had even heard of Ms back then). Kids in my
circle who didn't use the proper address were apt to be spanked, and
not just by Mom and Dad. I'll never forget that Miss Smith, my 5th
grade teacher (also taught two brothers and one sister), kept a wood
paddle, though I don't think she ever used it.

Parents in my circle were normally called Mom and Dad, or Mommy and
Daddy. The exception being when you were upset with them - then they
became Mother and Father. Ma and Pa were out, at least in our house,
too much like Ma and Pa Kettle. Grandparents were Grandma/pa, or Nana
and Popie.

Even today when I visit, I use Mr and Mrs when referring to the adults
of my childhood. I still use Sir and Ma'am for authority figures, no
doubt influenced by 20 years as a soldier.
--
Steve Touchstone,
faithful servant of Sammy, Little Bit and Rocky

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