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Post by workingclassdog on Aug 2, 2024 16:09:24 GMT
I noticed this a few times in just one week and while it doesn't bother me in the least and I don't care.. but it makes me scratch my head...I have only heard it with girls and also different cultures.
When parents call their little girls "mamma".
It just seems so weird to me to call a little girl 'mamma'... is there a meaning to this or just a nickname? Or have I just heard it a couple of times in a row and was just a coincidence that these two different families use it as a nickname?
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Tearisci
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,896
Nov 6, 2018 16:34:30 GMT
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Post by Tearisci on Aug 2, 2024 16:24:58 GMT
My BFF calls her cat, mama. She's never been a mama but I thought it was funny that she referred to her as that.
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Post by KelleeM on Aug 2, 2024 16:25:08 GMT
I hear it a lot where I live. I was in a store last weekend and an older gentleman was trying to get past a little girl who was playing and he said “watch out mama” to her. I think it’s pretty common with the Hispanic population here but can’t be certain it’s only Hispanic people I’ve heard saying it. I think it’s along the same line as someone calling their little girl “baby” or “honey”.
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Post by katlady on Aug 2, 2024 16:35:10 GMT
It is very common in some cultures. I also hear "Papi" for little boys. My friend always refers to her son as "Papi".
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Post by workingclassdog on Aug 2, 2024 16:39:04 GMT
Okay.. I kind of thought it might be a Hispanic thing but then today I heard it and it was not a Hispanic mom/daughter.. just white folks.
I haven't picked up on the Papi name though.
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Post by Merge on Aug 2, 2024 16:48:00 GMT
I always thought it was a contraction of "mi ama," or my love, when speaking to a female. Spanish for mother is mamá, with the accent on the second syllable, which isn't quite the same thing.
And yes, a lot of non-Hispanic folks have picked it up, at least here in Texas.
I could be wrong, though!
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Post by librarylady on Aug 2, 2024 17:12:46 GMT
Related--How about calling little boys "little man?"
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SabrinaP
Pearl Clutcher
Busy Teacher Pea
Posts: 4,407 
Location: Dallas Texas
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Post by SabrinaP on Aug 2, 2024 17:20:22 GMT
It’s pretty common in the black community or at least where I teach. Many of the parents and teachers I teach with call their little girls mama.
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Post by gillyp on Aug 2, 2024 17:20:40 GMT
Related--How about calling little boys "little man?" This is common here, or Mannie more so. Wife-y for little girls is common too and once you get passed how odd it sounds, it’s actually quite cute. |
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Post by workingclassdog on Aug 2, 2024 17:56:52 GMT
My daughter's nickname for my grandson is 'mister'.. I don't know how that happened.. She makes it sound like 'meee-sterr' (Her hubby is Hispanic but I don't think it comes from that)
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gottapeanow
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Post by gottapeanow on Aug 2, 2024 18:00:48 GMT
My DIL and son call my grandson "papas" all the time. (So do all of us, his family.) He'll be two in a couple of weeks. He answers to both that and to his name.
My DIL is Mexican. Very common here. I'm in AZ.
Lisa
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Post by KikiPea on Aug 2, 2024 18:02:11 GMT
We hear that a lot here.
I like “little man” or “mister”.
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pantsonfire
Drama Llama
Take a step back, evaluate what is important, and enjoy your life with those who you love.
Posts: 5,972
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Post by pantsonfire on Aug 2, 2024 18:05:39 GMT
Okay.. I kind of thought it might be a Hispanic thing but then today I heard it and it was not a Hispanic mom/daughter.. just white folks. I haven't picked up on the Papi name though. I have a deer friend who looks white but is 100% Hispanic. Unless you know the person and their ethnicity, I wouldn't assume they were just white folks. |
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snyder
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Posts: 4,294
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Post by snyder on Aug 2, 2024 18:38:28 GMT
I have always thought it was because they will eventually be a mama. Not that that makes sense, but figure it had to do with my lack of different languages.
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pilcas
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,147
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Post by pilcas on Aug 2, 2024 19:16:51 GMT
I always thought it was a contraction of "mi ama," or my love, when speaking to a female. Spanish for mother is mamá, with the accent on the second syllable, which isn't quite the same thing. And yes, a lot of non-Hispanic folks have picked it up, at least here in Texas. I could be wrong, though! My love would be mi amor. You could possibly say mi alma which is my soul but I haven’t heard that much. Mama or mamita is an endearment,baby. In the Dominican Republic Mami is more like Babe. |
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Sarah*H
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by Sarah*H on Aug 3, 2024 13:53:34 GMT
My daughter's nickname for my grandson is 'mister'.. I don't know how that happened.. She makes it sound like 'meee-sterr' (Her hubby is Hispanic but I don't think it comes from that) This is the nickname both my husband and I use for each other. We got it from watching reruns of Full House in college. "You're in big trouble Mister!" |
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Post by Zee on Aug 3, 2024 18:10:14 GMT
Okay.. I kind of thought it might be a Hispanic thing but then today I heard it and it was not a Hispanic mom/daughter.. just white folks. I haven't picked up on the Papi name though. I have a deer friend who looks white but is 100% Hispanic. Unless you know the person and their ethnicity, I wouldn't assume they were just white folks. The deer friend I'm picturing: tinypic.host/image/1000007402.D6p6Yu |
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Post by workingclassdog on Aug 3, 2024 18:27:19 GMT
I have a deer friend who looks white but is 100% Hispanic. Unless you know the person and their ethnicity, I wouldn't assume they were just white folks. The deer friend I'm picturing: tinypic.host/image/1000007402.D6p6Yu |
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scrappinmama
Drama Llama
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Jun 26, 2014 12:54:09 GMT
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Post by scrappinmama on Aug 3, 2024 19:55:47 GMT
Latina here who doesn't look like one. I don't have girls but have 2 sons. I use Papi or usually just shortened to Pops. My husband will say mijo for our sons and nephews. For his nieces it's Mija. Mama/Mami/Papa,Papi/Mijo/Mija are all terms of endearment for the children in your life, even once they become adults.
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Post by lg on Aug 4, 2024 4:21:57 GMT
As long as no one is calling a kid “daddy” 🫣🤢
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Post by gramasue on Aug 4, 2024 14:08:13 GMT
I have never heard of a parent calling their kid Mamma or Papa, but I knew a young woman who called her small daughter "Mrs.". I always thought that wax a little weird.
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Post by Lurkingpea on Aug 4, 2024 17:01:09 GMT
I have never heard of a parent calling their kid Mamma or Papa, but I knew a young woman who called her small daughter "Mrs.". I always thought that wax a little weird. She might have been saying Misses. Like Miss. I hear that a lot at school. |
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Post by Zee on Aug 4, 2024 18:10:22 GMT
I have never heard of a parent calling their kid Mamma or Papa, but I knew a young woman who called her small daughter "Mrs.". I always thought that wax a little weird. She might have been saying Misses. Like Miss. I hear that a lot at school. "Missus" not misses Which is an old fashioned way of saying Mistress (and not as in, he has a mistress, but is an honorific and denotes the head of the house or the school, something like that), or can also be used the same way as Mrs. |
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Post by Lurkingpea on Aug 4, 2024 18:46:13 GMT
She might have been saying Misses. Like Miss. I hear that a lot at school. "Missus" not misses Which is an old fashioned way of saying Mistress (and not as in, he has a mistress, but is an honorific and denotes the head of the house or the school, something like that), or can also be used the same way as Mrs. Autocorrect. I still think of it as Miss. Like little Miss. Not Mrs. |
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Post by Zee on Aug 4, 2024 19:05:05 GMT
"Missus" not misses Which is an old fashioned way of saying Mistress (and not as in, he has a mistress, but is an honorific and denotes the head of the house or the school, something like that), or can also be used the same way as Mrs. Autocorrect. I still think of it as Miss. Like little Miss. Not Mrs. Well then wouldn't they just say "miss"? Instead of missus? I'm sure it has the same intention though. |
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Post by gar on Aug 4, 2024 19:08:13 GMT
"Missus" not misses Which is an old fashioned way of saying Mistress (and not as in, he has a mistress, but is an honorific and denotes the head of the house or the school, something like that), or can also be used the same way as Mrs. Autocorrect. I still think of it as Miss. Like little Miss. Not Mrs.  We use Miss or Missus sometimes with little dgd. Especially when she's being bossy or a little madam in the way only 2 1/2 yr olds can - "Hey Missus!"  |
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Post by Lurkingpea on Aug 4, 2024 19:20:39 GMT
Autocorrect. I still think of it as Miss. Like little Miss. Not Mrs. Well then wouldn't they just say "miss"? Instead of missus? I'm sure it has the same intention though. Some people do. Some people say Missy. Some people say Missus. I just don't think of it like Mrs. even though it is pronounced the same. Mrs.is a weird thing to call a child. Missus is not. That is all I meant. |
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Post by 950nancy on Aug 5, 2024 1:36:44 GMT
I haven't heard it and I work with kids. Lots of explanations could make sense though.
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Post by JustCallMeMommy on Aug 5, 2024 15:28:11 GMT
When DD was little, she'd sometimes get called little mommy, but it was because she carried Dolly everywhere and loved pushing her dolls around in her stroller. She was even a "Mommy" for Halloween one year. I have pictures of DD, me, and my mom all pushing our dolls around in strollers, so maybe it definitely runs in the family.
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Post by disneypal on Aug 5, 2024 15:36:38 GMT
I've never really heard 'mamma' used that way but after reading these posts, it does seem to be more cultural.
Another "term of endearment" that I don't get is when girlfriends call each other "b*tches", as in "Hey, b*tch, what are you up to?", "B*tch, I saw your mama the other day".
It's mostly a younger generation that says that but when we used that word towards another girl...it was not in a friendly way.
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We use Miss or Missus sometimes with little dgd. Especially when she's being bossy or a little madam in the way only 2 1/2 yr olds can - "Hey Missus!" 
