![]() ![]() Here, we’ll look more closely at how we reflect sounds in spelling. Thus far, we’ve focused primarily on the sound of both “mama” and “momma” rather than the spelling. ![]() Image by Jerry Wang via Unsplash A Lesson in Phonics: Slight Variations in “Mama” and “Momma” Some examples are slight variations of “mama,” including “ ama” in Navajo or “ eomma” in Korean. Still, even in reference to non-Indo-European languages, we also find very similar sounds corresponding to the word “mother.” While there are instances where the term is used as slang to refer to an attractive woman or even a female passenger, its basic definition across multiple cultures and languages is the same - a term of endearment for mother.Įarlier, we said that the term “mama” is a shared one and common among the most spoken languages in the world. Mama – A Universally Shared MeaningĪccording to the OED (Oxford English Dictionary), the word “mama” is defined simply as “mother” ( source). The native English term was “daddy” ( source). “Papa” is an affectionate, shortened name for “father,” similar to that of “mama.”īut “Papa” is the French word for “father,” derived from Latin, and its first use by common English folk has been traced back to the end of the 18 th century, later than that of its maternal counterpart. While it seems counterintuitive given the similar pattern, linguists consider “mama” and “papa” as “false cognates” because, despite the similar sound and meaning, their etymologies differ ( source). Cognates are also very frequently used words understood across multiple different languages. Interestingly, however, the words mama and papa, the latter being the patriarchal shortened variant of “father,” are not cognates.Ĭognates are words with a common origin, and they often appear in a common language or languages ( source). Thus, as young toddlers begin to learn more words and sounds, the repetition of the initial “ma” sound, both in “mama” - spelled with either one or two “m’s” - and “momma” is quite common.Īnd contrary to what we may assume, for babies, the endearing term likely does not actually mean “mother” at all, but rather a sound repeated to mean “food.” Cognates When parents react to a sound in a way the baby receives positively, such as the sound of “ma,” a baby will surely repeat that sound to achieve a similar positive reaction from his or her parents. In many ways, the natural sound of “ma” is one of the easiest to produce by babbling babies learning how to speak their first words. “Mamma,” spelled with two “m’s,” is the older form in English, dating to at least the 1570s, while linguists link mama, spelled with one “m,” to the early 1700s. These two shortened versions of the word mother, mama and mamma, date much earlier than that of “momma.” ![]() We find this parallel in some of the most spoken Indo-European languages throughout the world. The words “mamma” and “mama” represent the duplication of the initial “ma” sound that is universal in reference to the formal name of “mother.” The word “momma,” spelled with an “o,” is an American English version or variant of “mamma” or “mama.” Its origin seems to be rooted in the southern states and first appeared somewhere around 1810. When we refer to a word’s etymology, we are looking at its origin and history and how it has developed and even changed over time ( source). Read on to learn more about variations in spelling and sound for names representing “Mother.” The Etymology of “Mama” and “Momma” The word “mama” conveys the same meaning in 10 of the most spoken languages universally. These shortened names for “mother” are phonetically similar and reflect the start of language acquisition as babies begin to string sounds together. There is no difference in meaning between “momma” and “mama.” “Mama” is the most common English spelling, but this varies locally based on personal preference, culture, and dialect – making either form acceptable. Mama is the infantile/childish form of mother, while Momma is the colloquial form of mother. And almost universally, we find that children often refer to their mothers as “mama,” “mamma,” or “momma,” but which one is correct? In nearly every language, we find shortened nicknames for parents, siblings, or other family members. ![]()
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