Why Do We Call Parents Mom and Dad Instead of Their Names?

If you happen to like our videos and have a few bucks to spare to support our efforts, check out our Patreon page where we've got a variety of perks for our Patrons, including Simon's voice on your GPS and the ever requested Simon Whistler whistling package: / todayifoundout
→Subscribe for new videos every day!
www.youtube.co...
Never run out of things to say at the water cooler with TodayIFoundOut! Brand new videos 7 days a week!
More from TodayIFoundOut
The Origins and Meanings of 9 Pirate Words and Expressions
• The Origins and Meanin...
Why the Adam’s Apple is Called the Adam’s Apple
• Why the Adam’s Apple i...
In this video:
Calling our parents anything other than mom, dad or one of the many variations thereof is an almost alien concept to many (and in some cultures is considered downright rude). So why is it we refer to our parents in this way? Where did it come from and perhaps, more curiously, is there any culture that forgoes this seemingly universal nickname custom for parental figures?
Want the text version?: www.todayifound...
Sources:
www.indobase.co...
www.loveyoufath...
www.straightdop...
www.etymonline....
mentalfloss.com...
books.google.co...
books.google.co...
www.utexas.edu/...
www.lifeprint.c...
www.livescience...
www.word-detect...
archive.org/str...
en.wiktionary.o...
en.wikipedia.or...
en.wiktionary.o...
Image Credit:
www.bigstockph...
www.bigstockph...
www.bigstockph...
www.bigstockph...
www.bigstockph...
www.bigstockph...
www.bigstockph...
www.bigstockph...
www.bigstockph...
www.bigstockph...
www.bigstockph...
www.bigstockph...
www.bigstockph...
www.bigstockph...
Music from Jukedeck - create your own at jukedeck.com.

[@TodayIFoundOut]

For more parent-themed fun check out this video and find out What Happened to Huey, Dewey, and Louie's Parents?: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n4mVp3VvgJ2Ujc0

[@kubeek]

if you got any of these pronounced wrong? You got even the Dutch and German wrong you dimwit. Not even talking about the rest...

[@bara2ban]

In Georgian it's sort of a paradox: Mother - Deda [Deh-duh] Father - Mama [muh-muh]

[@sokoyaadedolapo5321]

Nigeria calls Mother = Iya, and Father = Baba, but Mama is mostly used for older women

[@deathstarnells5714]

In the georgian language the titles are switched arpund ... What i mean is "mama" means father and "deda" means mother .

[@melissacooper4282]

Could you do a segment to why kids used to call adults other then their parents Mr Mrs or Miss?

[@spookypooky1362]

My grandfather refused to admit he had a real name and any time he would refer to a younger version of himself in stories he would say "little grandpa".As in his parents/friends called him that. I love my grandpa.

[@zmurkur4252]

That’s so awesome lol

[@lauraortiz2133]

That’s rlly sweet lmao, hope your grandpa is doing well

[@elijahfordsidioticvarietys8770]

None of my grandparents have ever been referred to as "grandma" or "grandpa". They had their own weird, made up nicknames. My grandfather on my father's side (now deceased) was always called "Pa", which strangely is supposed to just mean regular father. My grandmother on my father's side is known as Gi Gi, which I'm told was meant as an acronym "G.G." standing for "Groovy Grandma". My grandparents on my mother's side are both just called by their name after the word "Grand". (Grand Marry and Grand Sam). My cousin Raymond notably would affectionately call Grand Marry "Grammary", at least until everyone found out she was crazy and effectively banished her from the family.

[@USA50_]

Lol I knew a lot of people who found it rude to call their parents by a first name growing up. My Dad hates it when I do that to him 😂

[@spookypooky1362]

@@lauraortiz2133 Thanks! He's doing great. I actually had the good fortune to be able to start working with him at the hotel he and my grandma manage. He's such an interesting guy and I'm glad I'm able to hear his stories as an adult so I can fully appreciate them.

[@zealouszombie5658]

My grandmother lived with us when I was very young, obviously she called my parents by their first names and because of that I did too. It's only when I was about 12 that I discovered that most parents didn't like it.

[@XyloTears]

Zealous Zombae same situation here but to this day i still call them by there real names

[@dgrentz7635]

My gram also lived with my parents and I when I was young and I have the same experience. I learned to call them Mom/Dad in public if I'm talking on the phone but I'm just used to using their real names. And it's so weird for me to acknowledge them as that for me because I've called them by their real names for so long. I found one character in The Bride Price novel who called her Mom by her name, I think she was in Nigeria but I could be wrong, but I thought it was fascinating that I found another person, albeit fictional, that also did the same thing I did.

[@WEFAbender6]

Danny Sexbang?

[@usoppfangirl8153]

I take medication for my learning disabilities, one of which is generic and literally named 'Dada.' Every time I ask the teacher to go down to the nurse someone asks me why I'm going, and I respond "I need to get my Dada." Hysterically laughing fifth graders ensue

[@Saskaruto16]

It's strange that they make you go down to the office instead of administering it yourself.

[@gnomewicked]

Can't you just say "I need to get my medicine"?

[@Deadlyaztec27]

@@gnomewicked They have a learning disability.

[@janedoe805]

UsoppFanGirl I’m 59 and I think it’s funny so don’t worry about it! 😉😊👵🏻

[@boopsbucket]

@@Saskaruto16 Legally (at least here in the States), schoolchildren are not permitted to administer their own medication. It is kept locked in the nurse's office or in the front office, and either the nurse or office staff administer the correct dosage and supervise as the child swallows it. We have to keep a log of the day and time the child was given the medication and sign our initials. Lots of legal stuff surrounding it all, with good right. Especially considering most drugs we administer are used to treat ADHD and are controlled substances.

[@jopeteus]

Finnish: Mother: Äiti Father: Isä Japanese: Mother: Okaasan Father: Otoosan

[@lucaskitamura614]

jopeteus That may be right in japanese, but not commonly used to refer to your own parents, but rather to someone else's. One would rather use chichi (dad) and haha (mom).

[@lucaskitamura614]

Thanks for the info! I'm still in the basics of Japanese, and have yet to use in informal (non-classroom) settings, guess I got that wrong from my teacher's explanation.

[@ShoulderMonster]

That's kinda a false equivalence thing though... Like, English has the words Mother and Father, but no baby says those words. And I know culturally Japanese call their parents mother and father, but I've seen Japanese parents referring to themselves as mama and papa when speaking to their babies. Not sure if it's a modern practice only among certain parents due to western influence, but it's food for thought. ^^;

[@ShoulderMonster]

AusDaes I joked about that and "kuchi" (mouth) to my friends and family so much when I first started learning! X'D "Tako" (octopus) is a bit funny too, hehe

[@alen7480]

It is actually a modern practice for Japanese to use mama and papa... traditionally they used "oka" for mother and "oto" for mother (when very young). The practice began to change (among the upper class at first) during the Meiji restoration. Among the lower classes, mama used to refer to a whorehouse madam.

[@ClellBiggs]

So when I was little I was calling my mom a boob? That's messed up. lol

[@a.h.i267]

Clell Biggs Hi boob!

[@BoringDad88]

I have a baby and I'm learning a lot. That's all she was to you for a little bit lol. She was food, and that's it. It changes quickly but the romanticized "bond" is mom to baby, not baby to mom.

[@IndecentQuality]

technically by calling her "my mom" you are still calling her boob to this day

[@BoringDad88]

IndecentQuality ha ha ha, a very valid point.

[@gorkskoal9315]

Yet awesome! Because it's what (men?) like and boobs (and women generall) are awesome> So their really just ahead of the curve and just saying people tend to think: Oh she has a nice personality (oh bullshit: you like her figure...you might like the personality as well I hope!)

[@larrysquire6207]

My wife is Persian I was confused when I heard her referring to her sons as mommy. So I asked, turns out in Farci Mommy means beloved.

[@spoiltmilk6511]

aren't they yours as well?

[@TheFakeyCakeMaker]

My Macedonian friend calls her son Mama.

[@ItsSota]

In Norway we still use Mamma.... So bitches we ar the OG BOIIIIII

[@eldafint]

Sten Sture The Elder Eru seriös?

[@cioccolatalover9295]

sota In Italy too 😂

[@shaniquamichaux1422]

We use it in the US too

[@berg8641]

Shaniqua Michaux well here (at least Sweden) mamma is pretty much the only word you can use, it's what every kid calld their mom so it's not really a nickname as much as it is a pronoun

[@berg8641]

Or maybe I'm wrong Idk

[@jeaniebird999]

I always thought it was because ma-ma and da-da are a couple of the easiest sounds to make which is why they're among the first a baby will utter. The positive reaction it invokes, undoubtedly encourages babies to keep it up.

[@smallforestdweller6999]

Wait, this isn't Vsauce, I've been tricked!

[@Lenoch_]

“Papa” is actually used in German far more frequently than “papi.”

[@Abstormal]

In Norwegian Mamma is mom, Pappa is daddy, but Dadda is another related young female (usually older sister of the child, or a young childless aunt). I am Dadda to my nieces and nephews, and was Dadda to my younger step brothers

[@stevenvanhulle7242]

01:49 - Dutch speaking people in the Netherlands and Flanders may have called their mothers "moeder" (literally "mother", as you might expect) a century ago, but AFAIK nowadays most people will call them "mama" ("papa" for the father). And BTW, the German "Mutter" is with a capital, being a noun.

[@PauxloE]

In Esperanto you would use "patrino" (mother) and "panjo" (mom). (Though those are derived from the word for "father", "patro", with "paĉjo".)

[@Alex-uh7vz]

Mutter is actually a bit old fashioned in German when you speak directly to your mother (it is better to translate it with mother than with Mum). Most people use some kind of Mama (pronounced like mamma)

[@xamhehehe7888]

I guess I'm the only one that referred by my parents by their first names. Sure they tried to fix that but in all honesty.... They failed miserably. It's not that I don't look at them as blood or anything. People say well it's "respectful" okay how? I'm not joking I'm being serious. Because that's one thing I've never understood. And I still don't to this day. In fact I believe in the polar opposite. If you want to respect a person you will refer to them by their real name. It treats the person like an "individual" you don't need to be reminded all the time that you're the mother or the father.... If you do then you have issues. Like should I refer to them as the "father person" or the "birth giver"? It just doesn't make any sense to me.

[@theworstcatholic7247]

It's simple, It's both a sign of respect, and affection towards your parents. For instance my Father's name is Leo, His friends call him Leo, his wife call hims Leo, his coworkers(Who happened to be military as his job as navy seal) called him by the family last name, Milo. But only his two children call him father. They are still an individual if you call them father, infact it's a showing of that connection, between yourself and them. They are your father, and you their child. You aren't their 'friend' , You can be on good terms, but they are more than that. So you prove it through speech, a small title. Now it's not necessary to show either in this way, Just giving you a different perspective. There is no Right or Wrong way to talk with your parents, as long as it's respectful and loving, it's good.

[@vianjelos]

I think its the same as calling a Doctor Mr. or Ms..they feel dissrespected because they earned that title..parents(that stick around and raise their kids right) earn the title or mom and dad and only their kids can use it..so they want to be called that..if you dont they probbaly feel disrespected the same as a doctor would being called anything other than Dr.

[@nellybaur1652]

In a lot of the languages you often used the word for mother instead of mom, which in most cases would have proven your point even more: Italian: mamma instead of madre Dutch: mama instead of moeder German: mama insteaf of mutter You see where I'm going

[@annikalapudas9742]

Hmm... In Finnish mom is "äiti" and dad is "isä." However, grandmother is called "mummu" in some parts of the country as well as the grandfather "pappa" which are more similiar to "mama" and "papa."

[@karolinewestin2434]

I Norway, we say mamma for mum, and pappa for dad. The Vikings might have brought the Word mamma to England.

[@MinecowplaysMC]

Greeks Shout MAMA and PAPA

[@SilverlinePhotography]

There is a language called "Tamil" in which the babies call their dads appa, basically, that went on to other south Indian languages too which include "Kannada", "Telugu" and a few others. Similarly, in the "Malayalam"(another south Indian language), kids call their dad as "accha". And in Hindi, they call mother as "Ma" or "Maatha", not "Mam". Batman and Superman used that term to call their moms "Martha" :p

[@YeshuaIsTheTruth]

In Georgian, I believe the words for mom and dad are somehow flipflopped. I learned this a few years ago, but I think mom = dada, and dad = baba. I could be totally wrong though. But Georgian is interesting nonetheless. It's a Kartvelian language, which is an indoerupean isolate language family in the Caucasus.

[@amylouwho8991]

My best friend calls her mom by her first name mainly to irritate her, she's been doing it for the 32 years I've known her. Every once in awhile she throws her a bone and calls her mom.

[@xxXthekevXxx]

In japanese, it's okaa-san (mom) and otosan (dad). But they can also use the words "mama" and "papa", just pronounced in a japanese way :)

[@joopterwijn]

Dutch: Mama ( short: “Man” or “Ma” ) “Moeder” is less used and Papa ( Short: “Pap” or “Pa” ) “Vader” is less used. And very important this is location and dialect depending! I’m from the North coastal region. In Frisian, Limburg ,other parts of the Netherlands it WILL be different (don’t 🔫 or 🤬 at me )

[@julieegan1337]

I'm from Birmingham England & i've always said "mom" not mum or mam 🙋‍♀️😃💜💚💛❤💙 love your videos 💋😃💙

[@janedoe805]

Then why do our precious young start calling us “Bitch” and rolling their eyes up at us by the time they are 14?

[@afruge4535]

Ahh the age when the young homosapiens try to challenge the alphas of the house hold but are quickly thwarted by the older wiser alphas.

[@maximillianafrancine1451]

Because you raised them that way. Simple

[@Lena-sv2du]

in germany it‘s actually „mama“ as well, „mutter“ is the translation for „mother“, and we also say „Papa“, not „Papi“

[@LoliMaster69227]

Did he just say MUDA? **DIO INTENSIFIES**

[@monsteratemehcookie]

In ancient China, most regions referred to mom as "niang娘," dad as "die爹 (yes I know haha)." Other regions have very different ways calling their parents that aren't anywhere close to mom and dad. In fact, Mom and dad are more like a modern switch influenced by the western culture around the end of the last dynasty Qing清.

[@apollidoe6651]

mama and baba for common place (Lebanese) Arabic! Omi and Abi in classical Arabic. referring to them by their first names is usually considered very disrespectful here.

[@nela9937]

Baba and Dida are my grandparents and Pappa and Mamma for parents.

[@NaturallyCreativeme]

I grew up on a reservation and in the native way not using someone's name was an insult and also seen as childish

[@joywebster2678]

He missed that in English speaking countries, we refer to parents as Mother and Father when talking about them in formal situations. Unless you are british royalty then you say it all the time lol. So like all the comments about your languages we start off mama papa dada, then mummy daddy, then mum, dad. So if requesting time off work, i need Tuesday off work please to take my mother in for day surgery.

[@chocomanger6873]

Sometimes my sister refers to our mom by her name. I find it so disrespectful. It's like she's disowning the relationship.

[@moseszero3281]

Southern USA - Mama and Daddy are common here.

[@Blitzo2876]

In Chinese dad is baba which sounds better than daddy. As long as my kids don't call me by my first name, I'm happy.

[@dstrdm]

So you are telling me my mom's name isn't Mom?

[@suziecreamcheese211]

Daniel Estrada Morales lol

[@djzoilogaming7425]

ahahah... good one...

[@dedyandrianto]

damn..

[@JMega007]

This comment and that pfp

[@anastasiabiersack5948]

Daniel Estrada Morales u r one sad ass

[@jacopofazzini]

You don't actually call your mother "madre" in italian, unless you're some 18th-century nobleman. If that's not the case, you'd probably say "mamma".

[@taylanbozdogan]

in germany you would to say mama and not mutter ( some use mutter).

[@Elicynderspyro]

I would have said "mutti" for German (I just studied it though, I'm not a native)

[@r.m.l.5487]

Lol same in Dutch. Mama/ mamma. Moeder was more used last centuries by the higher classes, as it could be seen as polite. And also when adressing the mom of someone else or when talking about your mom to others. Mijn moeder, jouw moeder, de moeder van Tom etc.

[@ninawernick6501]

Same in Afrikaans - Moeder is the 'formal' term, rarely used, sometimes pejorative, Ma is a little less formal and is used by many adults to refer to their parents, most kids and many adults with a more relaxed relationship with their mother say 'Mamma' or one of many ways of shortening the word - mams, moeksie, mamsie, mammie.

[@taylanbozdogan]

@@Elicynderspyro well many say mutti, but mama is the most common

[@aitchpea6011]

I call my parents... ...less often than I should.

[@paulneg7855]

Bald man educated me again! Thank you bald man of wisdom!

[@melaniekwierant6608]

Are you talking about vsause?

[@MrFram]

100 pushups, 100 sit-ups and a 10km run

[@ryanthehaunter5087]

Paul Neg his name is Simon whistler

[@modestoca25]

lol

[@krashd]

The furry egg of knowledge teaches me smarts!

[@zoearens6088]

"Mutter" means Mother not mom, mom is "mama" in German ✌️edit... I think that you quite often in this video mistook mother and mom in other languages.

[@ealisaidmc2732]

@@LeMattiekinz I never heard anyone call their mother mutti and I've only seen it in old books so no, not really everyone calls their mum mama

[@ann-carolinkuhlmann8722]

It depends on where you live in Germany. In the west part of Germany you will hear "mama/mami" and "papa/papi". However if you are in the east of Germany "mutti" or "vati" (I don't know if you spell it like this) are more common.

[@cheshirecat1611]

I can confirm this. The family of my father is from the east of Germany and he calls his mother "mutti" while we now live in the west of Germany and call my mother "mama" :)

[@ealisaidmc2732]

@@ann-carolinkuhlmann8722 oh okay I've lived my whole life in west germany so I really never heard somebody call their parents like that and to me it does sound kinda weird

[@c.primavera9690]

Right, It depends mainly on the area east or west but also north or south German speaking areas how most ppl address their parents. Mutter(mother): Mutti, Mami, Mama Vater (father): Vati, Papi, Papa But they do not correlate. So ppl who say 'Mutti' not necessarily say 'Vati' etc.

[@srirachayaya]

I didn't know my dad's real name until I was 8. I always thought all dad's had the same name.

[@j.r.g.5947]

caramelrice hi this is paul, paul, paul, paul, and paul. welcome to dad support group.

[@Luthiart]

That's funny!

[@taste_is_sweet]

When my son was very little, he called all women 'Mommies'. He thought that was literally the name for the entire gender. :)

[@jzanneread8147]

You're not alone, most of my cousins are younger than me, and as such I never heard Uncle/Auntie directed to my parents until I was over 7. And my grandparents never used my mother's name in front of us "you" was the address for my mother, and "him" for my Da' {such lovely people my G'ps}

[@j.c.2240]

@@taste_is_sweet Now I have to know. Did he call women without kids mommies too, or did he just think all women had kids?

[@Shadowfate93]

My 5 months old made a "mama" sound while fussing today. I know he wasn't actually saying it, it's just a sound right now, but it still melted my heart

[@skylimit9994]

Am I the only one who noticed that he said "Man Mom" for a dad...... Yep ok.

[@eeduranti]

No i caught it as well

[@oaf-77]

Mamma and not the mamma

[@eeduranti]

@@oaf-77 how could i have forgotten not the mama

[@princessthyemis]

Yeah that was hilarious!!!

[@LovelyKelly645]

@@oaf-77 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@cup_check_official]

because mom hits me when i call her by her name 🙄

[@fionafiona1146]

Tell Me This Mine prefers her name, as it made for a more relaxing playground time, not to be alarmed in every instance of a child calling out "mamma".

[@peenyweeny3834]

Tell Me This she shouldn't abuse u, i'm so sorry dude

[@meomani777]

Dancing Hotdog spanking your children isn’t abuse

[@meomani777]

Jeanne Heo abuse is hitting your children without a purpose. spanking your children with a purpose, like they come home with a bad grade then proceed to swear at you because you’re mad, you’re allowed to spank them. that’s discipline.

[@peenyweeny3834]

Meomani777 i hope you never have children, you sick fuck

[@shadoww4818]

"I'll be saying Mom instead of Mum" Me; an American: Please say Mum, your mom is incredibly jarring.

[@bloviatingbeluga8553]

He says it with an 'o'!!!?

[@apollo6326]

@Colin Roskos that’s how it’s spelt I guess

[@davidroddick91]

Yes. Simon, "Mom" is pronounced more or less the same as "mum"; I think the real difference is how long you hold the vowel sound.

[@rebeccaquartieri5509]

Mum is fine in the uk

[@EyeLean5280]

@@davidroddick91 Not pronounced the same at all. "Mum" has an "uhm" sound that rhymes with "some." "Mom" has an "ahm" sound that rhymes with... well, it doesn't really rhyme with much in British English, but in American English, it rhymes with "Tom" and "calm."

[@user2144]

Why do we say *ouch* or *ow* when we hurt ourselves?

[@FreeThoughtsandIdeas]

PA Videos I believe it's because it's sounds similar to what humans just naturally cry out when hurt.

[@pilzening2810]

Because of bonehurtimg juice.

[@shehzaanaabdulla3047]

That's an English thing. People have different reactions in other languages... Which is weird because you'd think a subconscious reaction to sudden, unexpected pain wouldn't be affected by a post-primal construct like language.

[@solojones1138]

I think the sound I actually make when hurt (besides swearing) is more like "ahhh!" But for some reason in English we render this as "ow" when written.

[@meganle7924]

PA Videos In my experience, it just becomes a habit. Like when you hear and use an exclamation more often, it becomes a habit or reflex to say it. I learned this after listening to this language I'm learning for a period of time, and I started to unknowingly use more exclamations from that language. An example within the English language, though, is how some people will say a swear word in place of ow or ouch because they probably hear or use swear words often.

[@micolcortellari9110]

Actually Madre in Italian is like saying mother in English, usually you only say Mamma, Madre is usually waaay too formal.

[@johnhooyer3101]

Let's face it, if you're Italian, you say "MAMMA MIA!"

[@brisamargutierrezparra2517]

Madre is also uses in Spanish for mother.

[@tonyviesca6776]

yeah but we say mama, mami, ma, or ama. Same for dad, we say papa, papi, pa, or apa

[@leagillact-o-graphy1690]

Micol Summer Same for what he pronounced as “(to) mutter”, lol. It’s actually formal and our generation and younger would use “Mama” or “Mami”!

[@stevenvanhulle7242]

Micol - Same for "mother" (Dutch) and "Mutter" (German), which he mentions in the video.

[@natashasuijkerbuijk6144]

In dutch, "moeder" is way to formal, no one calls their mom that way. We usually say "mam" or "mama".

[@TheSpiritombsableye]

No one also says mother in English; not the point.

[@natashasuijkerbuijk6144]

@@TheSpiritombsableye the video is about the words mom and dad, which are informal. If you were to translate it litterally, you don't get moeder, you get mam. Moeder is mother, more formal, while mom is informal. That was my point 1 year ago

[@TheSpiritombsableye]

@@natashasuijkerbuijk6144, for that I agree to.

[@FritzSchober]

Germans also say Mama. Mutter is mother and not mom. For father it's Vater and for dad it's Papa or Papi.

[@maythecatbewithyou]

Or Mutti and Vati.

[@SomethingStupide]

Piotr Rywczak Yeah, we use it quite a lot but not as extensively as some Romance languages do. Basically always when you want to describe something small or cute (or both).

[@phantomglitch7680]

For Albanians Father is At while papa is babi.

[@eggsbenedictcucumberbatch4336]

F. S. Darth Vater

[@DantevanGemert]

Just like Dutch, we also say mama and papa

[@therese1806]

In German we usually say: Mama -> mom Papa-> dad Not really "Mutter" and "Vater"

[@SIX-SH00T3R]

same in dutch

[@QoraxAudio]

@@SIX-SH00T3R or ma / pa

[@zevbellringer6745]

In German as I got older I switched to Mutti and Vati, since Mama and Papa is really only for small children. But that may depend on the region.

[@Jannyl13]

My mother would think I want to mock her if I used Mutti.. I mean, I do understand that word but for my region (Niedersachsen/lower saxony) it's not really used regularly.

[@Kaitopia_]

When I was learning German I was taught it was mutter and vater... I was lied to lol

[@crypticcorgi8280]

I think Mama, Papa, and variations being such a primal sound/word that it is almost a universal word. Is just beautiful.

[@nickgardell8128]

If you are looking for an exception always check the mongols. They are always the exception.

[@josephfox9221]

Shhhhh! Don't say their name. You will wake Gangus

[@Kayla-kl1ky]

*cue Mongoltage*

[@TheMohawkNinja]

+Joseph Fox "Genghis"

[@lenimayer7074]

What about egsh (hard to type in non kyrill)for mother? father would be avv i think

[@aerozaxton3541]

Joseph Fox Gangus lmao

[@micahphilson]

Haha, hearing him try to sound American in the beginning was great! "Mum, or in the case of Americans, *Moam"* And then being all apologetic for saying it differently even though it's just one vowel different and sounds almost exactly the same! Nobody would have probably noticed mum vs mom throughout the video if he hadn't apologized.

[@naseerahvj]

Micah Philson yes they would people often criticize them for catering to their American audience (largest viewer base) even though they're British. This is the internet we're talking about.

[@micahphilson]

Well, everyone else working on the channels is American, I think, but Simon is British. Yeah, when you put it that way, though, you're pretty right. The internet is pedantic and anal-retentive about details as a rule!

[@TodayIFoundOut]

Daven here, to be fair, the vast majority of criticism Simon gets on this front has little to do with him and is just stemming from the fact that many of the authors and myself are American, so we mostly use American slang and the like in the scripts. It's not actually us trying to cater to Americans per se. :-) Even for our British authors, I always add things to the scripts, sometimes a lot, so in those cases it may become a mix of British and American English in the wording. I keep and use the British spellings when editing a British author, of course, but myself have worked so much with British English authors that at this point my own English is a bit of a mix and I don't necessarily even recognize what's British or American slang anymore in certain instances. On that note, Simon is always free to change whatever to the British equivalent for relevant words, but I get the impression that he doesn't actually find this to be a big deal either way (nor do I), and I'm speculating maybe even, like my previously stated problem, is so well versed in American English at this stage that he doesn't even always catch things. He's mentioned to me before that he's lived abroad and traveled so much, not to mention working so closely with Americans reading literally hundreds of thousands of words (if not millions at this point) in American English, that his own English and even accent are a bit atypical. In the end, it's just language, the purpose of which is to effectively communicate ideas, and rarely do people get confused when using the British or American flavo(u)r of English. If I had to guess why he stuck with "mom" on this one (and this is just a guess), I'd say it's because there are a ton of tiny tweaks he'd have had to do to the script (and given the prevalence of mom-type words, one couldn't trust find and replace on this one) to get it adequately British and decided it wasn't worth the effort when nobody's going to get confused about what he's saying. (Not to mention when he recorded this he had to do about two week's work in one week owing to a really hectic schedule at the moment.) :-)

[@micahphilson]

Daven, I'm kind of the same way, I have so much British and otherwise foreign influence in my life that I'll often use british phrasing and not think about it. And I don't think it's really a big deal, whenever people freak out in the comments and criticize, I just laugh that they care that much about a pronunciation or phrase, especially in this case of a British narrator reading an American-authored script; it's bound to have all sorts of different terms and pronunciations thrown around! I've never understood why some people are so uptight about language, like thinking a word *has* to be said or spelled this way or some dialect isn't really the same language just because it's not the same as how you say it (looking at you, France!). I personally love how English is so diverse between British and American phrases, spellings, and pronunciations, and I count all of them as correct and don't critique someone for using one they wouldn't normally; that's what learning and experience is all about! I honestly wouldn't have sweated it if I were Simon. If I were him, I would have just read it however my brain decided to pronounce it at that moment and not care. And yeah, knowing him, his schedule being like that is pretty common, unfortunately! I wish he'd start doing updates on his vlog again, even if just weekly or every other week or whatever, so we could be in the loop! Send him a quick reminder from the fans, would you? ;)

[@lucasm4299]

Micah Philson I think it's completely noticeable.

[@syndae]

Ok but, when he was talking about the word "mom" and how it's really similar everywere, all I could think about was the fact that mom is "äiti" in finnish?? Why

[@Sysikorento]

No baby-mumbling accepted for finnish mother! :'D

[@joywebster2678]

Cause Finnish is a darn difficult language!

[@oechsnea]

How about adults calling each other a version of these terms? My grandparents called each other ma and pa in front of me. My mom calls her mom grandma when talking to me rather than her first name. Anyone else's family do this?

[@meganjane3809]

Amy O doesn't everyone's? If my mum said we were going to Betty's house instead of saying grandma's house or told me to go ask John instead of go ask dad I'd be really weirded out.

[@johannagustafsson212]

Yes, and I find it strange too O.O

[@TentenchiAMVs]

They do that to teach the children the names/terms. For example, when babysitting, I address myself as "Miss" Catherine to the child, but just Catherine to other people. I called myself big sissy and Catherine around my siblings as babies so they would learn my name and how we were related. It just helps them categorize, learn relationships, and learn the appropriate terms. For us, our parents started out calling our grandparents Grandma and Grandpa, but later started calling them what they did when they grew up. Sometimes it sticks, and sometimes it doesn't. But that's just how my family did it and why. =)

[@mahesamara4298]

My family does it too. But in Indonesia close family members also use it to refer to themselves, like a third person. My mom would say "Mom's going out to shop" instead of "I'm going out." I used mixed terms to refer to myself when talking to immediate family members, but it reaaally weirds me out when older gens (mom, dad, nan, uncles, aunts, etc) use any version of 'I' (depends on formality and intimacy) to the younger family members. I think its a habit to show where your position in the family is to the younger ones. Family here tends to be very big and confusing...

[@nonakapinetree7758]

Amy O Well my mom just alwsys calles my grandma Mom, because... That's her mom, ya know? So it's kinda like she says mom and dad to them, I say Grandma grandpa to them. It can get confusing but it works

[@Nexfero]

The Mapunzugun definitely have the best word for mum, NUKE. 'I forgot to clean my room and was grounded by my NUKE"

[@namsake5966]

a ground nuke is by far preferable to an air burst.

[@blugaledoh2669]

TheNerdSquad 101 That sound wrong.

[@razzmatazz1974]

It's mispronounced. Ñuke not nuke. Pronounced gniucke

[@vicenteyanez671]

Nexfero Its ñuke, please don’t disrespect the Mapuche, they may be lazy and some even terrorists, but they are a great contribution to Chile the best country in latin america

[@sky-ho8iz]

Jeez my nuke is always going off

[@iexist1738]

Mom and mum sound the same with your accent.

[@haydenwalker2647]

That's only because of your narrowed phoneme perception from not needing to tell the two apart

[@iforgotmyusername11]

It really doesn't

[@rillloudmother]

@@haydenwalker2647 i'm glad you said it.

[@doodleblockwell2610]

I also thought his pronunciation of the North American "Mom" was still a bit off.

[@atlaslex]

Izzy May Be Great yeah, he should have just stick with "mum". As a North American it sounded like that anyway.

[@erivabela7905]

Nice video. Just one thing. We germans usually say Mama and Papa. If you say Mutter and Vater. That would be like saying mother and father inster of mum and dad.

[@reivajbkr]

It's similar in spanish, we normaly say mamá and papá, instead of madre and padre

[@littlelostlia1540]

In Germany, you say Mama when you directly adress her. If you talk about her, you can say meine Mutter -> my mother. Or deine Mutter, -> your mother (but always also Mama). I don't know anyone who calls his or her mother Mutter except older people with a bad relationship. Our fathers are called Papa, usually not Papi, that is the cuter form. The same goes for that, directly talking to them is Papa, talking about them usually Vater or still Papa. The cuter forms are Mami & Papi!

[@maythecatbewithyou]

In East Germany, calling them Mutti and Vati is quite common.

[@jtjuh2000]

Same goes for Dutch. 'Moeder' (for mom) and 'vader' (for dad) are quite formal and are usually only used when talking about them, not speaking to them. When we speak to them directly we mostly use 'mama' en 'papa'.

[@wouldyoustillovemeasaworm]

same for Austria : ) Mutti and Vati is also common, but most people call them Mama and Papa or when talking about them someone else Mutter and Vater (it seems Mama and Papa has a more personal, emotional touch and Mutter and Vater sound more "serious" and grown up) / Mutter = Mother & Vater = Father / Mama, Mami = Mum & Papa, Papi = Dad

[@ScarlettJae]

My family is from Stuttgart, Germany and in my household we've always used "Mutti" and "Vati" when talking to our parents. However, when talking about my parents I call them "mom" and "dad" because we live in America.

[@kyrikirikiri]

Little Lost Lia It's pretty much the same in Dutch too! "Moeder" and "vader" is considered to be rather formal.

[@flybeep1661]

In dutch "moeder" is "mother" (same for German, mutter means mother), if you want the dutch version of mom you say "mama" or "ma". For dad it would be "'pa" or "papa". Fun fact, father in dutch is Vader. Yeah, the Star Wars Empire Strikes Back reveal wasn't really that surprising for us dutch speakers.

[@nerissi]

Also in some parts of the country, mama can be called 'mams' and papa can be called 'paps'.. Though it seems these names are going out of style ;)

[@KiaraKitsune]

I used to call my father "Paps" or "Dad" and my mother "Mam" or "Mama", so, germany also have the informal version of "Mama" and "Papa"

[@robinvanhaaster9920]

het zou zelf voor de princessen te formeel zijn om vader en moeder te zeggen tegen Max en Willie

[@philip6508]

I called my father by his first name until I started school. When I found out all the other kids had a 'daddy' I figured I needed one too. My mother, a widower, already had children when she married my father. I expect I just called him the same thing they did. The younger siblings did eventually begin to call him dad. Their father was referred to as 'daddy - and his last name'. Interesting to note; The ONLY time I ever referred to one of my sisters as a "half" sister (I was talking genetics), she got real emotional and forced me to take it back. I am her BROTHER and there is no "half" to it and never say that again! We were in our 40's. Bless her heart. I really love her.

[@spellbindingcrashed]

@Philip Maybe you should get a friend, someone to talk to? Then, you won't have to waste everyone's time with your pointless family nonsense. I bet you all are a riot during the holidays. 😐

[@philip6508]

@@spellbindingcrashed LOL. Yes, I can be wordy and pointless. I try to keep it under control but sometimes (often) it just gets loose!

[@danreyn]

You got yourself a great family and exceptional set of siblings there. Warms my heart. Thank you for sharing. Cherish them always

[@beyzagunduz172]

The exception is circassian. Which is a caucasian (i dont mean white i mean caucasian) nationality eith a caucasian language. Doesnt have an independent country so its easy to understand why you couldnt find them. I am not a circassian tho, i had a girlfriend who called her mother by her name and explained me how these words for family is never used in their mother tongue to call each other. The words exist but they exist for sentences. Not for calling each other.

[@Donnah1979]

Did you ask her about babies / toddlers, though?

[@StephJ0seph]

That's so interesting, I wonder why

[@sickening2879]

In Emo: Mama, we all go to hell. Edit: *Guys it was just a fucking joke on the 'emo' stereotype calm the fuck down, I love My Chemical Romance and shizz but this was meant to be a lighthearted comment on a really good video, not a comment put up for people to argue*

[@translucentbear]

In rocker: Mama, just killed a man.

[@thatswiftfangirl]

Person You Don't Know aye yes

[@abaddon2148]

i'm writing this letter and wishing you well.

[@Lay-di_Tomoe]

Mama, we're all gonna die

[@sickening2879]

autumn equinox M a m a W e A l l G o T o H e l l !

[@piedmontaker]

I would like to know, how batteries are recycled. Could you explain?

[@c.a.g.3130]

You give them to your Mum, she throws them away, goes to the store and gets new ones. Violà.

[@mojoman2001]

A Chinese lady simmers them in a frying pan over a burning pile of dung

[@Kikkerv11]

You forgot to explain why it's an A. It's the "loudest" vowel. Your mouth is completely open when you say that vowel. (or something similar)

[@Tim.Hammer]

I'd suggest it's not so much that it's loudest, but the actual reason it tends to come out loudest - which is that it's generally easiest to say. Most of the other vowel sounds require you to strain your mouth a certain way, while "AH" is the natural sound that comes out when you simply push air through your mouth. Other similarly "easy" sounds would be "UH" and "EH" but these three easy sounds come in a variety of blends that sound very alike overall.

[@anita-wu8tc]

In Finland we say "äiti" as mom or mother...

[@csuszka]

anita In Hungary, we say Anya for mom or mother... yey.

[@Pinko98-p2f]

In Turkey we say Anne

[@ehrenyu]

anita Japan it's 母 - haha is the informal pronunciation. When they're older kids say kaasan or okaasan

[@followmei4789]

ehrenyu they just use お母さん and do not call their Mom 母. 母 is just more used for when you're speaking to someone about your own mother. 私の母は小学校の先生です。(My mother is a elementary school teacher). It's rude if you were to refer to her as お母さん to another person if you were telling them about her.

[@vaibhavathalye7542]

In Marathi we say Aai. Its a language spoken in state of Maharashtra in India.

[@LAMarshall]

In Georgian: dad = mama (მამა) mom = deda (დედა) *mic drop*

[@whitenights4524]

Luke Marshall you're not serious right

[@tamara5048]

Deda is grandpa in Serbian lmao

[@philverhey7335]

no, he is.. that's correct

[@Coruscant-mo1vp]

..why tho

[@cirithuncle8744]

I live in Atlanta, you are totally wrong about this. We call mom "mama" and we never call dad anything because they leave before we're born.

[@Boss-si3zz]

please do: why do investigators call unidentified murder victims John and Jane doe?

[@TheTimoprimo]

That is actually a good question. Smith is a more common name than Doe.

[@cadywilson5556]

as far as I know it actually comes from a murder case involving two victims names John and Jane Doe, who weren't identifiable for years

[@daemonCaptrix]

Because serial killers have a pattern. The one they're referring to tends to find victims named John and Jane Doe.

[@deldia]

daemonCaptrix and Sarah Connor.

[@thema1998]

Vickie Diaz I wonder how people actually named John and Jane Doe feel about it?

[@villelepoaho4105]

And yet, in Finnish, it's "Äiti" and "Isä"

[@TheMageOfVoid]

Uralic languages tend to be the odd ones out, don't they?

[@Ananaskaneli]

Yes, we are always the odd one out 😂

[@andreiamuhitu159]

Whoa that's so cool!!!

[@Donnah1979]

But...?

[@pawelabrams]

I'd be surprised to correlate Äiti was Dad, but it's Mum, so yes, definitely odd one out. (father is ojciec in Polish and отец in Russian, if I'm not mistaken)

[@snaffa470]

In arabic it's also a bit complicated at least where I'm from. We call our parents mama and baba but they also call us that in turn, (my mom calls all us kids mama and my dad calls all my siblings and I baba). This is also the case with grandparents (at least with my grandma) she would call me teta (which is arabic for grandmother). I tried asking my parents why and they just said that's how it is 😂

[@whispp_purr1459]

It's the same in Latin American Spanish. When I was younger my mom would call me "mama" but usually in the form of a question of pity. Ex "?Que pasa mama/mami?" What's wrong mama?

[@whispp_purr1459]

"Teta" in Spanish means boob and usually is said by sucklings who want their mother's milk. It looks like the English word "tit".

[@IjusVindrBjorr]

S Naffa it's similar in Spanish yeah

[@ummuser]

My parents speak Spanish and they also have this trend of calling us "papa" or "mama" as a pseudo-nickname. Spanish and Arabic have a weird shared history so maybe this is a shared characteristic or it could be a one off thing.

[@owningkoning]

In the netherlands we say mamma=mom pappa=dad And to grandparents we say Oma=grandmother Opa=grandfather

[@jamesburgess2k]

Why do we call our little finger "pinky"? Index finger, middle finger, and ring finger are self-explanatory, and I think the word thumb is derived from Dutch and German. But have no idea about pinky.

[@ludiwang1172]

In preschool it was always thumb, pointer, tall man, ring, man, pinky.

[@lwaves]

+laser325 Hahahaha!! You worded that so much better than I was going to. As for the actual question, I've never once referred to it as a pinky finger. It's always just been the little finger to me.

[@viperblackjewel3915]

I heared the ring finger is because the vein in that finger is the closest to your heart. That's why wedding rings go on that finger

[@kaiencastan7783]

Viper Blackjewel I heard that's a widely believed myth lol

[@donkmeister]

+James Burgess You may/may not be interested to learn that "pinky" finger is not universal for English speakers - in the UK we call it the "little finger". Same applies for toes; pinky toe = little toe.

[@ryn2844]

The Chinese word 'māma' 妈妈 is western import (and you typed the wrong squiggly line on the ā). Older (less westernized) words for 'mom' include 'niáng' 娘, 'mǔqīn' 母亲 and 'mǔ' 母. Also, in Dutch the words 'mama', 'mam' or 'ma' are closer equivalents to the English 'mom'. 'Moeder' is closer to the English word 'mother'. Afrikaans is basically a wonky version of Dutch (colonialism is a thing people), so of course their word for mom is going to resemble the Dutch word. Next time, please ask someone who speaks these languages to check if what you're saying is correct before you broadcast it. You have viewers from all over the world, so that should be doable. Anyways this was an interesting episode, thanks!

[@dlbstl]

Laurann he said at the very beginning that he apologizes for not saying words correctly that are in other languages. FYI.

[@dlbstl]

Laurann he said at the very beginning that he apologizes for not correctly pronouncing non-english words. FYI.

[@ryn2844]

dlbstl I didn't criticize his pronunciation at all though?

[@gabrielpauna62]

Laurann 100% correct its all latin based

[@ryn2844]

pecu alex I think you may actually be talking about Mandarin Chinese instead of Mongolian. I just googled it and apparently Mongolian words for horse are 'морө, morö, морь, mori, адууны, aduuny'. The Mandarin word for horse is 'mǎ' 马. (I didn't google that, I speak Mandarin) Mandarin Chinese is a tonal language, so the tone in which you say 'ma' matters. For example 'mā' 妈 means 'mom', 'má' 麻 means 'numb', 'paralyzed' or 'weed', 'mà' 骂 means 'to scold' or 'to curse' and there are many more words pronounced 'ma' in Mandarin. There are four tones in Mandarin, plus the fifth 'neutral' tone. Mongolian isn't a tonal language, so the way you say 'ma' doesn't really matter for the meaning of the word in Mongolian. On another note, are you sure the African languages you're talking about haven't just copied western words for 'mom' and 'dad' into their own languages? A lot of Africans had to learn a western language during colonial times (English, French, Dutch, Portuguese, whatever), so I think it's actually very likely that that is what happened.

[@fumblerooskie]

You really do NOT need to pander to us American rubes. We can handle your English accent, and moreover, many of us are either from Canada, or have relatives there, so we're not (or shouldn't be) terribly alienated when you say "mum" instead of "mom." Oddly, you also refer to the Oxford dictionary. If you're gonna go all out American here you should probably stick to a version of Webster's.

[@duncannslade]

Can I call Simon Whistler "daddy"?

[@AveryFB]

Senpai works

[@CaptainChard]

Hahahaha please thumbs up Captain Spaulding until he's at the top

[@OtseisRagnarok]

I wonder how he feels about this

[@ilhamonytube]

Ew. He's like...respectable nerd that people love, I think. But calling him daddy is a little bit..submissive.

[@avatarmew]

No, it's not. Daddy is a childish way to say dad which is another way to say father.

[@colonycase6513]

It's interesting that we all have similar nicknames for our parents, but I was hoping you'd talk about why we KEEP calling them that, and (most people) never switch to calling them by their names.

[@SRNF]

If I call my parents by their real names they beat me up.....so thats my reason :(

[@victoriaithinkweallsing6661]

SRNF because it hasn't been normalized and is normally used as a sign of disrespect

[@melissaCgreenwood]

WTF, that's not ok. People, don't hit your kids, if you have to hit someone to be a control you're not very bright. Pick up a book.

[@SRNF]

They hit me with books on numerous occasions. We own various hardcover literature.

[@squib3100]

lmao tell someone a teacher or some shit

[@rautamiekka]

In Finnish: mom=mutsi/äippä mother=äiti mama=mami/mama mummy=mamma dad=iskä daddy=isi father=isä

[@thatgirlwiththeweirdname9299]

To Kill A Mockingbird. Maybe not a valid example, but they do call their dad by his given name, "Atticus". :P

[@azuregriffin1116]

True.

[@keithkaitlinreynolds808]

So the answer to the question is 'white families where the parents are trying to compensate for neglect by being hip'

[@duckwithoneleg00]

They're not babies though 👀

[@johnhooyer3101]

Also, the rest of their family didn't really approve of it. It was never explained why they didn't call him "Dad," and I was always curious as to why. My guess is that Harper Lee wanted people to remember his name so that he could more effectively work as a symbol for justice.

[@bawesome4527]

n3verflix99 I think that is only because of their mom dieing and their dad being a old lawer by the time of the book which cause some wird formal addressing.

[@sseraphim3999]

My mom told me that when I was a toddler that I always called her by her real name, she said she was ok with it because if I ever got lost at a store or something I would be able to to say her real name and not another kid crying for their mom XD

[@DellarteDellaGuerra]

I ended up calling my dad by his first name pretty much for the same reason :D I don't think he meant it as "don't ever call me dad" but now I never call him dad because it sounds so weird.

[@lancewells4188]

That makes sense......

[@maximillianafrancine1451]

Most Mum's know the sound of their kid's voice even in their sleep. They even know their cry. So no way will a normal hear another kid shout 'Mum' and think its hers. Mums are scary supernatural beings when it comes to their kids. Mine had powers you would think she was a witch when it came to her offspring

[@evayang3209]

In china most people say "mama" but before that it was " a ma" and before that it was "niang" I think it could've been because of European influences that it went from " niang" to "mama"

[@gorkskoal9315]

Hmmm possible from...huns or Mongols maybe?

[@tylerh629]

My wife calls her parents "Mamee" and "Deddee". She is cantonese, mainland.

[@linuslaw9648]

Don’t forget “diē” for father Also, the English were quite active around Canton, because Hong Kong

[@christopherlee7334]

Called my dad baba as a kid raised with Cantonese

[@walkerlokir6797]

In the taino language the word for father is baba but the word for mother is bibi.

[@nicktohzyu]

mutter in german is pronounced with a moo

[@markwhite1780]

Best job i ever had was being a father. For every ounce of effortless love put in a guy reaps tenfold or more the beauty of precious grace that is immeasurable.... Not very well stated but i trued to convey the truth. Thank you God.

[@perorin615]

wish you could've been my dad

[@justinbich1487]

*sitting in armchair petting bald eagle and hears the American mom over English mum* Good... Gooood... Bwahahahah!!!

[@randomdude4669]

He must have noticed majority of viewers are american

[@josephsvennson5694]

KZbin Viewer Analytics: USA 51% Commonwealth 49% Let's go with "Mom".

[@panda4247]

Rest of the world?

[@jojonerdz5258]

I hungarian we would say Mum- Anya Dad- Apa The more you know...

[@ilonaknuutinen]

Yep, Hungary and Finnish refuse to be normal. For us mom is äiti and dad is isä/isi/iskä

[@jojonerdz5258]

@@ilonaknuutinen Lamo Ikr

[@amberolearnyik9375]

I was going to reply the same thing bc they did not mention Hungarian..

[@jojonerdz5258]

@@amberolearnyik9375 Yeah, not many people even know it's a country. Someone I knew thought that Budapest was in Germany and not in Hungary

[@danielledear1]

i know this comment is a year old but omg the Korean word for dad is appa 😭

[@mattgmail5349]

In hebrew Mom=Ima Dad=Aba

[@jwhippet8313]

That's not Hebrew, it's Aramaic. Israelis use the Aramaic as the diminutives. They also use the Aramaic for old man and old woman to mean grandpa and grandma bc Hebrew doesn't have a word for those. (Using Hebrew here to mean classical Hebrew. Obviously if one defines anything said in Israel as Hebrew, you are right.)

[@grail68]

Still fits the pattern quite neatly.

[@justagirl6712]

Same in Koraan accent of Chad 🇹🇩

[@jonweinraub]

J Whippet The Biblical Hebrew Text uses Im and Av which I had thought was akin to mum/mummy and dad/daddy?

[@TheRevanchism]

What about Japanese where mother is おかさん (okasan) and father is おとうさん (otousan)? While yes they have shorter terms like ちち (chichi) for dad and はは (haha) for mom, these still don't have the Latin root sounds. Though with westernization the language has added the west's version as well.

[@pamulyadav4275]

TheRevanchism i scrolled down this far only for this answer

[@ForsakenPixel]

TheRevanchism i thought お母さん was 「おかあさん」

[@Ikajo]

TheRevanchism Japanese is full of variations when it comes to referring to people. Especially family members. In Swedish an older word for Mamma is Mor and the older word for Pappa is far. You can see this in how we categorise grandparents. Mormor is mothers mother, farmor is father's mother.

[@TodayIFoundOut]

Very interesting, thanks! :-)

[@DunkelStern]

Today I Found Out in Georgian Mama means father and Deda means Mother

[@alexbotea5626]

How about the Japanese language? "Okasan" / "Haha" and "Otousan" / "Chichi" mean "mother / mommy" and "father / daddy".

[@TheDarkDreamz]

The japanese still use mama and papa especially when the child is very young. Haha/chichi don't come into use until they child is a bit older, it's more like Mother/Mum and Father/Dad Same with chinese actually, there's the formal/informal version of the words mum and dad, and then "mama" and "baba"

[@hartandsoul85]

@@TheDarkDreamz I've also heard adults call their mom okaa, okaachan, kaasan.

[@mcfarofinha134]

mama and papa is used when the child is young, otousan and okaasan and the variations of them are used by all ages, and chichi and haha are more for referring to them in the 3rd person, such as in documents and the like.

[@Narnendil]

And okaasan/otousan are still nicknames for parents and not their names.

[@jzanneread8147]

Haha is My mother, Okaasan is Your/His/Her/Their mother [O- honorific + kaa (long "a") + san "Ms"] Chichi {titi} is My father, Otousan is Your/His/Her/Their father [O- honorific + tou (long "o") + san "Mr"] Mama(san) ママ(さん) when used by adults, is more along the line of Bar-wench

[@vociferonheraldofthewinter2284]

The lady at the DMV can't pronounce my name. A kid doesn't stand a chance.

[@raitchison]

Hearing someone say "mom" with a British accent is really odd sounding.

[@nicolepettit5120]

Tagalog (pilipino) doesn’t use “ma” for mom. They say “nanay” and dad is “tatay.” However, the ma sound shows up in father, “ama.” Mother is “ina.”

[@pmberkeley]

I think some babies may suck more nasally than others. Wonder if this is true of Filipino babies!

[@hatty7090]

In Japanese mum is Okaasan and Dad is Otousan. These are also used to address a friends parents. Mama and Papa have made their way into the language in more modern times however it would be extremely odd for anyone but a small child to use them.

[@undinae]

What I find incredibly awkward is how to refer to my fellow parent to my grown-up daughters. Should I say "Dad is going to be back soon." or "Your dad is going to be back soon." or "NAME is going to be back soon." None of them feel right. Calling him Dad just feels weird - he's not my dad after all.

[@germyw]

Roslyn Jones I hope you are talking about hypothetical grown children because you should have worked that out by now.

[@ToxLegend]

"your father-" problem solved

[@AVJHalonen]

Try "whom shall not be awkwardly named is going to be back soon"?

[@daemonCaptrix]

Just pick one. Once you start using it it won't feel awkward for long.

[@sujatara]

Roslyn Jones Yeah it's weird that you have the same "name" for your mom/dad and wife/husband at different points in your life, when you think about it. My parents have always called each other papa and mama (Dutch) around us.

[@gabriels287]

Why on Earth would you say an American word with a British accent?! o.O Mom and Mum, whatever, just say it as you usually say it.

[@Gartral]

because american mothers aren't plants? Sarcasm aside I agree, accents don't usually bother me however the disparity between American and English with some words, like "Mom/Mum"does make my brain twinge, so I thank Simon for trying to not give all his American watchers headaches.

[@parissmith4353]

Gartral sensitive much?

[@lewzero]

I'm glad he's smart enough to know us Americans are stupid enough to hate anyone else for saying a word different. Our ignorance always amazes me, especially when I'm watching British television!

[@HippyNZ]

In Maori (New Zealand) Mother = Whaea (said sort of like the english 'fire') it also covers 'aunt, 'aunty' as children are often raised also by aunts and ancles as their own. Father = Matua (Ma-too-a) and also covers uncle. They is also used as a formal title for anyone in that age group relitive to the speaker where Whaea = Mrs, and Matua = Mr (the level of respect (madam) above that is Kuia (which is also grandma or older woman) and Koro (sir) (which is also grandfather or old man)) for men

[@madisonbrooks8672]

That's cool because Matua is Mother in Tokelauan

[@artema.]

@@madisonbrooks8672 wow, never heard of that language. Where is it from?

[@jeme3992]

Purple Nazli Tokelau 🇹🇰

[@artema.]

@@jeme3992 that makes sense XD

[@Syc_Fukk11]

New Zealand!! How ya been my whano!! I live in NZ too!!

[@vaguesoft8445]

My first word was "hebrew."

[@EliaCanu]

Actually here in Italy we say the latin version of mom which is 'mamma', not madre. Saying that is seen as more formal and kind of weird.