Mothers are similar in the jobs that they do, but their titles are very much different. Depending on where their children are raised, the language they speak, and the influence of others around them, a mother can have many nicknames, even different ones from each one of their children. Either way, there are multiple forms of the word Mother, most of them beginning with an M.
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“The evolution of “Mother.”
The feminine of the parental figures bestowed upon each child is, of course, called the mother. Every child, infant, and baby knows their mother’s “name” and how to summon her into their presence.
One of the first sounds babies make is that of the letter M. Mumbles and Mmm’s eventually form into calls for a Childs mother. As far back as the middle ages, the name given to maternal figures by their children began with the letter M. The old English form of the word mother Mōdor, evolving into the middle English Moder, which is now Mother in modern times.
Although the word mother has evolved over the centuries into the feminine strong word “Mother” today, it has also broken down into many cute nicknames, the most popular among littles being Momma or Mama.
“Why Different Spellings? Momma or Mama”
The words Mama and Momma are synonyms, alternative forms of one word. Both words “momma” and “mama” represent widely used alternate forms of the name “Mother.”
Other synonyms of Momma and Mama are:
- Maw,
- Mom,
- Mama,
- Ma,
- Mama,
- Mamma,
- Mommy,
- Mum, etc.
There are various synonyms and forms of the word “Mother,” the type used by a child usually derives from the language they are taught and the influence of those around them.
For example, Mother in Spanish is Madre, and many children influenced by Spanish say the word Mama as a shorter form of the Spanish word Madre.
The word momma is a more grammatically correct of the two words “momma” and “mama”; the reason for this is because the word “momma is an ordinary noun used in US writing while Mama is a word children use to call their mother.
When writing, the word “momma” is used for grammatical correctness, while in a childish speech, the name is pronounced “mama.””
“Where did “Momma” or “Mama” come from?”
As priorly mentioned in this article, the first sounds a baby can make usually are from the letter M, B, and P sounds often following after. This is because of the way a baby’s uses its mouth at first, without any teeth or control of the tongue.
The universal language spoken by babies seems always to involve sounds that sound like ancient languages. The word mammary, the gland in the breast, which helps feed babies milk stems from the Latin word mamma, which means breast.
Before babies compare the word Mama to their mother, they use the term to ask for food, which, if they are still breastfeeding, comes from their mother’s breast.
What an exciting idea when you think of the fact that although many adults speak different languages, babies seem to start their lives with the same gurgles, coos, and mumbles no matter their ethnicity.
Maybe the words Momma and Mama come from an ancient language that babies can still speak at birth, which may explain how we are all trained to understanding just exactly what they want from us.
To answer the question “Where did the word Momma or Mama come from?” they originally derive from a Childs desire to eat. The word “Momma” is the grammatically correct way to write out the spoken word “Mama,” which is commonly said by babies.
Throughout the history of English writing, the word “Momma” was first written in 1852 and has been spoken by babies in their bible language, possibly since ancient times.
The ego of the mother may have thought that their breastfeeding baby is praising them with their “mamas” in-between breaths, but actually, they appreciate their food.
“Other Uses for Momma and Mama”
The word Mama is commonly used in the South of the United States by what’s called the “educated southerner.” Southern couples would often call one another “mama” and “pa” affectionately as nicknames around their children.
Many southern musicians also used the word Mama in their music, and many urban artists used the word “mama” as a term to refer to attractive women.
The famous Elvis Presley used the form “Momma” as apart of his “Whoah Momma” catchphrase. Many other artists also use both terms for describing women, their mothers, or as a catchphrase term.
“Which is correct, “Mama,” or “Momma.”
“Mama” and “Momma” are both abbreviations of the mother, and both are phonetically correct depending on the region they’re being used. Both words are not the only words that are used to describe mothers, but the most common terms to replace the word mother in the western world.
Both terms “Momma” and “Mama” are phonetically and grammatically correct; it all depends on the preference of the person or child using them. The use of each word comes from the region and culture a person or child is raised in, that will determine whether they will use “Momma” or “Mama” in their speech and writing.
Momma is Mom and Ma combined and generally used by those who use the word “Mom.”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Southern Focus Poll concluded that Democrats and Republicans use different forms of the word Mother, Democrats using Mama or Momma more often, and Republicans using “Mom” as their desired term for their mothers. This could be due to educational and wealth status.
“Summary”
Years ago, during a time of class and hard-working culture, mothers were called mom and mommy, softer versions of momma and Mama. This time has passed with the generation it began with, and today’s children call their mothers momma or Mama.
The mothers of today are more protective of their children, like a momma bear, while past mothers were more associated with soccer moms. Whether a child uses momma or Mama, or the word is written, either way, they both symbolize an evolution not just in a name, but in the maternal figures they describe.