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Discussion Forum—A Way with Words, a fun radio show and podcast about language

A Way with Words, a radio show and podcast about language and linguistics.

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What names will our child call us?
Tamiko
1
2008/12/16 - 12:39pm

Hi, I was just listening to the Almost Up to Possible episode & I don't know if it will be helpful but I called my mom by her childhood nickname until I was about 10. I guess it's because that's what everyone called her! I don't know how I learned that Dad was "Dad" but she was Dolly until my brother was born. I thought it would be rude for a boy to call her Dolly & started calling her Mom. I always thought Mutti was a cool alternative for Mom though I don't remember where I first encountered it.
Good Luck!
Tamiko

Guest
2
2008/12/17 - 10:36am

To all those people I know whose name is Dolly, I find it hard to say “Hello, Dolly” without some musical inflection. Talk about a song being stuck in your head! But then it's also hard for me to recite the alphabet without musical inflection.

It's interesting that you thought it would be rude for your brother to call your mom Dolly. Were you the only person who called your mom by her childhood nickname, or does everyone, women and men, call her that? Is this a form of sibling rivalry? 🙂

Martha Barnette
San Diego, CA
820 Posts
(Offline)
3
2008/12/21 - 9:00am

Interesting, Tamiko. Is that what your mom called herself when talking to you? You know, the way moms will say, "Come to Mommy" or "Mommy doesn't want you to do that." Did she call herself "Dolly" in that case?

Beverly
4
2008/12/21 - 9:49am

Hi: I think "mutti" is the word used in German for Mommy.
Beverly

Tamiko
5
2009/01/05 - 2:06pm

I didn't graduate to Dolly until I was older & lazy wink My earliest memories are of Dolores or screaming "My Dolores" when she left. I'm not painting the best picture - I've stopped screaming when she leaves. But that seems like an awful lot of syllables now. Martha, I don't remember what she called herself & now I feel awful. I'll send this to her to see if she remembers. As for the sibling rivalry - rearing it's ugly head before he was even born! Fortunately, we get along now.

Martha Barnette
San Diego, CA
820 Posts
(Offline)
6
2009/01/06 - 9:54pm

Ah, well do let us know. She'll probably be pleased we're having this discussion, right?

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