Tomorrow is February 2nd -- "Groundhog Day". Groundhogs are furry little animals -- rather like big, fat brown squirrels. They sleep during the winter -- or "hibernate." People say if a groundhog comes out and sees its shadow from the sun on Groundhog Day, then there will be six (6) more weeks of winter. I don't know if I want six more hours of winter! How about you?
Groundhogs are "mammals." Mammals are animals that give birth to live young. They do not lay eggs. Mammals' babies suck milk from the mamma animal. Did you know that "mamma" is the Latin word for "breast"? So a baby's word for its mother, or "Mama," may be a call for a drink! In English, you also see the word "mammogram" -- which is a kind of x-ray of the breast.
What is a baby's word for "mother" in your original language? Does it have anything to do with the word for "breast" or "breast milk"? You don't have to be a groundhog to wonder! Write me and let me know!
Groundhogs are "mammals." Mammals are animals that give birth to live young. They do not lay eggs. Mammals' babies suck milk from the mamma animal. Did you know that "mamma" is the Latin word for "breast"? So a baby's word for its mother, or "Mama," may be a call for a drink! In English, you also see the word "mammogram" -- which is a kind of x-ray of the breast.
What is a baby's word for "mother" in your original language? Does it have anything to do with the word for "breast" or "breast milk"? You don't have to be a groundhog to wonder! Write me and let me know!
The word for mama in my native language "Berber" is 'Ayama / Aye" and in Arabi is 'Oumi/ Yama". As for the conection between motherhood and milk, I do not see any epistemological link between the two. But, I will ask my colleagues, Arabic teachers, to find out any relationship between both concepts.
ReplyDeleteKatia
Interesting that there is a "ma" sound in both "Ayama" and "Yama".
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