Why does mom start with M?

I was just talking with my mom earlier and just started wondering why does mom start with m. Not just in English but just about every other language. For example my language mom would be my or mach. Other words for mom, mother, mama, madre. Is it just because the m sound is the easiest sound a baby can make? I'm just curious for some enlightenment.

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=mamma

Perhaps.

I was just talking with my mom earlier and just started wondering why does mom start with m. Not just in English but just about every other language. For example my language mom would be my or mach. Other words for mom, mother, mama, madre. Is it just because the m sound is the easiest sound a baby can make? I'm just curious for some enlightenment.

kidsmelly

[QUOTE="kidsmelly"]

I was just talking with my mom earlier and just started wondering why does mom start with m. Not just in English but just about every other language. For example my language mom would be my or mach. Other words for mom, mother, mama, madre. Is it just because the m sound is the easiest sound a baby can make? I'm just curious for some enlightenment.

akbar13

Sounds like a really good guess, I'm not sure why it is that way but your hipothesis sound plausible.dragon7x2k

On-topic: Iunno, it's just linguistics. One base word created a bunch of other root words that stretched across multiple languages..

m. Take a look. What do you see? :lol:

Latin?

Mother in Tagalog is nanay so I would say it's not all "m".Kenny789

That's a good point. But since the Philippines aren't part of the main land really the etymology of their words is probably very different than most mainland countries who got their language from similar places.

It's because when you turn it upside down, it spells "WOW". That's poetic in a way.

Latin?

StripTheSoul

I'm southeast asian and both words for mom start with M.

Latin?

StripTheSoul

m. Take a look. What do you see? :lol:

Gaming-Planet

I actually googled and came across this. O well I'm just a lil curious is all.

Sounds like a really good guess, I'm not sure why it is that way but your hipothesis sound plausible.dragon7x2k

your sig......i-i cant stop staring.....:|

w-w-what were we talking about

[QUOTE="dragon7x2k"]Sounds like a really good guess, I'm not sure why it is that way but your hipothesis sound plausible.spawnassasin

your sig......i-i cant stop staring.....:|

w-w-what were we talking about

[QUOTE="dragon7x2k"]Sounds like a really good guess, I'm not sure why it is that way but your hipothesis sound plausible.spawnassasin

your sig......i-i cant stop staring.....:|

w-w-what were we talking about

[QUOTE="dragon7x2k"]Sounds like a really good guess, I'm not sure why it is that way but your hipothesis sound plausible.SeraphimGoddess

On-topic: Iunno, it's just linguistics. One base word created a bunch of other root words that stretched across multiple languages..

me niether but on the subject i think its because its easy to pronounce

You are right. I went down the list of languages a little bit in my iTranslate app on my Ipod. Some symbols are missing like the dots above or below the letters and I omitted languages that use characters I cannot read. Such as Arabic and Chinese.

Afrikaans = Ma

Albanian = Mami

Belarusian = mama

Catalan = Mare

Czech = Maminka

Danish = Mor

Dutch = Ma

French = Maman

Icelandic = Mammi

Irish Gaelic = Maime

Russian = Mama

Slovak = Mamicka

Swahili = Mama

Vietnamese = Me

Welsh = Mom

Yiddish = Mom.

Sounds like a really good guess, I'm not sure why it is that way but your hipothesis sound plausible.dragon7x2k

your sig......i-i cant stop staring.....:|

w-w-what were we talking about

You are right. I went down the list of languages a little bit in my iTranslate app on my Ipod. Some symbols are missing like the dots above or below the letters and I omitted languages that use characters I cannot read. Such as Arabic and Chinese.

Afrikaans = Ma

Albanian = Mami

Belarusian = mama

Catalan = Mare

Czech = Maminka

Danish = Mor

Dutch = Ma

French = Maman

Icelandic = Mammi

Irish Gaelic = Maime

Russian = Mama

Slovak = Mamicka

Swahili = Mama

Vietnamese = Me

Welsh = Mom

Yiddish = Mom.

SunofVich

Yeah, that mouse creeps me out.THE_DRUGGIE

[QUOTE="StripTheSoul"]

Latin?

dragon7x2k

....

*stares at sig*

I'm sorry what?

It's because when you turn it upside down, it spells "WOW". That's poetic in a way.

dracula_16

Is it just because the m sound is the easiest sound a baby can make?

kidsmelly

In Japanese it's はは (haha) or おっかさん (okkasan).AirGuitarist87

Just to add:

｢（お）母さん｣ or "(o)kaasan" is the common term, not ｢おっかさん｣ (okkasan.) "Okkasan" is an older word, I think..according to EDICT it is the "term commonly used (for 'mom') until the end of the Meiji period."

｢母｣ (haha) is the "polite" way to refer to your own mother when speaking to others. One way to think of it: it's closer to the English word "mother" rather than "mom."

edit: gah, smilies..

[QUOTE="AirGuitarist87"]In Japanese it's はは (haha) or おっかさん (okkasan).Velocitas8

Just to add:

｢（お）母さん｣ or "(o)kaasan" is the common term, not ｢おっかさん｣ (okkasan.) "Okkasan" is an older word, I think..according to EDICT it is the "term commonly used (for 'mom') until the end of the Meiji period."

｢母｣ (haha) is the "polite" way to refer to your own mother when speaking to others. One way to think of it: it's closer to the English word "mother" rather than "mom."

edit: gah, smilies..

Maybe it has something to do with the first sounds babies produce. They just sorta make "m" sounds and it eventually stuck in every language. My guess anyway.

M is usually the first sound babies can make, and since they're usually suckling on their mother, naturally the connection would be made.

You are right. I went down the list of languages a little bit in my iTranslate app on my Ipod. Some symbols are missing like the dots above or below the letters and I omitted languages that use characters I cannot read. Such as Arabic and Chinese.

Afrikaans = Ma

Albanian = Mami

Belarusian = mama

Catalan = Mare

Czech = Maminka

Danish = Mor

Dutch = Ma

French = Maman

Icelandic = Mammi

Irish Gaelic = Maime

Russian = Mama

Slovak = Mamicka

Swahili = Mama

Vietnamese = Me

Welsh = Mom

Yiddish = Mom.

SunofVich

Portuguese : Mãe

maybe this might help :)

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=why+does+mom+start+with+M+in+every+language+

it is because it is

I was just talking with my mom earlier and just started wondering why does mom start with m. Not just in English but just about every other language. For example my language mom would be my or mach. Other words for mom, mother, mama, madre. Is it just because the m sound is the easiest sound a baby can make? I'm just curious for some enlightenment.

kidsmelly

well it starts with an "m" in greek, so I'm guessing that has a lot to do with it.

My Linguistics professor taught me this: M is universally known as the easiest vowel to pronounce.. and since babies often call for their female parent, it only makes sense start the word with M. :D