Re: Mom

Subject: Re: Mom
From: Laurie Rubin <lmr -at- SYL -dot- NJ -dot- NEC -dot- COM>
Date: Wed, 16 Nov 1994 13:38:45 -0500

This is not exactly a tech writing thread, but, it sure is something light
for midweek. I grew up in California, then lived outside of the states and on
the East Coast since I was 21 (okay, 17 years ago!). Do this day, I still call
my mother "Mom" and do so for my mother-in-law. I used to call my Dad either
"Dad" or "Daddy" until he died, and always use "Dad" for my father-in-law,
even catching myself calling him "Daddy" at times. I never refer to my
parents (including in-laws) as "Mother" or "Father." I even try to avoid
cards that use those words. My husband is from New York, and has always
referred to his parents and my mom in the same manner!
I wonder if it has to do with what your parents tell you to call them when you
are young, and then those terms just become familiar and comfortable. I am
not certain there is a geographical relationship to the people and the words,
but rather a personal relationship for some. Mother and Father seem extremely
formal, and, to me, may express a somewhat distanced relationship between
child and parent.

What I also find interesting is that the word "aunt" is pronounced
differently in different parts of the country.
Laurie

O.K. back to work...

> Jan Boomsliter asks:
> |} Let me throw this one Out There: do adults in all regions of the
> |} country call their mothers "Mom?"
> |}

> Let's see, born in Montana, raised in Idaho, Montana, and Washington.
> I would never refer to my Mom as Mother or my Dad as Father. Just
> doesn't sit right. Gather from that what you will.

> _______________ _____
> / ___ __/__\ \ / / _\ Steve Fouts
> /___ \| | ___\ | / __\ sfouts -at- ellison -dot- sc -dot- ti -dot- com
> / / \ | \ / \
> /_______/__|_______\_/________\ "She understood, as he did, that all writing
> was infernally boring and futile, but that it had to be done out of respect
> for tradition" --Stanislaw Lem


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