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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wish my mum wouldn't randomly make up words for things?

74 replies

ZombiePlan · 22/10/2010 09:14

My mun is completely incapable of using the proper word for certain things - instead she uses her own made-up version (which is totally unrelated to the proper word). So, pacifiers become "dodies", bed becomes "beebose deluxe" and so forth. AIBU to find this totally odd (and a little embarrassing when she does it in public!)? I know it's harmless (and pretty minor in the grand scheme of things) but OMG it drives me batshit. I'm also a bit concerned that DS will start to pick up on it when he's a bt older and use the wrong words without realising. Does anyone else's mother display this particular trait?

OP posts:
cidre · 22/10/2010 09:15

No, but I do...[hgrin]

Original poster
ZombiePlan · 22/10/2010 09:16

[hgrin] guess it's not just her then.

I shall Grin and bear it...

OP posts:
TrillianSlasher · 22/10/2010 09:16

Bilingual children usually do ok with one-parent-one-language, so I expect your DS will be fine with most-people-speak-normal and granny's-special-bonkers-language.

TrinityRhino · 22/10/2010 09:19

my kids seem to cope perfectly well with everyoine else speaks normally and mummy still says aMiNal, shoesies and tons more

CMOTdibbler · 22/10/2010 09:19

No, but my mum has problems with words for things - always nouns, and over the last few years people and places. It used to be hilarious as a child.

But you seem to be able to use the right words, so surely your ds will be ok too

DanceOnTheDarkSide · 22/10/2010 09:21

My mum does this all the time and it drives me bonkers!!

DaisySteiner · 22/10/2010 09:22

I think it's charming Smile but I'm sure if my own mother did it, I'd hate it too!

Original poster
ZombiePlan · 22/10/2010 09:22

Maybe it's a mum thing? I will have to watch myself very very closely...

OP posts:
Anniegetyourgun · 22/10/2010 09:24

I think it's kind of cute.

At least, I hope it's kind of cute...

Blush
littletreesmum · 22/10/2010 09:26

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clpsmum · 22/10/2010 09:26

But is batshit not a made up word LOL you are more like your mum than you realise!!!! Just grin and bear it and explain to your DC granny is a little bit bonkers!!!! (or a made up word for bonkers with same meaning lol)

Marlinspike · 22/10/2010 09:28

clpsmum, Crazy + bonkers = CONKERS!

Quenelle · 22/10/2010 09:31

My FIL refers to his dog as a 'woh woh' when talking to our DS. God knows why. We don't reinforce it to DS, we always say 'dog', but DS actually calls dogs 'pip' because that's what the dog in his digger book is called.

Think kids are brighter than we give them credit for. They're not as easily confused as we imagine. I'm sure DS won't always say 'pip'... will he?

welshandproud · 22/10/2010 09:36

This is completely normal in our family Wink

DomesticG0ddess · 22/10/2010 09:38

Drives you "batshit"???? A chip off the old block then?

giraffesCantDookForApples · 22/10/2010 09:42

I have a word for tuggy, scruffy looking hair - scrangled and wrangled

ScroobiousPip · 22/10/2010 09:44

Grin at Domestic Goddess. My thoughts exactly. Wink

Quenelle · 22/10/2010 10:25

Just remembered one of my MIL's; if your jumper sleeves are all pulled up uncomfortably inside your coat sleeves she calls it bungely. I think it's a good one and use it myself. I expect it will enter common usage soon.

gapbear · 22/10/2010 10:28

My MIL regularly has me , DH and FIL in hysterics as she describes anyone mean with money as 'mingey'.

Notquitegrownup · 22/10/2010 10:32

Q, bungeley is lovely! Definitely going to adopt that.

SamJones · 22/10/2010 10:47

From various family members, we get

Windscreepers - windscreen wipers

Scumfished - bit like bungely but can be applied to any element that is twisted/uncomfortable/rucked up. "I'm all scumfished"

Muti (pronounced mootie) - medicine. PIL grew up in southern africa and I believe it is a Shona word. But whatever its origin, it has now spread throughout my side of the family now and we often forget that other people don't know what it means. Many times I handed dc's 'muti' over to the childminder and got a bemused look.

There are loads more but can't think of them right now.

SheWillBeLoved · 22/10/2010 10:53

I say dodies Blush and it's my mums fault Grin

Original poster
ZombiePlan · 22/10/2010 10:56

Seems it's more common than I thought! That's quite reassuring (although suppose it means I'll have to double the watch on myself to avoid developing similar traits).

PS I thought batshit was standard MN parlance - is it not?

OP posts:
DomesticG0ddess · 22/10/2010 11:02

I don't think it is, but I quite like it. In fact, I generally like lots of made up words - the creative ones, and I usually wish I'd thought of them myself. [henvy]

DanceOnTheDarkSide · 22/10/2010 11:07

batshit/apeshit are used here

its not the made up words so much as the insistence that we remember every word she has ever changed in the last 289 years. Some of which she has only made up between visits!!
An she insists that the DCs use them. Well um no - it's a remote control not a "hoofer" Hmm

I don't mind words made up where there isnt already a word - like Bungly. We have Tiggly here. It means safe and warm and cosy. Like getting into a bed just after a bath and there are fresh covers on -that's tiggly. Or when you come in and the lamp is on in the hall and the house looks lovely. That's tiggly.