Mommy

[ifeellikechickentonight]

Am I the only one who cannot stand being referred to as a mom, mommy or mommie

I am not American

It is spelt MUMMY

I don't know why this annoys me so much but it sets my teeth on edge

Saoirse I don't think people say lavatory do they? That isn't much better than just saying toilet. I think most say loo - I could be wrong though.

I'm sure you're right wild rose, but really why is loo better than toilet or indeed lavatory? Really dont get it!!

Kare Fox says:

Toilet’ is another word that makes the higher classes flinch – or exchange knowing looks, if it is uttered by a would-be social climber. The correct upper-middle/upper term is ‘loo’ or ‘lavatory’ (pronounced lavuhtry, with the accent on the first syllable). ‘Bog’ is occasionally acceptable, but only if it is said in an obviously ironic-jocular manner, as though in quotes. The working classes all say ‘toilet’, as do most lower-middles and middle-middles, the only difference being the working-class omission of the final ‘t’. (The working classes may also sometimes say ‘bog’, but without the ironic quotation marks.) Those lower- and middle-middles with pretensions or aspirations, however, may eschew ‘toilet’ in favour of suburban-genteel euphemisms such as ‘gents’, ‘ladies’, ‘bathroom’, ‘powder room’, ‘facilities’ and ‘convenience’; or jokey euphemisms such as ‘latrines’, ‘heads’ and ‘privy’ (females tend to use the former, males the latter).

Mom did not derive in the Midlands, it's is more likely used in that region due to the diverse cultures that coexist there.

Hmm, really? So how do you explain my Mom (b 1923 before "diverse cultures" were there) who was from Brum and her own Mom (I have letters she wrote in which she signs herself that way) born in the 1880s in Edinburgh?

but really why is loo better than toilet or indeed lavatory?

I suppose toilet creates an image of what will be in it soon so I don't use it. I don't use lavatory because I don't use the word and in my non British accent, I'd sound ridiculous :). I like the word 'loo' as much as I dislike the word 'bog'.

But I'm not from the UK so might be better to wait for someone else to come along.....

My nan born 1919 was a mom so was her mom and her grandmother was mom

Not sure where othe cultures come into it?

British culture has many varients Mom Mum Mam Mother Mam-Mar etc I'm sure other cultures use their own words/language for their mothers and nans

We use lavatory as do all family and most friends. Toilet (as with any faux French word) is rather well, common. Loo is fine for informal use but generally lavatory is the preferred word. Toilet is entirely unacceptable.

Heads is actually a term used by Royal Navy from old wooden warships when the contents of gazunders were thrown overboard and a call of "Heads" was made to forewarn those on lower decks to withdraw their head from the portholes.

Why toilet? It's like the upper classes have to have some distinction in language but why chose Toilet - why not Car V motor vehicle - Longe V living room Hall V entrance?

Why does it always end up on these threads as toilet?

Saoirse this might be the reason

Ref Kate Fox

'Toilet'. The word 'toilet' is also never used. 'Lavatory' or 'loo' are the preferred terms. According to Kate, historically the royals avoided using 'toilet' because of its French origins.

Crumbs said 'loo' is for informal use but according to various articles I just looked at, it is the word the Royal family use.

It's not a lounge it's a sitting room / drawing room - where your sofa is.

Does no one call their mother, mother?

Yep, I discovered this when I got my first mother's day card from the Black Country ex. He now spells it mummy on the cards to be kind but misses the odd 'mommy' that sneaks in. I do find it weird.
'Nan' really irritates me for some reason, feel a bit snobby about it, that it should be gran/grandma. Feel reverse snobby about 'mama' that it's super pretentious.

@greeeen I never have, seems really formal! I would feel weird if my kids called mother

I was meaning we might use loo informally- as I suspect Royal family do. I can't imagine they describe it very often anyway - as most people don't. People just use language they are comfortable with and which is understood and acceptable in their social circles.
I wouldn't use lounge or living room either but understand full well what they refer to. We'd say sitting room or morning room depending on which we were referring to. I wouldn't say entrance or hall - it's an entrance hall (but we tend to use the kitchen door anyway).

Toilet is entirely unacceptable.

Indeed. This is a word that Americans of all social groups avoid at all costs. It's why we call it a bathroom even if there is no bath tub in there.

I have been binge watching Call the Midwife and I did notice that one of the nurses with a very RP accent referred to the facility in a nightclub as "the toilets." It sounded wrong; I think someone of her class, especially in the late 1950s would have said "loo."

My kids often call me mother, but it's more like moth-errrrr when I'm annoying them.

Mine use Mother sometimes - in a factual kind of way I always answer with 'yes daughter'

Im also in west mids. Say "mom" spell "mum".

Right i'm off to catch the buzz with my osses ;)

I must admit I've never heard it morning room and probably wouldn't know why someone was talking about if I heard it in normal conversation.

Mummies are bandaged and died in ancient Egypt. Mommies are mothers.

I must admit I've never heard it morning room and probably wouldn't know why someone was talking about if I heard it in normal conversation.

I'm the same. My PIL have a 'breakfast room' which I found very funny initially especially as it is a bit of an 'every day'' room and even has a tv! I wonder what the difference between a breakfast room and a morning room is.

I think a breakfast room used to be a small room/alcove off the kitchen in some houses where there was just room for a table and a few chairs to sit at whilst eating breakfast. Alternatively the room guests eat their breakfast in when staying in a B&B.
A morning room is the room people use socially in the earlier part of the day - traditionally when the sun provided good light and some warmth. After supper people used the drawing room but nowadays there tends to be a sitting room used for watching television and people very rarely withdraw as there's not usually smoking after a meal.

I thought morning room was a sitting room where the lady of the house sat in the morning to answer her many social invitations. My source is periodic binge watching of Upstairs Downstairs.

Partial cross-post with Crumbs.