Why is Mummy/Daddy considered posh? + Other cultural differences

[NwaNaija]

I'll break this down into 2 posts so the OP isn't too long.

1. Personally, I've noticed many times on here that people see the use of 'Mummy/Daddy' as posh. It's made me laugh because growing up, Mummy/Daddy is the general way of addressing parents in Nigeria (where I was born and raised), regardless of economic status. The pronounciation can be different though (MU-mee, mu-MEE, Mummy).

It isn't really used when speaking about your parents unless you're a child. In that case, 'mother/father' would be used.

Other terms used are Mama/Papa or Baba and other different ones from the many ethnic groups we have. Saying 'Mum/Dad' sounds quite formal and a bit strange, although it's become a bit more common (see next post) nowadays.

I'm not sure how saying mummy/daddy started though, perhaps we got it from the 'posh' colonisers? 🤷🏽‍♀️

Why is it considered posh in the UK?

Question: What are some of the words, phrases or terms used in your country/culture that you've seen used differently in other cultures?

In Northern Ireland adults n kids refer to their parents as mummy n daddy.

My mum is in her 80s and still refers to her parents as mummy n daddy when she talks about them

Not posh.....just the way we speak over here!

It sets my teeth on edge a little bit when anyone over the age of about 12 or 13 refers to their parents as mummy or daddy. It just sounds so twee! My (maternal) grandmother still refers to my mum as ‘mummy’ when I’m talking to her. “I spoke to mummy yesterday, she said she’s got the day off work tomorrow.”

I don’t know whether that’s a class/‘posh’ thing or a generational thing though?

Mummy/Daddy is a lot more widely used in Ireland (by adults/older children). My own kids (in NI) say mum usually unless they want something (prob my English influence!).

Agree in England Mummy/Daddy regarded as 'posh' when used by adults.

@CareBear50 crossposted

@NwaNaija

YABU posting this in AIBU when you don't have an U question. It would have been better in Chat. But the topic is interesting so in that respect YANBU to post it. grin

@banivani Lol. Ok I forgot. AIBU to think mummy/daddy isn't posh? Or AIBU to ask why it's considered posh?

Nice save!

In Ireland kids say Mammy and Daddy, but I think they go over to saying Mam and Dad when older? I never lived there so never got that habit. However Mam might be "common". I base this on Roddy Doyle, in his books the mother corrects the children when they say Mam and tells them to say Mammy, so that might be because she thinks it's more proper [sic].

My DD9 calls me all of it - Mummy (where she started), Mama, Mum + some of her recently made up ones: Mo-Mo/Moh-Moh (sounds like 'Mow' the lawn).

Also had a phase (4-6yrs) when she often called me Mother. Now she only does so when she's joking, being silly/cheeky.

I always thought that the mummy/daddy thing was due to posh kids going to boarding school before reaching the age where mum/dad became used.

Ooh that's interesting. Never thought of that regarding posh kids in the UK. Actually makes sense to me.

@NwaNaija

My DD9 calls me all of it - Mummy (where she started), Mama, Mum + some of her recently made up ones: Mo-Mo/Moh-Moh (sounds like 'Mow' the lawn).

Also had a phase (4-6yrs) when she often called me Mother. Now she only does so when she's joking, being silly/cheeky.

I love the made up variations children come up with. I'm either Mummy or Moomay in my house. (Occasionally potato lady, or "my little Mummy" when we meet new people/see someone we haven't seen for a while)

I don't think Mummy and Daddy is a so called posh thing to say, I am 78, and it was a normal way of addressing parents in the UK for as long as I can remember. It seemed to change to Mum and Dad when we were about 8 or 9 years old.

But I lived near the countryside, and had school friends who lived on farms, and they always called their parents Ma and Pa., never Mummy and Daddy !!

I’m Irish and it was always mammy and daddy for my parents. My English born adult children call me mum now but I was mummy till their twenties.

@NwaNaija

We also call people who are much older (parents or grandparents' age) mummy/daddy, mama/papa, etc. You can't call older people by their names. It's either uncle/aunty (or Uncle Name, Aunty Name), mummy/daddy, etc.

That's how it used to be here too. It was a sign of respect.

Btw I still call my parents mummy and daddy, or mum and dad only when I'm talking about them.

@ImNotWhoYouThinkIam

Same here. I've been called so many things. Lol

One of her favourites now is 'Squishy' or the modified
'Squishy Munchie' (Apparently I have a soft body and she loves snuggling/squishing me often)

I've been watching way too much tv while shielding. Hearing Jack Whitehall (b.1988) address his father as Daddy and refer to his mother as Mummy, sounded...odd?
Likewise Miriam Margolyes (78) referring to her Mummy.

'my little mummy' is just so cute.

I still cal my parents mummy and daddy - was raised working class Yorkshire.

People always seem surprised as I'm 'not posh' but it's just what we've always called them 🤷🏼‍♀️

Definitely an upper-class mannerism in the UK for adults to use Mummy and Daddy.

I think it stems from the tradition of sending children away to boarding school very young - in the days when boarding was more complete, much less contact with families. The relationships with parents were arrested at the young-child stage, and others took over the caring/authoritative significance day-to-day.

I was always made to call mine mummy and daddy because they wanted me not to grow up (in a weird way, not a nice way).

I’m 40 now and I don’t call my dad anything to his face. He’d be offended if I called him dad but I can’t bring myself to call him Daddy.

@NwaNaija

'my little mummy' is just so cute.

Bleedin' ain't! Specially when it morphs into "my diminutive little mummy" with a pat on the top of my head while he towers over me...and I HATE having my hair flattened. Ratbag.

@1forAll74

I don't think Mummy and Daddy is a so called posh thing to say, I am 78, and it was a normal way of addressing parents in the UK for as long as I can remember. It seemed to change to Mum and Dad when we were about 8 or 9 years old.

But I lived near the countryside, and had school friends who lived on farms, and they always called their parents Ma and Pa., never Mummy and Daddy !!

It's older kids/adults we're talking about!

It is distinctly posh when they say it

@loutypips Yes that's how we view it there too. It was so jarring to me when I moved here and children would call adults by their name (especially elderly ones). I already knew it was being done here but seeing it 'live' in regular use sounded so rude. Took me a while to feel comfortable calling elderly people by their names. It was either that or nothing Now I'm used to it.

Dp calls his mother mummy, my kids (adults) call me mama who cares, personal preference. We are not posh.

NwaNaija

'my little mummy' is just so cute.

Bleedin' ain't! grin
Specially when it morphs into "my diminutive little mummy" with a pat on the top of my head while he towers over me...and I HATE having my hair flattened. Ratbag.gringringrin

Haha OK no not in that case.

Grown adults calling their parents Mummy and Daddy is just strange.

I personally find it cringeworthy when anyone over the age of 10 calls their parents mummy and daddy, and the only adults I've ever known to do it were very posh. I'm in Glasgow and the norm is mum and dad, or maw and da