# Are you aware of "Mama" as a term of respect for older women? Do you use it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 13, 2017, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-aware-of-mama-as-a-term-of-respect-for-older-women-do-you-use-it/804394 "2017-12-13T14:37:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-aware-of-mama-as-a-term-of-respect-for-older-women-do-you-use-it/804394/21 "2017-12-13T17:46:50Z")
I think “mami” is used in a flirty way, like “baby” or “girl.” “Hey, mami.” I hear it a lot in Latin pop music. Women also use it with their friends. I’ve never heard it as a term of endearment for an elder. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-aware-of-mama-as-a-term-of-respect-for-older-women-do-you-use-it/804394/22 "2017-12-13T18:00:22Z")
I (over)hear it from Hispanics, as an informal term of address. I’m sure its specific meaning will vary by regional dialectical usage, but as far as I can tell, there is no suggestion of the woman being a mother in actuality or _in potentia_. It suggests friendliness or affection. My brother-in-law-once-removed? (my wife’s sister’s husband) is Ecuadorean, and he calls both his sister (younger than him by about 8 years) and his daughter “mama” (since she was a toddler). “Mamacita” - now that term I do associate with guys making a come-on. But only as a witness and not a participant, so I could be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-aware-of-mama-as-a-term-of-respect-for-older-women-do-you-use-it/804394/23 "2017-12-13T18:09:36Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > I oft listen to Blue Collar Comedy on SiriusXM, and a guy that gets not-infrequent play is Jerry Clower, who was a comedian/motivational speaker in his day (he died in 1998 at an old age). In his bits about his wife, he always referred to her as “Mama.” Not “my wife” or “Mrs. Clower” or “Homerline” (seriously, that was her name), but “Mama.” As in, “I hired a woman to help Mama with the housekeeping when I’m away on tour, and…” > > Having been born and raised in the North (Illinois), I was not familiar with this convention. I personally would never dream of addressing a woman that way. “Ma’am,” yes, but not “Mama.” I’ve heard Mother, Mom, and Mama used by old farmers to address their wives. I think it’s pretty common rural slang over the entire west, but it’s not really what the OP is talking about. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-aware-of-mama-as-a-term-of-respect-for-older-women-do-you-use-it/804394/24 "2017-12-13T18:18:08Z")
> [@sitchensis](#): > > I’ve heard Mother, Mom, and Mama used by old farmers to address their wives. I think it’s pretty common rural slang over the entire west, but it’s not really what the OP is talking about. Yes but in the case of the comedian I mentioned, he’s not addressing her directly, but referring to her in front of a group of strangers. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-aware-of-mama-as-a-term-of-respect-for-older-women-do-you-use-it/804394/25 "2017-12-13T18:59:27Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > Yes but in the case of the comedian I mentioned, he’s not addressing her directly, but referring to her in front of a group of strangers. My guess it’s an side effect of having a lot of children. If you’re constantly referring to the woman as “Mama” to them then you’ll get used to it as a term to refer to her in general. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-aware-of-mama-as-a-term-of-respect-for-older-women-do-you-use-it/804394/26 "2017-12-13T19:06:44Z")
I have a friend who uses Mama _exclusively_ with her Filipina step mom. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-aware-of-mama-as-a-term-of-respect-for-older-women-do-you-use-it/804394/27 "2017-12-13T19:07:15Z")
It’s definitely a Hispanic/Latino practice. I hear it a lot (addressed to me) here in South Texas. I LOVE it! It strikes me as affectionate and respectful, while still being quite informal. The “Miss ThelmaLou” thing is also very big around here. But that doesn’t seem to depend on age–I hear it among and addressed to women of all ages. I also like that. I did not grow up in the south and my parents were pretty stuffy, so no affectionate diminutives in our house. Now that I am a Woman of a Certain Age, I have availed myself of the global permission ascribed to Old Texas Ladies to call anyone and everyone, “honey,” and those who don’t like it can sue or kiss my grits, whichever suits. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-aware-of-mama-as-a-term-of-respect-for-older-women-do-you-use-it/804394/28 "2017-12-13T19:24:06Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > It strikes me as affectionate and respectful, while still being quite informal. That sounds right. I’ve heard it the most from a Puerto Rican friend who addresses his mother-in-law as ‘Mama’. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-aware-of-mama-as-a-term-of-respect-for-older-women-do-you-use-it/804394/29 "2017-12-13T19:35:10Z")
No, I haven’t heard it. I’m glad that’s not pervasive where I live, in Chicago. It makes my skin crawl, if you want me to be honest about it. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-aware-of-mama-as-a-term-of-respect-for-older-women-do-you-use-it/804394/30 "2017-12-13T20:08:57Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > No, I haven’t heard it. I’m glad that’s not pervasive where I live, in Chicago. It makes my skin crawl, if you want me to be honest about it. Why does it make your skin crawl? Seem a bit much. BTW, it’s only said by women. Men do not say it (except to their own mothers, one presumes). ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-aware-of-mama-as-a-term-of-respect-for-older-women-do-you-use-it/804394/31 "2017-12-13T20:23:13Z")
I call my friends mother’s Mama (her first name) and they did the same until my Mom passed earlier this year. Now the title is my grandma’s who had been Ms. Lady before that. Likewise nearly all my kids friends call me Pop. Definitely terms of respect all around. FWIW, we’re all black Sent from my SM-T810 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-aware-of-mama-as-a-term-of-respect-for-older-women-do-you-use-it/804394/32 "2017-12-13T20:26:30Z")
> [@Stuffy](#): > > I call my friends mother’s Mama (her first name) and they did the same until my Mom passed earlier this year. Now the title is my grandma’s who had been Ms. Lady before that. Likewise nearly all my kids friends call me Pop. Definitely terms of respect all around. FWIW, we’re all black > > Sent from my SM-T810 using Tapatalk Wait, my friends have white and Latino friends who also call me Pop. Sent from my SM-T810 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![MoonMoon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonmoon/32/2959_2.png) [@MoonMoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoonMoon)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-aware-of-mama-as-a-term-of-respect-for-older-women-do-you-use-it/804394/33 "2017-12-13T20:46:20Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > It’s definitely a Hispanic/Latino practice. I hear it a lot (addressed to me) here in South Texas. I LOVE it! It strikes me as affectionate and respectful, while still being quite informal. I don’t know, I’ve been catcalled with “mami” and “mama” quite a bit by Latino men. I get the sense that respectful wasn’t exactly what they were feeling. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-aware-of-mama-as-a-term-of-respect-for-older-women-do-you-use-it/804394/34 "2017-12-13T20:52:49Z")
I have not heard “Mama” used that way. I can see how it might be similar to the Hawaiian use of “Auntie” or “Uncle” as a term of respect for unrelated older men and women. ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-aware-of-mama-as-a-term-of-respect-for-older-women-do-you-use-it/804394/35 "2017-12-13T20:54:02Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > In the South, “Mam” is a term of respect for a female of any age. > “Mama” I never heard of here. There’s no such word as “Mam.” You meant “Ma’am.” ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-aware-of-mama-as-a-term-of-respect-for-older-women-do-you-use-it/804394/36 "2017-12-13T21:08:02Z")
> [@Flyer](#): > > There’s no such word as “Mam.” You meant “Ma’am.” Thank you, Doctor Johnson. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-aware-of-mama-as-a-term-of-respect-for-older-women-do-you-use-it/804394/37 "2017-12-13T21:09:31Z")
[what does mama mean is spanish? | SpanishDict Answers](http://www.spanishdict.com/answers/133901/what-does-mama-mean-is-spanish) ,after reading this I am glad I was never called "mama " ! ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-aware-of-mama-as-a-term-of-respect-for-older-women-do-you-use-it/804394/38 "2017-12-13T21:24:06Z")
> [@MoonMoon](#): > > I don’t know, I’ve been catcalled with “mami” and “mama” quite a bit by Latino men. I get the sense that respectful wasn’t exactly what they were feeling. The usage you describe is NOT what I’m talking about. I have not experienced that-- and I’m guessing you’re right–it’s not respectful. Picture a situation where a checker or waitress hands you your change and says quickly and lightly, “Here you go, Mama. Take care.” ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-aware-of-mama-as-a-term-of-respect-for-older-women-do-you-use-it/804394/39 "2017-12-13T21:27:41Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Except for Mama Cass, I’ve never heard a native English speaking person called Mama. How about Mama June from Honey Boo Boo? Although you could question whether she speaks English. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-aware-of-mama-as-a-term-of-respect-for-older-women-do-you-use-it/804394/40 "2017-12-13T22:15:25Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Why does it make your skin crawl? Seem a bit much. BTW, it’s only said by women. Men do not say it (except to their own mothers, one presumes). Perhaps I should’ve clarified. It would make my skin crawl to be addressed in such a way because to me, Mama should only be used for one’s own mother, and I am not a mother to anyone. It’s just wrong to my ears, and would rub me the wrong way. If someone were to refer to someone else as Mama, I wouldn’t mind. But if it were used by someone on me, I would tolerate it politely a couple of times. I probably wouldn’t bother to correct a sales clerk or something like that. But say, if a co-worker started up with it, it would irk me enough to request that she not use it on me. It’s like Thelma Harper telling Mickey Hart on a Family segment on _Carol Burnett_, “Quit calling me Mother Harper. Ain’t you got a mother of your own?” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-aware-of-mama-as-a-term-of-respect-for-older-women-do-you-use-it/804394.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-aware-of-mama-as-a-term-of-respect-for-older-women-do-you-use-it/804394.md?page=3)