Why is mom spelled mum? – Cheap Old cars in USA

Why is mom spelled mum?

We spell “mum” M-U-M because that’s the short form of “chrysanthemum” that we use for that particular flower. It’s also a word we use to mean “silent”, as in “keep mum about this.” To us the words “mom” and “mum” have different meanings and pronunciations, so naturally they are also spelled differently.

Why do British people say Zed?

It’s thought that zee was last used in England during the late 17th century; however, usage is difficult to trace, because pronunciations for letters were not often written down. Regardless, zee made its way to the British colonies in North America.

Why do British say us instead of me?

It’s a form of avoidance, part the broader expression of politeness. Saying “you and I” rather than “me and you” is another instance of this. We avoid direct reference to ourselves as a way expressing deference. We do this also with titles and nicknames.

What is the British slang for girl?

14. Bird. A word used to describe a woman.

Why is mom spelled mum? – Related Questions

Why do the British say our before a name?

This usage is/was common in parts of England, mainly northern England as far as I’m aware. The “our” is effectively referring to ‘our family’. In the examples given from Keeping Up Appearences, the words are usually being spoken by Rose’s mother or father, and hence “our Rose” would refer to their (joint) daughter.

Why do Brits say flat?

In the United Kingdom, Australia and many other parts of the world, the word ‘flat’ is used to mean an apartment or a house. It is derived from the Scottish word ‘flet’ which means the interior of a house. In Old English, flet means house or floor. The word flat may also be linked to the “flatness” of the abode.

What do they call ice cream in England?

Ice cream. Unless you’re middle-class, in which case it’s Gelato or if you’re poor, frozen dessert with non-milk fats, from Swansea when it’s “Joe’s ’cause everything else is just ice cream”. It is just called “cold stuff taste nice”.

What do Brits call crackers?

water biscuits

What do Brits call cookies?

biscuits

What are scones called in England?

In England, scones are called ‘scones‘. The word comes from the early 16th century (originally Scots): it could also be related to the Middle Dutch schoon (broot) ‘fine (bread)’. Here is an English scone: This scone has fruit in it.

What do the British call American scones?

Biscuit

What is eggplant called in England?

Aubergine

What is a cucumber called in England?

an English cucumber is just the kind you’d buy normally in a British supermarket as ‘a cucumber‘. They differ from the ones usually sold in the US, which are shorter, thicker- and smoother-skinned, and have bigger seeds.

What do British call cucumbers?

Gherkin + Pickle = Gherkickle Gherkin to the British, Pickle to the Americans, together we get Gherkickle. Gherkins are often described as a young cucumber however they are not actually a cucumber.

What do British call biscuits and gravy?

What is squash called in England?

courgette

What are marrows in England?

A marrow is a cucurbit, which means it’s from the same family as the melon, cucumber, squash and courgette. The marrow is actually a courgette that has been left on the plant to grow a little longer; likewise, if you pick a marrow when small, it’s classed as a courgette.

What is the British word for french fries?

In the UK we have a worryingly high number of words for different types of potato foods. We call French fries just fries, and thicker-cut fries that come from a chip shop are called chips.

How do the British say car trunk?

What is the American English word for lift?

British vs American Vocabulary

British English ↕	American English ↕
lift	elevator
lorry	truck, semi, tractor
mad	crazy, insane
main road	highway