LINGUIST List 2.375

Wednesday, 31 July 1991

Disc: Kinship (Mama and Papa)

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Directory

1. David Powers, Re: A query regarding Mama and Dada
2. , Papa, mama
3. , Re: Queries

The Solomon Island language Maringi has Mama = Father. I forget the
word for mother, but I am pretty sure it starts with P or F.
(In August I'll be back in Sydney where I might be able to lay hands on
my analysis of the language.)
David Powers

In the Western Desert group of Australian Pama-Nyungan languages
"mama" is the typical term for "father". "Papa" means 'dog' in some
of these dialects.
In many Pama-Nyungan languages, "ngama" or some reflex of it has the
following range of meanings (not all attested in all languages):
mother, woman, female, mature female (having given birth), applied to
both human and non-human beings.
In Warlpiri, terms for 'father' such as "kirda" or "warriwarri" can
also refer to male genitalia.
Mary Laughren

 RE: About mama for calling father
 I know that both Tibetan and Manchuria people call their father 'a ma'
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