Halloween Lore and Legends

[Jeff Wrangler]

I didn't know the English word for chrysanthemum was mum!

The English word for chrysanthemum is ... chrysanthemum, but Americans often shorten it to mum, especially in conversation.  

My grandma was a great gardener, and she almost always said mum rather than chrysanthemum. 

[CellarDweller]

I didn't know the English word for chrysanthemum was mum!

Your sentence made absolutely no sense to me, Chuck! I mean, you usually don't consider a mother being an item of autumnal display.... 

Thank god for dictionaries!   

Well,  the name here is Chrysanthemum as well, but Americans seem to shorten pretty much everything, so we just call them "mums".    And because we use "mom", we'd never confuse the two.

[CellarDweller]

Oooops!  Jeff beat me to it!  LOL

[Sason]

The English word for chrysanthemum is ... chrysanthemum, but Americans often shorten it to mum, especially in conversation. 

Well,  the name here is Chrysanthemum as well, but Americans seem to shorten pretty much everything, so we just call them "mums".   

I see. Well, that makes kinda sorta sense - in a way.   

[Sason]

Here Mum is mother. We never say mom.

And because we use "mom", we'd never confuse the two.

This is a bit more puzzling. I always thought mom and mum are the same. Apparently they aren't.

What's the difference? Do they have different meaning? Or is it a geographic difference? Is the pronounciation different?

The mysteries of the English language never cease to surprise me...

[southendmd]

This is a bit more puzzling. I always thought mom and mum are the same. Apparently they aren't.

What's the difference? Do they have different meaning? Or is it a geographic difference? Is the pronounciation different?

The mysteries of the English language never cease to surprise me...

I think that Mom and Mommy have evolved to be mostly American (apparently still used in Birmingham, in the Midlands); Mum and Mummy are likely more British/Commowealth countries.

[Sason]

Ok, I see. Thanks Paul!

[southendmd]

"As a surprise, I sent my mom some mums, so mum's the word."

[Sason]

 

[CellarDweller]

This is a bit more puzzling. I always thought mom and mum are the same. Apparently they aren't.

What's the difference? Do they have different meaning? Or is it a geographic difference? Is the pronounciation different?

The mysteries of the English language never cease to surprise me...

Well, over here in the US, mom is pronounced 'mahm', while mum is pronounced 'muhm'.

Mothers are called mom or 'mommy'.

if we here 'mum' we'll think of this:



and if we hear 'mummy' we'll think of this: