mom/ mother

[optimistic pessimist]

Dear all,

Is it okay for adults to use mom(mum) or dad to refer to their parents?
Do you say, "My mom/dad is sick in bed" when you're talking to your friend or boss or teacher? Or do you think you could possibly say, "My Dad was a medical doctor...." in a job interview to the interviewer?

My dictionary, edited by non-native English speakers, says mom/ dad is more informal than mother/ father and sounds childish.
Thank you!

OP

 

[BobK]

I'm not sure what you mean by 'OK'... :?: People do it ('mum' rather than 'mom' in Br Eng). It's not disrespectful at all.

(It wouldn't be normal, though, for a 40-yr-old to start doing it again after a break in early adulthood..)

b

 

[optimistic pessimist]

Dear all,

Bobk, thanks for your reply. If I'm not making myself clear, let me ask another way.

I'd like to know if mom (mom) and dad are really informal and sound childish.

If they are, I think you wouldn't say, "My mom (mum) says she wants to see you" to your boss. Instead, you would say "My mother says....".

Also, you wouldn't say, "I'd like to work as an ER doctor because my dad is also..." in a job interview. Instead, you would say, "...my father is also...".

I haven't lived in an English speaking country, so I sometimes realize I don't know very basic knowledge about English. I think the use of mom and dad is one of such things.

Thank you.

OP

 

[BobK]

:up: These two examples are good; people don't use mum/mom when speaking formally. They do use it less informally - especially in the context where it is necessrily informal (when used as a term of address: 'Mum, could you look after the children for me while I go to the interview?')

b

 

[emsr2d2]

I would use mother/father only in a very formal setting such as a job interview. At all other times, I refer to them as my mum and dad, no matter who I'm talking to. The only terms that I would say sound very childish would be "mummy and daddy", though my aunt used those terms to her parents right up until her death at the age of 49!

As BobK said, in BrE it's usually "mum" although I've recently realised that all my friends from the Midlands (Birmingham area mainly) actually use "mom", both when speaking and writing. I had previously thought that "mom" was only used in AmE. There are also other parts of the UK where "mam" is used.