May theme: Kinship Terms 👨‍👩‍👧‍👧

Teaser

mother, material, Manchester, mammal

Full Text

• Proto-World? *ma

  • Bantu *mààmá mother

    • Swahili mama mother
    • Zulu úm̤áma my mother
  • Basque ama mother, origin
  • Mon-Khmer *meeʔ mother

    • Khmer ម៉ែ mae mother
    • Vietnamese mẹ mother
  • Old Japanese 母 omo mother

    • Japanese 母 / あも amo mother (archaic)
  • Nilo-Saharan

    • Luwo mama mother
  • Quechua mama mother

    • Quechua Pacha Mama Earth Mother
  • Sumerian 𒂼 AMA mother
  • Dené–Yeniseian

    • Yeniseian *ʔama

      • Ket ам am mother
      • Pumpokol am mother
    • Na-Dené

      • Athabaskan

        • Northern Athabaskan

          • Dené Dháh amá my mother
          • Tlicho ama
        • Southern Athabaskan

          • Navajo -má mother
  • Dravidian *amma mother

    • Northern Dravidian

      • Brahui امّا ammā mother
    • Southern Dravidian

      • Tamil அம்மா ammā mother
    • South-Central Dravidian

      • Telugu అమ్మ amma mother, lady
  • Afro-Asiatic *ʔam

    • Egyptian 𓅐𓏏𓁐 mwt mother

      • Demotic Egyptian mwt

        • Coptic ⲙⲁⲁⲩ maau mother
    • Chadic

      • Hausa mààmáá breast
    • Semitic *ʾimm- mother

      • East Semitic

        • Akkadian 𒂼 ummu mother
      • Central Semitic

        • Arabic أم ʾumm mother, origin, source

          • Maltese omm mother
        • Northwest Semitic

          • Aramaic 𐡀𐡌𐡀 ʾmʾ mother

            • Koine Greek ἀμμά amma mother (religious), female clergy, female saint

              • Coptic ⲁⲙⲁ ama mother (religious), female clergy, female saint
            • Hebrew אמא ímma mother
          • Canaanite

            • Phoenician 𐤀𐤌 ʾm mother
            • Hebrew אם (ʾ)em mother
          • Ugaritic 𐎜𐎎 ủm mother
      • South Semitic

        • Ethiopic

          • Geʿez እም ʾəmm mother
        • Old South Arabian

          • Sabaean 𐩱𐩣 ʾm mother
    • Tamazight *ʔamm

      • Central Atlas Tamazight ⵎⵎⴰ mma mother
  • Sino-Austronesian

    • Austronesian

      • Malayo-Polynesian *əma mother

        • Chamic

          • Aceh ma mother
        • Malayo-Polynesian *əma-ʔ mother

          • Chamic

            • Aceh mak mother
          • Malayic

            • Malay emak mother
    • Sino-Tibetan *mow mother, woman

      • Sintic

        • Old Chinese 母 *məʔ mother

          • Middle Chinese 母 məuˣ mother

            • Mandarin 母 mǔ mother
            • Vietnamese mẫu mother
            • Middle Chinese 母親 məuˣ tsʰiɪn mother (formal), dear mother

              • Mandarin 母親 mǔqīn mother (formal)
          • Min

            • Hokkien 母 bú mother
        • Old Chinese *maːʔ mom, mama

          • Middle Chinese 媽 muoˣ mom

            • Mandarin 媽 mā mom
      • Tibeto-Burman

        • Bodish

          • Tibetan མོ mo female, she, feminine suffix
        • Lolo-Burmese

          • Burmese အမယ် a.mai woman, mother
          • Burmese အမေ a.me mother, mom
    • Tai *meːᴮ mother

      • Northern Tai

        • Zhuang meh mother, woman
      • Southwestern Tai

        • Thai แม่ mɛ̂ɛ mother
        • Lao ແມ່ mǣ mother
  • Early Proto-Indo-European *méh₂-

    • Early Proto-Indo-European *méh₂ters ^[1]

      • Greco-Armenian

        • Old Armenian մայր mayr mother

          • Armenian մեր mer mother
          • Armenian մայր mayr mother reborrowing
        • Hellenic *mā́tēr

          • Mycenaean Greek 𐀔𐀳𐀩 ma-te-re mother
          • Classical Greek μήτηρ mḗtēr mother, source, origin

            • Greek μητέρα mitéra
            • Classical Greek μητρόπολις mētrópolis mother-country, home, capital city

              • Greek μητρόπολη mitrópoli capital city, metropolis, cathedral
              • Latin mētropolis

                • English metropolis
        • Greco-Armenian *meh₂truih₂- stepmother

          • Old Armenian մօրու mōru stepmother

            • Armenian մորու moru stepmother
          • Hellenic

            • Classical Greek

              • Greek μητριά mitriá stepmother
      • Proto-Indo-European *méh₂tēr mother ^[1]

        • Balto-Slavic *māˀtē ^[1]

          • Baltic

            • East Baltic

              • Lithuanian mótė mother
            • West Baltic

              • Old Prussian mothe mother
          • Slavic *màti

            • East Slavic

              • Russian мать matʹ mother
            • South Slavic

              • Serbo-Croatian мати / mati mother
            • West Slavic

              • Polish mać archaic

                • Polish matka mother
        • Celtic *mātīr

          • Brythonic

            • Old Welsh *modri mother

              • Old Welsh *modribydaf queen bee lit. "mother of beehive"

                • Welsh modrydaf queen bee
          • Celtiberian matrubos to (the) mothers ^[2]
          • Gaulish matīr mother
          • Old Irish máthir mother

            • Middle Irish

              • Irish máthair mother
              • Manx moir mother
              • Scottish Gaelic màthair mother
        • Germanic *mōdēr

          • North Germanic

            • Old Norse móðir mother

              • Old East Norse

                • Danish moder / mor mother
              • Old West Norse

                • Icelandic móðir mother
          • West Germanic *mōder mother

            • West Germanic *bijamōder bee-mother, queen bee

              • Old English bēomōdor bee-mother, queen bee
              • Old High German bīmuoter bee-mother, queen bee
            • Old English mōdor mother

              • Middle English moder

                • English mother
                • Scots mither mother
                • Yola moodher mother
            • Frankish *mōder mother

              • Middle Dutch moeder mother

                • Dutch moeder / moer mother
            • Old High German muoter mother

              • Middle High German muoter

                • German Mutter mother
                • Yiddish מוטער muter mother
            • Old Saxon mōdar mother

              • Middle Low German moder

                • Low German Moder mother
        • Indo-Iranian *máHtar mother

          • Indo-Aryan

            • Sanskrit 𑀫𑀸𑀢𑀸 माता mātā́ mother

              • Magadhi

                • Bengali মা ma mother
              • Maharashtri

                • Marathi माता mātā mother
              • Sauraseni 𑀫𑀸𑀤𑀸 mādā mother

                • Hindustani

                  • Hindi माँ mā̃ mother
                • Punjabi ਮਾਂ mā̃ mother
              • Pali mātā

                • Thai มารดา maan-daa mother (formal)
              • Telugu మాత māta mother
          • Iranian

            • Avestan 𐬨𐬁𐬙𐬀𐬭 mātar mother
            • Pashto مور mor mother
            • Scythian

              • Alanian

                • Ossetian мад mad mother
            • Western Iranian

              • Northwestern Iranian

                • Kurdish mak mother
              • Old Persian 𐎶𐎠𐎫𐎠 m-a-t-a mother

                • Middle Persian

                  • Persian مادر mādar mother
        • Italic *mātēr mother

          • Latin māter mother

            • Central Romance

              • Italian madre mother
            • Western Romance

              • Old French medre / mere mother

                • Middle French mere mother

                  • French mère mother
              • Spanish madre mother

                • Tagalog madre nun
            • Latin alma māter mother goddess, Virgin Mary lit. "nourishing mother"

              • Latin Alma Māter Studiōrum Nurturing Mother of Studies motto of University of Bologna, est. 1088 ^[3]

                • English alma mater
            • Latin māternus maternal

              • Central Romance

                • Italian materno maternal
              • Eastern Romance

                • Romanian matern maternal
              • Western Romance

                • Spanish materno maternal
              • Latin māternālis maternal

                • Middle French

                  • French maternel maternal
                  • Middle English

                    • English maternal maternal
            • Latin mātrīx womb, dam, origin, list, register

              • Latin mātrīcālis of or from a womb, newly invented

                • Central Romance

                  • Italian madrigale madrigal

                    • English madrigal
              • Latin mātrīcula register, list

                • Albanian ndrikull godmother
                • French matricule serial number
                • Italian matricola register, freshman
                • Spanish matrícula license plate, matriculation
                • Latin mātrīculāre to register

                  • English matriculate
        • Paleo-Balkan

          • Messapian *matura?

            • Messapian ΔΑΜΑΤΟΡΑ Damatura Earth Mother

              • Classical Greek Δημήτηρ Dēmḗtēr Divinity of the Fertility of the Earth and Harvest

                • English Demeter
          • Phrygian ΜΑΤΑΡ matar mother

            • Phrygian Matar Kubileya Mother Cybele, Mother of the Mountain?

              • Classical Greek Κυβελη / Κυβηβη / Κυβελις Kubelē Kubēbē Kubelis

                • Latin Cybelē

                  • English Cybele
        • Tocharian *mācer

          • Arshian mācar mother
          • Kushean mācer mother
        • Proto-Indo-European *méh₂treh₂ mother's sister, maternal aunt

          • Albanian motër sister
          • Celtic *mātrikʷā maternal aunt

            • Brythonic *mọdreb

              • Welsh modryb aunt
          • Germanic *mōdrijǭ mother's sister, maternal aunt

            • West Germanic *mōdrijā

              • Old English mōdriġe maternal aunt
              • Old High German muotera maternal aunt
        • Proto-Indo-European *meh₂terieh₁- source, material, timber that is, the "mother" of a finished product

          • Old Armenian մայր mayr cedar, pine, timber

            • Armenian մայր mayr cedar
            • Old Armenian մայրի mayri woods, forest, thicket

              • Armenian մերի meri woods, forest
          • Italic

            • Latin māteria matter, material, component stuff, timber, source

              • Central Romance

                • Italian matera material archaic
              • Western Romance

                • Portuguese madeira wood, timber

                  • Portuguese Madeira place name: Timber

                    • English Madeira

                      • English madeira ^[4]
                • Spanish madera wood, board, makings
              • Old French matiere

                • Middle French

                  • French matière material, matter, content
                • Middle English matier / matere / mater

                  • English matter
              • Italian materia matter, material, substance, subject
              • Spanish materia matter, subject
              • Latin māteriālis material

                • English material
                • Russian материал material material, stuff, fabric

                  • Russian компромат kompromat compromising or discrediting evidence, dirt

                    • English kompromat
    • Early Proto-Indo-European *méh₂-méh₂- mama

      • Proto-Indo-European *méh₂méh₂

        • Albanian mëmë mother
        • Old Armenian

          • Armenian մամա mama mom
        • Balto-Slavic

          • Baltic

            • East Baltic

              • Lithuanian mama mom
          • Slavic

            • East Slavic

              • Russian мама mama mom
            • South Slavic

              • Serbo-Croatian мама / mama mom
            • West Slavic

              • Polish mama mom
        • Celtic *mammā

          • Brythonic *mamm mom

            • Welsh mam mom
            • Brythonic *Mamkeos? breast-like (hill)?

              • Brythonic *Mamkenion? place/city of breast-like hill, Manchester

                • Welsh Manceinion Manchester
                • Latin Mamucium / Mancunio Manchester

                  • Old English Mameċeaster

                    • Middle English

                      • English Manchester
                • Old English Mameċeaster

                  • Middle English

                    • English Manchester
          • Old Irish muimme foster mother, wet nurse, patroness

            • Middle Irish

              • Irish muime / buime nurse, foster mother
              • Manx mimmey godmother, foster mother
              • Scottish Gaelic muime nurse, stepmother, foster mother, godmother, midwife
          • Old Irish

            • Irish mam mom
        • Germanic *mōmǭ mother, aunt

          • North Germanic

            • Old Norse

              • Icelandic mamma mom
          • West Germanic *mōmā

            • Old English *mōme

              • Middle English mome

                • English mama
                • English mom
                • English mum
                • Scots mam
            • Old High German

              • Middle High German

                • German Mama mom
        • Hellenic

          • Classical Greek μάμμη mámmē mama, mother's breast

            • Greek μαμά máma
            • Greek μάνα mána
            • Latin mamma mama, breast

              • English mammogram
              • Central Romance

                • Italian mamma mom
              • Eastern Romance

                • Romanian mamă mom
              • Western Romance

                • French maman mom
              • Latin mammalis relating to breasts or nursing

                • Translingual Mammalia taxonomic class of the mammals

                  • English mammal
        • Indo-Iranian

          • Indo-Aryan

            • Sanskrit 𑀅𑀫𑁆𑀩𑀸 अम्बा ambā́

              • Elu

                • Sinhala අම්මා ammā mother
              • Sauraseni 𑀅𑀁𑀫𑀸 aṃmā

                • Hindustani

                  • Hindi अम्मा ammā mom
          • Iranian

            • Scythian

              • Alanian

                • Ossetian мамӕ mamæ
            • Western Iranian

              • Old Persian

                • Middle Persian

                  • Persian ممه mame breast
        • Tocharian

          • Kushean ammakki
    • Early Proto-Indo-European *méh₂ih₂?

      • Hellenic

        • Classical Greek μαῖα maîa midwife, foster mother, nurse, good mother, lady

          • Classical Greek Μαῖα Maîa

            • Latin Maia name or epithet of a goddess

              • Latin mēnsis maius / mēnsis Maius / maius / Maius of Maia, the month of Maia, May

                • Western Romance

                  • Old French mays / mai May

                    • Middle French May

                      • French mai

                        • English may
                    • Middle English May / Mai

                      • English May

                        • English MerMay
                • Brythonic *mae? May

                  • Breton Mae May
                  • Cornish Me May
                  • Welsh Mai May
                  • Brythonic *Gwalx-mae? personal name: May-Hawk?

                    • Old Breton

                      • Breton Gwalc'hmoei
                      • Old French Gauvain / Galvain

                        • Middle French

                          • French Gauvain
                        • Middle English Gawayne

                          • English Gawain
                        • Middle Dutch Walewein
                        • Old West Norse Valven
                      • Middle Dutch Walewein
                      • Italian Galvagino
                    • Old Welsh

                      • Welsh Gwalchmai

                        • Welsh Gwalchmei ap Gwyar
            • English Maia

Visual

Collected English words

Cybele, Demeter, MerMay, may, May, metropolis, mother, alma mater, maternal, madrigal, matriculate, Madeira, madeira, matter, material, kompromat, Manchester, mama, mom, mum, Mammalia, mammal, Maia, Gawain, mammogram

Footnotes

1. ^

   Greek and Armenian forms require a different reconstruction than most other branches, notably a different stress pattern. Since the other form is analogous to the words for "father" and "daughter", the guess is that Greco-Armenian retains the older form, and in other dialects *méh₂ters changed to *méh₂tēr under the influence of *ph₂tḗr ("father"), *dʰugh₂tḗr ("daughter"), and *bʰréh₂tēr ("brother"). *ph₂tḗr and *dʰugh₂tḗr in turn had their inflection paradigm influenced by the paradigm used by *méh₂ters and *bʰréh₂tēr.

   The Balto-Slavic is actually ambiguous and could be derived from either *méh₂ters or *méh₂tēr. But Balto-Slavic has fewer shared derived characteristics with Greek and Armenian than it does with almost any other branch of IE, so I'm defaulting it to *méh₂tēr.

   The Anatolian reflex would be be greatly illuminating. Unfortunately, the only attested Anatolian word for "mother" seems to be *Honno.

2. ^

   The Celtiberian word for "mother" is only attested in the dative plural, because most Celtiberian inscriptions are on objects recording the history of a gift, either to a person, or as a votive offering to a divinity. In this case, matrubos is usually in reference to the Divine Mothers. For example Matribus Termegiste (VSLM) "to the Three Great(est) Mothers (this vow has been willingly and properly fulfilled)" (Latinized Celtiberian in Spain, Celtic Triple Goddess).

   Confer the Gaulish word for "sister" only attested in the dative dual.

3. ^

   The English usage of alma mater to mean the school one graduated from is derived from the motto of the University of Bologna: Alma Māter Studiōrum. University of Bologna has been in continuous operation (since 1088), and is the institution for which the word university (or rather ūniversitās) was coined. Alumni of Bologna include Copernicus, Petrarch, and Paracelsus. (alumnus is related to alma, and means "the one who is nourished, foster child, student".)

4. ^

   madeira: "The wine from the island with all the stuff". Compare canary: "The birds from the island with all the dogs", from another archipelago in the vicinity.