the use of possesive noun mi among family members and acquaintances

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Stodgord

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the use of possesive pronoun 'mi' among family members and acquaintances

I have noticed that in many Central American countries and Mexico, they use the possesive noun 'mi' amongst siblings, other family members and acquaintances where in the DR it is not use the same way. For example if I ask my brother (who shares the same mother) "where is mom?" ,

in DR I would say "donde esta mam? (mami)" but in central america and mexico

I would say "donde esta mi mam? (mami)"

I have always wondered which is the correct way.
 
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Marianopolita

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Nunca lo he escuchado...

Stodgord,

What's the basis for your statement that in Mexico and Central America a speaker would say: '?d?nde est? mi mam??' (two siblings referring to the same parent) other than the few examples of usage that you have heard? Central Amercia has six Spanish speaking countries and are you saying for sure this form is common in all six? This seems very much like a colloquial register and certainly not a standard.

I personally have never heard 'mi mam?' used between two siblings instead of simply 'mam?'. My Salvadorean, Nicaraguan and Panamanian friends certainly could not be used as examples since they do not use a possessive form with siblings when referring to another family member or their parents.


LDG.
 

Marianopolita

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Otra cosa....

Stodgord,

In your heading you indicated that 'mi' is a possessive pronoun. That's incorrect it's a possessive adjective.

Mi mam?= mi (as an adj. describes/ defines the noun 'mam?').


LDG.

Stodgord said:
I have noticed that in many Central American countries and Mexico, they use the possesive noun 'mi' amongst siblings, other family members and acquaintances where in the DR it is not use the same way. For example if I ask my brother (who shares the same mother) "where is mom?" ,

in DR I would say "donde esta mam? (mami)" but in central america and mexico

I would say "donde esta mi mam? (mami)"

I have always wondered which is the correct way.
 

Mirador

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aye, aye, mi lady!

Lesley D said:
Stodgord,
I personally have never heard 'mi mam?' used between two siblings instead of simply 'mam?'. My Salvadorean, Nicaraguan and Panamanian friends certainly could not be used as examples since they do not use a possessive form with siblings when referring to another family member or their parents. LDG.

It would sound quite natural if the siblings were half-brothers through the father.
 

Marianopolita

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Mirador,

Okay I went back and read the OP's post and he stated they have the same mother....so we are back to square one. Your point is valid but that's not the scenario Stodgord referred to specifically.


LDG.



Mirador said:
It would sound quite natural if the siblings were half-brothers through the father.
 
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Stodgord

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Lesley D said:
Stodgord,

What's the basis for your statement that in Mexico and Central America a speaker would say: '?d?nde est? mi mam??' (two siblings referring to the same parent) other than the few examples of usage that you have heard? Central Amercia has six Spanish speaking countries and are you saying for sure this form is common in all six? This seems very much like a colloquial register and certainly not a standard.

I personally have never heard 'mi mam?' used between two siblings instead of simply 'mam?'. My Salvadorean, Nicaraguan and Panamanian friends certainly could not be used as examples since they do not use a possessive form with siblings when referring to another family member or their parents.


LDG.

Lesley,

Maybe not in all of Central America countries but I have heard it from Salvadoreans, Mexicans and probably Guatemaleans. Perhaps, I was wrong for saying Central America. Watch Mexican TV programs (i.e Novelas) and you will see that common sibling characters use this. In my adolescent years I had Salvadorean (from the San Miguel area) friends and in conversation among themselves I would hear them saying "mi mam? no est?", "no has visto a mi mam?", "mi mam? esto is lo otro", I used to tease them by saying do you have different mothers, or is your mom not her mom. Also, I have noticed that Salvadoreans, use the article "la" when referring to a female (ie. la Carla, la Claudia...etc....)

It is just an observation that had me thinking.
 

Stodgord

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Nov 19, 2004
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Lesley D said:
Stodgord,

In your heading you indicated that 'mi' is a possessive pronoun. That's incorrect it's a possessive adjective.

Mi mam?= mi (as an adj. describes/ defines the noun 'mam?').


LDG.


Sorry, for using the incorrect name and thank you for providing the correct name.
 

dropitlikeithot

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Stodgord said:
Sorry, for using the incorrect name and thank you for providing the correct name.


correct way would be "mi mama" but if you're just talking among family
or among friends and not need be correct then just "donde esta mama"
 

dropitlikeithot

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Stodgord said:
Lesley,

Maybe not in all of Central America countries but I have heard it from Salvadoreans, Mexicans and probably Guatemaleans. Perhaps, I was wrong for saying Central America. Watch Mexican TV programs (i.e Novelas) and you will see that common sibling characters use this. In my adolescent years I had Salvadorean (from the San Miguel area) friends and in conversation among themselves I would hear them saying "mi mam? no est?", "no has visto a mi mam?", "mi mam? esto is lo otro", I used to tease them by saying do you have different mothers, or is your mom not her mom. Also, I have noticed that Salvadoreans, use the article "la" when referring to a female (ie. la Carla, la Claudia...etc....)

It is just an observation that had me thinking.


"la claudia", "la carla", or "esa carla",, is slang for "that carla" among friends.

using "mi" is just saying the correct way... instead of making the sentence shorter... not saying other races do not use correct way... it's just some countries are just to making phrases shorter.... instead of saying "voy para la casa" some people say "voy pa la casa"
 

Mirador

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dropitlikeithot said:
correct way would be "mi mama" but if you're just talking among family
or among friends and not need be correct then just "donde esta mama"


it is a custom in the DR, although loosing ground in modern urban society, that at the death of the mother, the oldest sister is considered 'mother' for all living siblings, including older brothers. So the oldest sister becomes 'mam?', and all siblings are obligated to play homage in terms of greetings such as: 'Bendici?n, mam?'. Now the sister is referred to as 'Mam? Juana', or 'Mam? Ting?', or 'Mam? Mamb?' (my own great grandmother), or whatever.
 

mountainfrog

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Stodgord said:
in DR I would say "donde esta mam? (mami)" but in central america and mexico

I would say "donde esta mi mam? (mami)"

I have always wondered which is the correct way.

I have given up worrying what's the correct way of saying things.
To me it seems that the shorter version wins.
Whatever that may be: swallowing endings of words, dropping words altogether, exchanging questions for turning up one's nose ....
What a language!
 

Marianopolita

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Dec 26, 2003
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Gracias...

Stodgord,

Please no need to apologize for using an incorrect grammatical term. Estamos aqu? para aprender (juntos).

Regarding 'la xxxx' I too find it's very common among Salvadoreans. Therefore, I agree with you there 100%. Now in terms of the theory behind the usage of 'mi mam?' and 'mam?' among siblings when referring to same parent I think I understand the usage after your explanation. This is an example of speech that's not easy to justify readily because there is no grammar implication. However, I will make a mental note until I actually hear it used by someone. Unfortunately, I don't watch telenovelas.

LDG.


Stodgord said:
Sorry, for using the incorrect name and thank you for providing the correct name.
 
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mofi

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Ok maybe i am way out of line, but when i am irritated with my brother, I will say where is my mother in english or ask my mom, where is your son who is my brother......not because he isn't my brother or my mom, not that we don't share the same mom, but because I am irritated with the situation at hand.
 

Morena76

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Ditto

mofi said:
when i am irritated with my brother, I will say where is my mother

I'm American and most of my family speaks only English, but it's funny that we do the same thing. My mom doesn't know how to check the voicemail on her cell phone, so we sometimes have a hard time tracking her down. I know it's been 'one of those days' if one of my sisters asks, "have you heard from your mother today???" etc.
 

andrea9k

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mi mama me mima

I am peruvian, mother language spanish. Since I remember, we have always referred to our mother as MY mother. When I wanted to pick on my siblings, after hearing 'my' mother from one of them I would say, hey, she is my mother too! and received a 'didn't I tell you you are adopted?' :cross-eye

Poor mom had to deal with 5 kids having fights with 'she is my mother', NO, she is MINE! MINE!!! mamaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!

I always thought it as, she is MY mother, no matter if she is the mother of the rest of the world... same goes for my father... he is mine, mine, MINE!

Jess (smiling at great memories)
 
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