this post was submitted on 08 Aug 2026
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[–] zikzak025@lemmy.world 100 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Can't remember where I heard this, but I believe the terms themselves evolved around common infant mouth sounds. Hence why so many languages use the term "mama" for mother.

The baby makes random sounds, meaning is ascribed to them by the parents, the baby is given positive feedback and starts to make those sounds more frequently, and then the meaning eventually sticks for the child once they actually begin developing language.

[–] TheMinions@lemmy.dbzer0.com 29 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

This is what I’ve heard as well. Ba/~~Da~~/Ma/Pa are the first sounds we interpret as “words” coming from babies.

[–] rmuk@feddit.uk 49 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

My first words were "boba" and "kiki" but my parents were both abstract two-dimensional shapes so that might have affected things.

[–] gooballer@lemmy.today 3 points 1 week ago (2 children)

not Da as that is not bilabial

[–] JasonDJ@lemmy.zip 7 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

What about dad's labia?

[–] naeap@sopuli.xyz 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (3 children)

Is Ma?

According to (German) Wikipedia M is not part of the list of bilabial sounds

Edit: I'm told, I'm just blind, so forget it o⁠:⁠-⁠)

[–] athatet@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

If you can make an ‘m’ sound with only one lip I would certainly like to hear it.

[–] naeap@sopuli.xyz 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

I was thinking the same

But I've never heard that word before and just looked it up in Wikipedia. And there they state to list all of them, but I didn't see an 'm' - which I would put in as well, if I understood the definition correctly

That's my point, I'm not sure, if I miss something here or the article just isn't correct/complete

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilabial

Edit: seems, I'm just blind

[–] wieson@feddit.org 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] naeap@sopuli.xyz 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Ah, sorry, war blind o⁠:⁠-⁠)

Danke!

[–] gooballer@lemmy.today 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

how is M not a bilabial sound!?

a bilabial consanant is one made with only your lips.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiced_bilabial_nasal

[–] naeap@sopuli.xyz 1 points 1 week ago

Args, actually wanted to comment here

https://sopuli.xyz/comment/25031727