3 ms·
They stay "Mum"? Boy that sounds odd to a British resident.
by dom96 9y ago
They stay "Mum"? Boy that sounds odd to a British resident.
- petepete 9y agoNot to this one, mum means to stay silent (mum as in 'mmm', not your mother). Even Shakespeare used it in Henry VI > Seal up your lips and give no words but mum
- jacobolus 9y ago'mum' meaning silent dates from the 15th century. 'mum' meaning 'mother' (in England) dates from the 17th century. Various English posters and signs in WWII warned readers to 'be like dad – keep mum'. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/INF3-243_Anti-rumour_and_careless_talk_Be_like_dad_-_keep_Mum_Artist_Alexander.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/INF3-243... https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/be-like-dad-keep-mum-c-1940s-propaganda-sign-encouraging-news-photo/102731046 https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/be-like-dad-ke...
- a_e_k 9y agoYep. And of course "Mum's the word!" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mum%27s_the_word https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mum%27s_the_word Though in terms of Shakespeare, my favorite bit on keeping quiet is actually Iago's last line: "Demand me nothing: what you know, you know: From this time forth I never will speak word." My wife and I tend to quote it around Christmas and birthdays. :-)