Expert: Maria - 2/8/2011

Question
Hello,
I was wondering if you knew of any terms of endearment they used in Latin to say "Love, Mom"?

I was also wondering if there is a phrase similar to 'my dears' as in "Come here, my dears" when referring to children. I have a boy and a girl.

And lastly, are there terms of endearment that a mother uses to address just a daughter and just a son? Ex) my darling daughter, my little girl, my little one; my little boy, my son...

Thank you so much for your help!!!
Cassi

Answer
Hello,

Here are Latin Terms of Endearment you asked me:

-“Carissimi” ('My dears' )
-“Huc venite, carissimi” ("Come here, my dears" when referring to children)
-“Filia mea carissima” ( “My darling daughter”)
-“Parvula mea puella” (“My little girl”/  my little one”)
-“Parvule mi puer” (“My little boy”)
-“Fili mi” (“My son”)

Note that all the above translations are in the vocative case which is the  grammatical case  used in Latin to indicate the person being addressed.

As for “Love, Mom”, it can be translated as “Summo cum amore, Mamma”, though in classical Latin this phrase would be “Mater tibi plurimam impertit salutem”(literally, “Mom salutes you heartily “).

Note that the Latin term MAMMA (nominative, 1st.declension) is used for MATER (mother) in the language of children.

All the best,
Maria