Well, Who Knew??

[JennyIrish]

Everyday's a schoolday on Twitter and today I found out that some perpetually offended Americans have taken offence to the word 'Mammy'.

Took me a while to find out why but according to Wikipedia, this seems to be the problem:

" A mammy is a U.S. historical stereotype depicting black women who work in a white family and nurse the family's children.[2] The fictionalized mammy character is often visualized as a fat, dark-skinned woman with a motherly personality. The origin of the mammy figure stereotype is rooted in the history of slavery in the United States, as black slave women were often tasked with domestic and childcare work in white American slaveholding households. The mammy caricature was used to create a narrative of black women being happy within slavery or within a role of servitude. The mammy stereotype associates black women with domestic roles and it has been argued that it, combined with segregation and discrimination, limited job opportunities for black women during the Jim Crow era, approximately 1877 to 1966.[3]"

Who knew? And I guess these particular offended Americans can't fathom that there are other cultural connotations with certain words and the U.S,A. Is not the centre of the universe!

I need to update Wikipedia!! I'm thinking something like:

"A Mammy is an Irish stereotype depicting a loving woman who will light candles for you or feed you with pots of stew but woe betide you should you cross her. She is likely found in her natural habitat on the landing checking that the immersion is off, sweeping the slates on the roof, looking out to window to see who's "after passing down the road" or on the couch checking "RIP.IE" for the 42nd time that day.

She is most like to be heard saying "if you make a show of me at mass there"ll be wigs on the green", "did ya hear who's dead" or "if you dont stop whinging I'll give ya something to whinge about"

Taken from the Irish "A Mhamaí" which sounds like "Wom -my" it is also used in Wales and part of England.
Dont mention the wooden spoon or the first aid kit of flat 7up, lucozade and supocream

Have I left anything out?!?!?!