Interesting article...

[conuly]

"There is only one explanation for the consistent meaning of the word 'papa': a common ancestry," Bancel says. He presented the findings at the Origins of Language and Psychosis conference in Oxford, UK, in July 2004

Except... that's not true. Words like papa could have a consistent meaning because they're very easy for young children to say. And of course, whatever the kid says first is going to get tacked on to one or the other of the parents. They want their kids to be saying "mama" and "papa", even if the kid is really just practicing going "mamamamamamamammmmmm".

Comments

[velvetchamber.livejournal.com]

Then in some places father would be represented by "mamma" and mother by "pabbi."

[conuly]

Exactly.

[prezzey.livejournal.com]

As in Georgian.