papa’
Sense 1
English: Definition
To eat; used when speaking to or imitating a baby or very young child.
Part of Speech
verb
Sense 2
English: Definition
Food; something offered to a baby or young child to eat.
Part of Speech
noun
Notes
Short gloss:
Eat; food—baby talk
Usage:
An infant-directed or nursery word conventionally used between caregivers and young children. It may function either as an invitation to eat or as the child’s word for food.
Ethnolinguistic note:
The reduplicated syllable pa-pa uses the bilabial consonant /p/, produced by closing and releasing the lips. Its form is well suited to early speech and is associated with the child’s experience of receiving and eating food.
Contrast:
Do not confuse papa’ ‘eat; food’ with Papa ‘Daddy.’ The final okina distinguishes the two words.
Related words:
mamam; mimi; ka’en; Papa
Semantic domains:
Child language; eating and drinking; food; stages of life