Quick links
mosum
< Cree ᑭᒧᓲᒼ 'your grandfather' or ᓂᒧᓲᒼ 'my grandfather'
DCHP-3 (Mar 2024)
Spelling variants:mushum, musum, moshum, moshom
See the entry kokum for more context of the borrowing process into Canadian English.
n. — Indigenous
grandfather.
Type: 1. Origin — The Cree term mosum or moshum has been borrowed into Canadian English from Cree ᑭᒧᓲᒼ kimosôm 'your grandfather' or ᓂᒧᓲᒼ nimosôm 'my grandfather' (Online Cree Dictionary). Charts 1-3 show the overwhelming use of the term (major spelling variants) in Canadian English.
Mosum and its spelling variants mushum, musum, moshum, and moshom are currently not listed in COD-2, OED-3, ITP Nelson, Gage-5, FWSCD-82, EDD, CCD-2010, DARE, Merriam-Webster Unabridged, W-2 or W-3.
Mosum and its spelling variants mushum, musum, moshum, and moshom are currently not listed in COD-2, OED-3, ITP Nelson, Gage-5, FWSCD-82, EDD, CCD-2010, DARE, Merriam-Webster Unabridged, W-2 or W-3.
See: kokum
The frequency charts below are affected by some noise with misrecognition of "museum" for mushum, which explains some of the occurrences in non-Canadian domains.
Quotations
1991
Dayna is the first prize winner in an event sponsored by the Metis Women's Council of Edmonton. The group ran a contest to celebrate senior citizen's week in which they asked children to write a poem or story about why their grandfather or grandmother (moshom or kohkom in Cree) was the best in the world.
1993
We went to visit as many people as we could ourselves, as well as going to Mushum's (my granddad). He was very much the head of the family. His grown sons always did his bidding and, although he was an old man, he ran the ranch.
2000
There is something, however, about the public acknowledgment of the wrong done to natives that sits right with Nelson. It has been a quiet and lonely journey for students of the Edmonton Indian Residential School and Nelson would like their silence to end.
That's part of the reason he was sorry the school burned down. He would like to have taken his great-grandchildren there and pointed, saying, "Look, here is where your mushum (Cree for grandfather) went to school." So they would know.
That's part of the reason he was sorry the school burned down. He would like to have taken his great-grandchildren there and pointed, saying, "Look, here is where your mushum (Cree for grandfather) went to school." So they would know.
2006
One boy is with his mom; another with his grandfather. The moshom (grandfather) says a few words to the judge, but his English is difficult to understand. He confirms his grandson will follow his probation. Some of these kids have been released from the Manitoba Youth Centre.
2011
Last week I got a lot of emails about April Hornbrook. Many people wanted to share what they remembered about the 24-year-old woman who was slain a few weeks ago. I also spoke to her moshom (grandpa) who lives down the street from me.
2018
Fox attended a culture camp one year with her eldest daughter, she became close with ‘Kokum Mary-Lee and Mosum Danny’. The teachings they brought to the culture camp stuck with Fox that she teaches her daughters and practises.
2020
Mr. Brittain said he learned how to be on land from his moshum, or grandfather, who hunted and trapped for more than five decades of his life. He’s since been able to help teach his nephews. “It gives me great honour and it builds my spirit with so much joy and happiness to see my people not suffering or not going without.”
2023
"I think mosum is walking with us, too." If kokum was surprised to hear this, she didn't show it.
References
- Online Cree Dictionary
- COD-2
- OED-3
- Gage-5
- EDD
- ITP Nelson
- W-2
- W-3
- FWSCD-82
- CCD-2010
- DARE
- Merriam-Webster Unabridged
Images
Chart 1: Internet Domain Search, 2 May 2024
Chart 2: Internet Domain Search, 6 May 2024
