random korean word origin yay
an anon asked why ajummas are called ajummas, so here it goes.
you guys know what 아줌마 (Ajumma) is, right? that’s like Mrs. or “Madame.” Well alright, now ill tell you how that word came to be.
앗 (At) means “new,” or “small.” This is the same principle that forms the word 아침 (Ah-Chim, “Morning”) — adding 앗 (At, “New”) and 참 (Cham, “Time”) created “앗참” (At-Cham, “New Time”) which evolved into “아침.”
어머니 means “mother.” 어머니 itself originated from the first word babies are believed to babble—엄마 (Umma, “mom”)—added to 이 (ee, [indicator of a person]), which forms 엄마이 (Ummai, “mother”) that evolved into 어머니 (Ummuni, “mother”).
Adding those words together forms 앗어머니 (Atsumuni, “new mother”). It was a popular conception that women were sacred pockets that nurture babies, and the word which signified that, 아기 주머니 (ah-gi joomuni, “baby pocket”), was added onto the 앗어머니 (Atsumuni), hence giving birth to the word 아주머니 (Ajoomuni, “Madame”).
아주머니 (Ajoomuni) was then shortened into 아줌마 (Ajumma), following the rule of 어머니 (Ummuni) and 엄마 (umma) being synonymous.
and TADAAA you now have the word “ajumma” :D
