I've been recently hearing foreigners ( for the most part in their speech) use the word yummy very much .
I don't know why this word sounds horrible to my ear, that's why I want to know if this word is used among natives? If yes - how often?
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2Mostly by kids, and by parents to kids. Sometimes consciously by adults trying to sound cute or emphasize enthusiasm. Not frequently. I haven't heard it from second-language speakers much, but I have noticed a trend among my foreign friends to pick up some specific phrase and run with it. Like a catch phrase.– Dan BronCommented Oct 2, 2016 at 18:45
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3Some natives colloquially describe anything they consider good as "yummy"; e.g., "How was your day?" Answer: "Yummy!" It's a minor annoyance of usage, nothing more. Hopefully, it is usage that will lose popularity quickly. :-)– Mark HubbardCommented Oct 2, 2016 at 19:03
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1It pretty much means the same as "tasty". Though often used figuratively.– Hot LicksCommented Oct 2, 2016 at 19:14
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1@MarkHubbard To my (American) ear, that usage scans British.– Dan BronCommented Oct 2, 2016 at 19:25
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1I suspect English phrasebooks use this word a lot. Perhaps it's a better literal translation of common terms in other languages. Most native English speaking adults consider it a children's term.– Adam KatzCommented Oct 20, 2016 at 17:54
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2 Answers
Both "yum" ("delicious!") and "yum-yum" (a delicious thing) are typically ascribed to people imitating baby-talk. "Yummy" is simply "yum" in adjective form.
Most early human vocalizations are simple and repeated, e.g. "Mama", "Papa", "Baba", etc. Babies are thought to express pleasure with their food by saying, "Yum!" or "Yum-yum!" This association is often used to indicate pure/primal enjoyment, even by a well-experienced speaker of English.
Given its association with babies and young children, however, most people would not be quick to use it in a formal setting. That being said, there are certain foods, such as candy or desserts, which are also associated with children. When eating those, many would allow themselves to revert to such childhood expressions of enjoyment. Some might not, for fear of seeming less mature, elegant, educated, eloquent, composed, or, in the case of men, masculine, but the level of concern over this seems to be in decline.
Short answer: In informal situations, it is not unusual at all. In formal situations, some discretion is called for, but is not always necessary.
Edit: I should emphasize that I am speaking of "yummy" only in terms of food enjoyment, and not as a more open-ended term for things people find very appealing. That usage is extremely unusual here in the USA and would sound to most like a British-ism.
Not only is yummy used by native speakers, but (some) Brits have used it to describe the mothers of their future kings.
A headline in the Mirror
Secrets of Kate Middleton's yummy mummy tummy revealed after volleyball outing (emphasis added)
The article tells us how the Duchess regained and perfected her figure after the birth of her son.
Also see, The Bible Code: Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed
"....Diana...every inch the "Yummy Mummy".
Even Canadians say yummy, at least in yummy mummy. In the following, YMC means the Yummy Mummy Club.
YMC is the lens through which Canadian women with kids find inclusive, intelligent, unfiltered stories and opinions, as well as the little things to help them win their day.
Yummy Mummy has its own Wikipedia entry:
Yummy mummy is a slang term used in the United Kingdom to describe young, attractive and wealthy mothers. The term developed in the late 20th century, and was often applied to celebrity mothers.....
And there is the Yummy Mummy Store; All Things Breastfeeding, which says:
Yummy Mummy was recently featured in the New York Times
This answer focused exclusively on yummy as used in the phrase yummy mummy, but the answer is clear: native speakers use yummy, and the word is here to stay for awhile.
