Culture | May 11th, 2017
Ad Litteram is a new podcast series on words brought to you by HPR. What better way to begin a series on words than with the first human word?
The episode begins with the story of Joe Medicine Crow, a member of the Crow tribe of Montana. Joe was the first Crow to attend college, earning a master’s degree in anthropology in 1939. And while working on his doctorate a few years later, World War Two broke out.
Joe joined the army and fought with the 103rd Infantry Division. While in combat, Joe wore the traditional Crow warrior paint under his uniform and carried a sacred pink eagle feather for protection.
Joe tells the story about one encounter he had with a German soldier during a raid. They were in the middle of a siege and Joe was running down a back alley when he literally ran into the German soldier.
The two began fighting and Joe managed to get his hands around the guy’s neck, squeezing tighter and tighter, and as the German soldier was taking his last breath, he yelled this word: “Mama!”
Joe stopped, loosened his grip, and let the guy go. He said it was the moment the soldier said that word that he decided to let him live.
It’s not too surprising that Germans speakers call their mothers what English speakers call theirs, because they aren’t too far off linguistically, they’re pretty close. But, “mama” is “mama” in a shocking number of disparate languages (Mandarin, Somali, Russian, Sanskrit etc.) that have no historical relationship whatsoever.
Linguist Roman Jakobson’s belief is that through breastfeeding, the word transcends eras and cultures and may be one of the first words humans ever spoke. Was the soldier using his last breath to comfort himself or was he inadvertently communicating with Joe on an intrinsically human level?
Listen to Ad Litteram at hpr1.com or adlitteram.org The next podcast episode covers the word "Millennial." Readers can call 315-967-3763 and leave a message which may be included in that episode.
October 20th 2025
October 15th 2025
September 16th 2025
July 29th 2025
July 15th 2025
_(1)__293px-wide.png)
_(1)_(1)__293px-wide.jpg)
_(1)__293px-wide.jpg)
_(1)_(1)_(1)__293px-wide.jpg)
_(1)_(1)_(1)__293px-wide.jpg)
By Bryce Vincent HaugenFor the first nine months, the dysfunction of the Trump administration and Congress was a four-time-zone-away abstraction for a Moorhead native living in Alaska’s interior. But it became all too real when…
By Michael M. Millermichael.miller@ndsu.edu I would like to recognize some of the scholarly Germans from Russia from Canada and USA shared on the GRHC website. There are additional names not included here. If you have suggestions…
December 17-21, 7:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. matinees on Saturday and SundayThe Fargo Theatre, 314 N. Broadway, FargoCould this be the end of an era? After 26 years of doing the Holiday Soul Tour and 35 years together as a band, The…
By Sabrina Hornungsabina@hpr1.com I scroll through comment threads on the news stories in my social media feed and come across the retort, “You voted for this.” Sure the vote’s in…but when someone’s livelihood is at stake,…
By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comWill the Vatican ever love LBGTQUIA+ with open hearts and minds? Christians have been hot and bothered by sex for 2,000 years and Catholic popes, cardinals, bishops, priests and nuns have been…
By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…
By Mandy Dolneymandy@ksbsyndicate.com This cake will be on the menu at Nova Eatery through Thanksgiving served with maple crème anglaise Ice cream. It uses pumpkin pie pumpkins grown locally at Ladybug Acres and local apples grown…
By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com Dakotah Faye is a hip-hop artist from Minot, North Dakota, and he’s had a busy year. He’s released two albums. This summer he opened for Tech N9ne in Sturgis and will be opening for Bone…
By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.com In “Hedda,” Nia DaCosta’s bold adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s celebrated 1891 play, the filmmaker reunites with longtime collaborator Tessa Thompson, who starred in DaCosta’s…
By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com Gallery 4 downtown recently celebrated its 50 year anniversary, making it one of the longest consecutively running galleries in the country. With different membership tiers, there are 17 primary…
Press release“Shakespeare with a sharpened edge.” To launch its 2025 – 2026 season, Theatre NDSU is thrilled to team up with Moorhead-based organization Theatre B to perform a co-production of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and…
By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…
By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…
sBy Ellie Liveranieli.liverani.ra@gmail.com The holidays are supposed to be magical: party, presents, fancy food, lights and sparks. You are looking forward to it. You work very hard, you put in long hours at work as well as at…
By Alicia Underlee NelsonProtests against President Trump’s policies and the cuts made by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are planned across North Dakota and western Minnesota Friday, April 4 and…
By Vern Thompsonvern.thompson.nd7@gmail.comPersonal background and historical perspective My deep concern about tariffs stems from my background as a fourth generation North Dakota farmer. Having lived through the 1980s farm crisis…