Language Identification/Subsequent Translation

[tom_mouse]

A heavily-accented lady told my mum today that my 7 month old sister was a "little glom". My mum seems to think she was German/Dutch, but she could be from anywhere. She didn't get time to ask either her origin or her meaning.

I've tried to look up this word for her, both in the orthography she sent me, and some related (as far as I can think), so I

Comments

[muckefuck]

Looks to me like English "glum" with an accent that substitutes [ɔ] for /ʌ/. This is isn't typical of German accents, which prefer [a], but it is common among, for instance, speakers with a Slavic language as their mother tongue.

[kirstenlouise]

I don't suppose it was just a heavily accented "glum"?

[dorsetgirl]

If she was actually speaking English, I would guess she was just saying "glum".

[denijeur]

I believe she might have meant "A little gnome". The initial "G" is not silent in the similar word in German (Gnom) and in many other languages that have a similar word (Russian гном, Spanish gnomo, for example).

[lied_ohne_worte]

Hm, it's not a word one often hears used in German any more. I don't think I've ever heard it used for children, either - I'd associated it firmly with magical creatures.

[denijeur]

Well, at least in Russian this word is widely used to refer to little children. "Маленький гномик", "Little gnome" is a term of endearment.

[alicit]

The g in gnomo is silent in Spanish.

[k0dama]

maybe she was saying "plum"