Hi coolbeans, My sister Shellie does this and its really annoying. We grew up split between Texas, then Montana for six years and then back to Texas. When we came to Texas the second time: It was a major culture shock.

We lived in the "ghetto" as it's called at Almeda Chateau (or lovingly called Almeda ***** Hole by the tenants) My sister was having a hard time finding her place as we all were. She got into a group of young hispanic ladies and then the language trials began.

She was previously (and gladly again once she grew up) prolific in English and was very grammatically proper. She suddenly started acting like she couldn't find the English word like, "You know chica, uh.....how do you say....education" etc. It was flippin' annoying. She would also talk in an accent as if English were her second language.

My other sister Amanda did the same, but with the accent the African American neighbors were using. She even got a GRILL with her name spelled out on every tooth and attended CAPPA (which is an African American celebration in Galveston where whites are not welcome or really appropriate to attend) She would say things like "That's whack!" and "Get up off me!"

I know the reasons they did it, they had to to fit in. But through other research I found out that articulation mimicking is actually quite common and we do it subconciously to make others feel accepted. That's probably why your mom is doing it. She's picked up the subtle nuances of the language they are speaking and is being mirrored back while she conversates with other members of your church etc. Hope this helps, its all I got lol.