Alex Murdaugh repeatedly refers to deceased son as 'Pawpaw' during testimony, sparking online buzz

Alex Murdaugh took nan guidelines successful his ain televised execution proceedings connected Thursday — and galore observers noted his continued usage of nan nickname "Pawpaw" successful describing his now-deceased boy Paul, whom Murdaugh is accused of murdering.

One Twitter personification tweeted, during nan testimony, "New drinking game: return a swig each clip you perceive ‘pawpaw.’"

Another tweeted, "Alex Murdaugh seems to deliberation that repeating pawpaw nonstop is his champion defense."

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Yet different tweeted, "He’s gonna make #PawPaw inclination for a week."

Murdaugh, 54, disgraced South Carolina lawyer and caput of a salient Democratic family successful that state, is connected proceedings for nan alleged execution of his woman and son, arsenic Fox News Digital has reported.

Prosecutors support that Murdaugh changeable his wife, 52-year-old Maggie Murdaugh, and their 22-year-old son, Paul, connected June 7, 2021.

Alex Murdaugh wears a pained look while connected nan guidelines during his double execution trial. Murdaugh is accused of sidesplitting his woman and boy successful June 2021. (POOL)

Many Murdaugh proceedings watchers noticed nan usage of nan connection "Pawpaw" — a sanction much often recognized arsenic a Southern word for "grandfather," according to group who unrecorded successful confederate parts of nan U.S.

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"We rode astir and we spent clip together connected nan property," Murdaugh told nan tribunal connected Thursday astir clip he spent pinch his boy Paul earlier his death, arsenic nan U.K.'s Independent noted.

Paul and Alex Murdaugh grin successful a family Facebook photograph post.  (Facebook)

"We went to nan duck pond wherever we stayed for a minute," he continued.

"Pawpaw had planted nan duck pond by himself, and he was making a really large woody to maine astir really overmuch amended nan maize was doing," Murdaugh added, utilizing nan nickname.

"Now your kids delegate you your grandparent name, anyway, truthful Pawpaw whitethorn vanish wholly — astatine slightest northbound of nan Mason-Dixon line."

Pawpaw is much often utilized arsenic a word for "grandfather."

"Papaw" is astir commonly utilized arsenic a nickname for "grandpa" successful Alabama, West Virginia, Louisiana and Mississippi, according to immoderate sources. (iStock)

"Papaw is nan astir commonly utilized sanction for ‘grandpa’ successful Alabama, West Virginia, Louisiana and Mississippi," notes HealthyJournal.com. 

As for nan somewhat little Southern replacement to Papaw (Pawpaw), "it's astir celebrated successful Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee," nan aforesaid tract besides said.

One Tennessee grandfather told Fox News Digital that he had considered "Pawpaw" for nan sanction his caller grandson would telephone him, but opted for "Papa" — "it conscionable felt right," he said.

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Farther north, successful Maryland, an 84-year-old great-grandfather said that his ain grandfather was called "Pawpaw" (and his grandma was "Meemaw"), but he didn’t see it an action for his ain sanction arsenic grandfather.

One Tennessee man said that calling a boy "Pawpaw" mightiness make sense. "Southerners tin travel up pinch immoderate very inventive nicknames," he noted. (iStock)

"Now your kids delegate you your grandparent name, anyway, truthful Pawpaw whitethorn vanish wholly — astatine slightest northbound of nan Mason-Dixon line," he said.

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Another 36-year-old man from Middle Tennessee told Fox News Digital, "As a transplant from Boston, I person noticed that while some areas emotion to springiness nicknames — particularly to men — nan Southern nicknames look gentler, and much familiar."

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He added that, to him, calling a boy "Pawpaw" mightiness make sense. "Southerners tin travel up pinch immoderate very inventive nicknames," he added.

Some online person wondered whether Murdaugh is saying "Paul-Paul" – his son's sanction doubly – and not "Pawpaw," but this is not yet clear.

Pawpaw is besides nan sanction of a greenish consequence — considered nan largest edible consequence autochthonal to North America, according to Healthline.com.