Literal translation
to play the little lady
Meaning
to put on the airs of a lady
Explanation
Damo means lady, in the sense of a woman of standing or a respected wife, and damoto is its diminutive: faire la damoto thus amounts to playing the little lady, putting on the airs of a bourgeoise. The expression targets women exclusively, as traditional usage specifies, and describes an affected attitude in which someone adopts manners, elegance, or social distance judged excessive for the situation or for their actual background. The tone is mildly mocking, typical of village remarks about someone giving themselves airs, without real harshness; it simply notes a gap between displayed behavior and real social rank. The diminutive ending oto, common in Provençal to mark either smallness or an ironic nuance, plays its second role here, turning a lady into a caricature of one. The expression sits among the many Provençal phrases devoted to character quirks and the small social vanities observed in village life.