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My mother's aunt - great or grand?
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Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Feb 2005
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Is my mother's aunt properly called my 'great aunt' or my 'grand aunt?'
I had always though it was 'great aunt', but then I started thinking about it and since she is of the same generation as my 'grandmother' then wouldn't it make sense for it to be 'grand aunt?'
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Chicago, Bang! Bang!
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This sounds like a Colbert routine.
"My Aunt... Great Aunt, or Greatest Aunt ever?"
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Moderator  Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: inside 128, north of 90
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We've always said great-aunt. She's great, but not as grand as grandparents.
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Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Feb 2005
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Originally Posted by andi*pandi 
We've always said great-aunt. She's great, but not as grand as grandparents.
That's what concerns me.
One is 'grand' while the other is 'great'.
Doesn't really seem fair.
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: UK
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I'm pretty sure the technically accurate term is great aunt. I've never heard of grand aunts or uncles.
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I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Los Angeles
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"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." TJ
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Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: May 2001
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"Great Aunt" and "Grandaunt" are technically synonymous. Having said that, "Great Aunt" is the more prevalently used term. On the one hand, there is a certain consistency to say "Grandaunt" instead. Then your "Great Grandaunt" could be used to reference the sister of your "Great Grandmother". "Great-Great Grandaunt" for the sister of your "Great-Great Grandmother", etc. However, I think this isn't done because "Grandmother" has evolved into a kinship relation in and of itself as opposed to "Grand" being a modifier of the "Mother" kinship relation. That is, we now just say "Grandmother" as opposed to "Grand Mother". And we use "Great" as a modifier of the "Grandmother" kinship relation. However, "Grandaunt" has NOT evolved into a kinship relation in and of itself in similar fashion since we already utilize "Aunt" for this. Therefore, we use "Great" as a modifier of it ... i.e. "Great Aunt". So there is a certain logic to that approach as well.
OAW
(
Last edited by OAW; May 14, 2012 at 12:41 PM.
)
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Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Feb 2005
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But I am called her 'grand nephew' right?
Seems inconsistent...
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Moderator Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: inside 128, north of 90
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Colorado
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English is such a great language.
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Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Jul 2001
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Ancestry.co.uk says Grand Aunt.
Great is used for another generation back, isn't it? Great Grandfather, etc.
edit: Just checked. Yes, I have Great Grand Aunts.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: planning a comeback !
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She's a Graunt.
You're welcome 
-t
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Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Far above Cayuga's waters.
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Great aunt, but her parents are my great grand parents.
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Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Feb 2005
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Originally Posted by imitchellg5
English is such a great language.
English is such a grand language.
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: UK
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Originally Posted by turtle777
She's a Graunt.
You're welcome
-t
If her name happened to be Janet, you could just call her Granite.
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I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
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Senior User
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Manch-Vegas, NH
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Originally Posted by Waragainstsleep
If her name happened to be Janet, you could just call her Granite.
Only if she's from New Hampshire.
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What, me worry?
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Bondi Beach
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If she is like a piano and laying down then she is grand.
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this sig intentionally left blank
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Colorado
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Originally Posted by tightsocks
English is such a grand language.
I was hoping that someone would take the bait.
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