I read in the electric newspaper the term grand niece and that had me puzzled. From the person seeming to be reading directly from papers on ABC Radio, I heard the same.
The story was about a grand niece of a former State Premier now seeking preselection as an electoral candidate.
Great niece and grand niece are the same, as Google tells me. It can even be great grand niece. I think I prefer to have great nieces than grand nieces. The OED informs me using great niece and great nephew is twice as common as using grand.
I did not know about grand and great being the same. Did you? And if so, why didn't you tell me?
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I assumed that the term 'grand' in that context was obsolete. As I think it should be...
ReplyDeleteEC, it seems it is not obsolete, just confusing to people like me.
DeleteGrandchildren and great nieces and nephews, and great grandchildren. As for first and second cousins, I never can remember those, but as I haven't got any that I know of, it doesn't really matter;-)
ReplyDeleteJB, that is how I think of it all. My brain can deal with cousins but second cousins has the start of a downward slope.
DeleteI have always used the term great niece and nephew. And mine are great indeed.
ReplyDeleteJayCee, I am pleased to know your greats are great. So are mine.
DeleteI actually never knew both terms. I stayed away from relatives as much as I can.
ReplyDeleteRoentare, wont' you need one to push your wheelchair in your old age?
DeleteI'm with JayCee. ~nods~ And it's amusing how my husband gets confused; I really messed up his mind when telling him our neighbor's child has an aunt younger than her. Mix in second and third cousins, the guy totally loses his $h!T. lol Ah, fun with significant others.
ReplyDeleteSame here Darla. I know having an aunt younger is possible but I really have to think about it. I don't much like thinking. Second and third cousins have to be slowly explained to me.
Deletelol
DeleteStalker
ReplyDeleteShe could be a grand niece….as in riding in a horse and carriage!
Or she could be a great niece as in baking cakes and cooking curriies!
My partner and I are known as the grandmaws to my granddaughter rather than one of us being a step grandma
Stalker, yes that would be my definition of a a grand niece, or too big for her boots; too grand.
DeleteGrandmaws is clever. Jo refers to Sister and Bone Doctor as her mothers.
I sometimes feel both great and grand ....
ReplyDeleteBob, does feeling grand feel better than feeling great? I'm sure they are both very nice.
DeleteI would have thought it would be great! However, I found this:
ReplyDelete“Great” relationships
*Great means three or more generations apart. Each “great” adds one more generation. A great-grandparent is three generations away because "great" adds one generation, and “grand” adds two generations. "Great" and "grand" work the same way with aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews.*
Ok Margaret. That is really interesting, except people don't follow this.
DeleteI also did not know they were the same, but at least I know my grandchildren's children are Great Grandchildren to me.
ReplyDeleteRiver, of course yours are Great Grandchildren 😇
DeleteGrandniece gets a mention in the Cambridge & Oxford dictionaries, but I've never heard it commonly used. https://www.oed.com/dictionary/grand-niece_n?tl=truehttps://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/grand-niece
ReplyDeleteJames, I've not heard it used either until I read it in The Age, and then the ABC Melbourne reporter clearly taking her words from The Age also saying grand niece. Did the term come from a press release or press conference? One despairs about the media and such minor matters makes me worry about media reporting of major matters. It was good to see your Kate M on 7.30 last night. She can walk, talk and chew gum.
DeleteI had no clue of this. I thought a grand niece was my niece's daughter. I thought that a great niece was my niece's grandaughter. You've really caused me to think far more deeply, far more early than I am accustomed to. Let it go without saying this is not a good thing.
ReplyDeleteDebby, in the back of my mind, and I saw nothing to indicate this, I thought maybe it is a US/UK thing, and after what you've written, perhaps it is. I've never known grand to be used with niece. I suppose what I would say after great niece, would be great great niece.
DeleteI use only British-Australian vocabulary that we used as far back as I can tell; American vocabulary should never have entered our language. So I will never EVER call a jumper a sweater; our petrol is not gas; and my great aunt was never a grand aunt.
ReplyDeleteHels, do you think the grand/great is a British versus US English difference?
DeleteIt would be a great niece for me although I don't have any. Grand is for grandparents me thinks, Andrew.
ReplyDeletePat, I agree but Debby's comment above is most interesting.
DeleteI use great, to describe nieces second over, but we also use the word grand, for say 'grandmother'. I wouldn't want to say 'greatmother'.
ReplyDeleteExactly as most of us seem to, Strayer.
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