The term "GREAT-Aunt/Uncle"...It Really Needs to be "GRAND"! - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

James28 · 06-27-2024, 11:56 PM

Yesterday, I wrote the following on Facebook:

I hate the term "great aunt/uncle". It always makes a person feel unequal to his/her siblings. Here's a little shocker for the people who actually like the word "great aunt/uncle": The correct term is "GRANDaunt/uncle". If one becomes a grandparent, and then eventually becomes a great-grandparent, I don't understand how that grandparent's siblings are going to go STRAIGHT to "great" instead of starting with "GRAND" and then going to "Great-grand". This is why "great" is more likely to cause confusion than if you just used "grand". "Great aunt/uncle" will give you the impression that there's no such thing as a "grandaunt/uncle". Frankly, this is unfair and belittling to the people who aren't willing to go through the experience of pregnancy and taking care of an infant themselves, and it rubs me the wrong way. I'm surprised no one is on a crusade to ban the use of the term "great aunt/uncle/nephew/niece" from popular culture, heck, even common usage altogether.

#GrandNotGreat"

I would put this up to a poll, but if I ever became a granduncle myself, I'd just be too irritated at the common usage. Just out of curiosity, I want to see what others think about why the word "granduncle/aunt" can't be in common usage.

Caroline13 · 06-28-2024, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James28

Yesterday, I wrote the following on Facebook:

I hate the term "great aunt/uncle". It always makes a person feel unequal to his/her siblings. Here's a little shocker for the people who actually like the word "great aunt/uncle": The correct term is "GRANDaunt/uncle". If one becomes a grandparent, and then eventually becomes a great-grandparent, I don't understand how that grandparent's siblings are going to go STRAIGHT to "great" instead of starting with "GRAND" and then going to "Great-grand". This is why "great" is more likely to cause confusion than if you just used "grand". "Great aunt/uncle" will give you the impression that there's no such thing as a "grandaunt/uncle". Frankly, this is unfair and belittling to the people who aren't willing to go through the experience of pregnancy and taking care of an infant themselves, and it rubs me the wrong way. I'm surprised no one is on a crusade to ban the use of the term "great aunt/uncle/nephew/niece" from popular culture, heck, even common usage altogether.

#GrandNotGreat"

I would put this up to a poll, but if I ever became a granduncle myself, I'd just be too irritated at the common usage. Just out of curiosity, I want to see what others think about why the word "granduncle/aunt" can't be in common usage.

Sounds like you found a project, go for it, fight city hall.....I could give a flying ************

James28 · 12-06-2024, 01:56 PM

Another factor to be considered is the "childless by choice" trend among Millennials and Generation-Y-ers, meaning more married couples are choosing to never have their own kids (mainly because of cost, being unfit to take care of an infant/toddler, etc.), and do not regret that decision one bit. But one downside worth mentioning on this thread is such individuals could potentially be doomed to a lifetime of having to correct people when they use the term "great-aunt/uncle" even with such childless individuals insisting on the term "grand-aunt/uncle", and scold or flip out on people when they insist on repeatedly using the term "great-aunt/uncle" no matter what. Eventually, that reason may be grounds for regretting the decision of going childfree by choice.

Foggy · 12-09-2024, 12:52 PM

My mother worked in the genealogy department of our local library.
"Grand" was referred as a direct bloodline to you.
"Great" was added to "grandparents" as "great-grandparents (and so-on)" to show bloodline, but an earlier generation.
When doing one's FAMILY TREE there has to be some kind of distinction.

The "Great versus Grand" debate ...

Despite a rather persistent effort by genealogists to standardize the reference, the simple fact of the matter is that either term is just fine, thankyouverymuch.

The dictionary definition of great-nephew — at least from Merriam-Webster — is “grandnephew,” giving a first reference year for the usage of 1581.

But that same dictionary — after defining grandnephew as “a grandson of one’s brother or sister” — gives the first reference year for that usage as circa 1639.
Which means that great-nephew came first and grandnephew is a Johnny-come-lately.

The Oxford English Dictionary defines great-nephew as
“A son of one’s nephew or niece”
and grandnephew as
“Another term for great-nephew.”

Now there are good reasons why genealogists want to standardize the reference one way or the other — to reduce confusion and clarify relationships.

But just as some of us say jean-ee-ology and some of us say jen-ee-ology, some of us are going to say great nephew and some of us are going to say grand nephew.

https://www.legalgenealogist.com/201...-versus-grand/

Also, here are other sites that have good information to read:

https://www.ancestry.com/c/ancestry-...n-to-use-them/

https://familytreemagazine.com/gener...and-not-great/

https://www.genealogyexplained.com/w...aunt-or-uncle/

https://genwed.com/what-is-the-meani...or-great-aunt/

stevea · 12-12-2024, 03:03 PM

I would never have thought anyone who is a great or grand uncle or aunt would feel slighted by the term "great." Anyway, I just called my great/grand Aunt Harriet, Aunt Harriet. Wouldn't most people omit the great/grand from speech?

Foggy · 12-13-2024, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

I would never have thought anyone who is a great or grand uncle or aunt would feel slighted by the term "great." Anyway, I just called my great/grand Aunt Harriet, Aunt Harriet. Wouldn't most people omit the great/grand from speech?

In speech (written or verbal), it probably would be omitted unless you needed to have exact diction and/or clarification.

Foggy · 12-18-2024, 09:57 AM

Even though this doesn't talk about the "GRAND / GREAT" debate, I did find this video and I thought it was interesting and decided to post it.
It does talk about "cousins, 1st cousins and cousins once removed"

What Is a Removed Cousin? | Clear Up Family Relationship Confusion!
(3:42 long)
Your DNA Guide

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OP7gzqZw5fU

06-27-2024, 11:56 PM	#1
James28 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 14, 2007 Posts: 3,991	The term "GREAT-Aunt/Uncle"...It Really Needs to be "GRAND"! Yesterday, I wrote the following on Facebook: I hate the term "great aunt/uncle". It always makes a person feel unequal to his/her siblings. Here's a little shocker for the people who actually like the word "great aunt/uncle": The correct term is "GRANDaunt/uncle". If one becomes a grandparent, and then eventually becomes a great-grandparent, I don't understand how that grandparent's siblings are going to go STRAIGHT to "great" instead of starting with "GRAND" and then going to "Great-grand". This is why "great" is more likely to cause confusion than if you just used "grand". "Great aunt/uncle" will give you the impression that there's no such thing as a "grandaunt/uncle". Frankly, this is unfair and belittling to the people who aren't willing to go through the experience of pregnancy and taking care of an infant themselves, and it rubs me the wrong way. I'm surprised no one is on a crusade to ban the use of the term "great aunt/uncle/nephew/niece" from popular culture, heck, even common usage altogether. #GrandNotGreat" I would put this up to a poll, but if I ever became a granduncle myself, I'd just be too irritated at the common usage. Just out of curiosity, I want to see what others think about why the word "granduncle/aunt" can't be in common usage.
	__________________ "When the run of a network TV show has ended, some go out with a bang, some with a whimper, but all are...Future Endeavored." "Stay Safe"? More like "Stay Sad". #2020Hurts

12-06-2024, 01:56 PM	#3
James28 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 14, 2007 Posts: 3,991	Another factor to be considered is the "childless by choice" trend among Millennials and Generation-Y-ers, meaning more married couples are choosing to never have their own kids (mainly because of cost, being unfit to take care of an infant/toddler, etc.), and do not regret that decision one bit. But one downside worth mentioning on this thread is such individuals could potentially be doomed to a lifetime of having to correct people when they use the term "great-aunt/uncle" even with such childless individuals insisting on the term "grand-aunt/uncle", and scold or flip out on people when they insist on repeatedly using the term "great-aunt/uncle" no matter what. Eventually, that reason may be grounds for regretting the decision of going childfree by choice.

12-09-2024, 12:52 PM	#4
Foggy Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 20, 2014 Posts: 3,423	My mother worked in the genealogy department of our local library. "Grand" was referred as a direct bloodline to you. "Great" was added to "grandparents" as "great-grandparents (and so-on)" to show bloodline, but an earlier generation. When doing one's FAMILY TREE there has to be some kind of distinction. The "Great versus Grand" debate ... Despite a rather persistent effort by genealogists to standardize the reference, the simple fact of the matter is that either term is just fine, thankyouverymuch. The dictionary definition of great-nephew — at least from Merriam-Webster — is “grandnephew,” giving a first reference year for the usage of 1581. But that same dictionary — after defining grandnephew as “a grandson of one’s brother or sister” — gives the first reference year for that usage as circa 1639. Which means that great-nephew came first and grandnephew is a Johnny-come-lately. The Oxford English Dictionary defines great-nephew as “A son of one’s nephew or niece” and grandnephew as “Another term for great-nephew.” Now there are good reasons why genealogists want to standardize the reference one way or the other — to reduce confusion and clarify relationships. But just as some of us say jean-ee-ology and some of us say jen-ee-ology, some of us are going to say great nephew and some of us are going to say grand nephew. https://www.legalgenealogist.com/201...-versus-grand/ Also, here are other sites that have good information to read: https://www.ancestry.com/c/ancestry-...n-to-use-them/ https://familytreemagazine.com/gener...and-not-great/ https://www.genealogyexplained.com/w...aunt-or-uncle/ https://genwed.com/what-is-the-meani...or-great-aunt/

12-12-2024, 03:03 PM	#5
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,942	I would never have thought anyone who is a great or grand uncle or aunt would feel slighted by the term "great." Anyway, I just called my great/grand Aunt Harriet, Aunt Harriet. Wouldn't most people omit the great/grand from speech?

12-18-2024, 09:57 AM	#7
Foggy Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 20, 2014 Posts: 3,423	Even though this doesn't talk about the "GRAND / GREAT" debate, I did find this video and I thought it was interesting and decided to post it. It does talk about "cousins, 1st cousins and cousins once removed" What Is a Removed Cousin? \| Clear Up Family Relationship Confusion! (3:42 long) Your DNA Guide https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OP7gzqZw5fU