Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
diminuitive for grandma (UK version)
English answer:
granny, gran, nan
Added to glossary by
David Knowles
Jan 14, 2006 18:21
18 yrs ago
4 viewers *
English term
diminuitive for grandma (UK version)
English
Other
Linguistics
diminuitives of a diminuitive
Can you call your grandma 'na' or 'nan'
Responses
| 4 +10 | Some people definitely say "nan", but I wouldn't expect "na" |
David Knowles
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| 4 +5 | granny or gran |
Tony M
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| 3 +2 | We always said nana/nanna |
Anna Maria Augustine (X)
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| 4 | granny |
William [Bill] Gray
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| 2 | In Hindi yes! |
Balasubramaniam L.
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Responses
+10
7 mins
David Knowles
Native in English
&
English
Specialist in Civil Law & Contracts
Native in: English 
Works in: Russian to English, English, Ukrainian to English
Related KudoZ points
:
40
Selected
Some people definitely say "nan", but I wouldn't expect "na"
I think it's a North-East England word (Newcastle), but it may be more common than that. "da" is used in the same area for "dad", so maybe "na" is used.
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Note added at 22 mins (2006-01-14 18:44:22 GMT)
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I've looked up the complete OED and it has "da", but not "na". It does have "nan", so I think that's the shortest you'll get!
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Note added at 22 mins (2006-01-14 18:44:22 GMT)
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I've looked up the complete OED and it has "da", but not "na". It does have "nan", so I think that's the shortest you'll get!
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks to all very much! I have enormously enjoyed everyone's comments on it. Thanks to Peter and Jack! It turn out to be more widely spread than perhaps ever thought, as the person who said 'nan' is a second generation londoner with a Jamaican background. So, well done, Balasubramanian! Thanks and Happy New Year to you all!"
12 mins
William [Bill] Gray
Norway
Norway
Native in English
&
English
Norway
Working with words
Native in: English
Works in: English, Norwegian to English, Danish to English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
16
granny
Our Norwegian granddchildren call my wife by this form!
+5
13 mins
granny or gran
Would be the most common, and not regional.
Nan is somewhat regional, I believe, and certainly to my 'southern English' ears has a dated ring to it that may not be the case elsewhere.
I've never come across 'na'
Nan is somewhat regional, I believe, and certainly to my 'southern English' ears has a dated ring to it that may not be the case elsewhere.
I've never come across 'na'
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Armorel Young
1 hr
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Thanks, Armorel!
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| agree |
Jack Doughty
: Nan is fine to my Southern English ears, it's what I called my own grandmother. But I agree granny or gran is probably more common.
4 hrs
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Thanks, Jack! As I said, perhaps it belongs to an older generation...? Or maybe there's a class thing to it?
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| agree |
Dave Calderhead
5 hrs
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Thanks, Dave!
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| agree |
Tania Marques-Cardoso
19 hrs
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Thanks, Tânia!
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| agree |
Will Matter
3 days 5 hrs
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Thanks, Will!
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+2
28 mins
Anna Maria Augustine (X)
France
Native in English
&
English
Works in field
Related KudoZ points
:
28
We always said nana/nanna
This could be regional. We always said pop or poppy for grandad.
8 hrs
Balasubramaniam L.
India
India
India
Fast, accurate, elegant translation
Native in: Hindi
Works in: English to Hindi, Hindi
Related KudoZ points
:
12
In Hindi yes!
I don't know if this is even relevant, but I am putting this up for the reason that in UK there are today many Indians who speak Hindi.
In Hindi maternal grandmother is called nani. And it is quite possible that the new generation of British citizens of Indian origin shortens it to nan or nan.
In Hindi maternal grandmother is called nani. And it is quite possible that the new generation of British citizens of Indian origin shortens it to nan or nan.
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Tony M
: Good point, Bala! Isn't it odd how the words for mum, dad etc. have similar sounds in many languages? // or more fundamental still: natural early sounds made by babies?
6 hrs
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Yes indeed. It is quite fascinating. Possibly, at some distant point in the past all modern languages of the Indo-Aryan group, or their parent stocks, originated from a common geographical region.//Yes, that too...
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