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ESL forum >
Grammar and Linguistics > Granny-in-law???
Granny-in-law???
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ninon100
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Granny-in-law???
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Dear colleagues, I �ve got a brother. He �s married and has a mother-in law. Her name is Valentina. I �ve got 2 kids. They are my brother �s niece and nephew. Who is Valentina for my kids? Definitely not a granny, since we are not blood relatives. Not an auntie, since my brother �s wife is one. But... granny-in-law? Is that even physically / linguistically possible?  |
28 Jan 2017
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translateandlearn
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Well, why not?
http://raisinghomemakers.com/2012/granny-in-law/ |
28 Jan 2017
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FrauSue
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I would say that "granny-in-law" suggests your spouse �s grandmother. Your brother is your children �s uncle, so Valentina might be their great-aunt-in-law, I suppose. Maybe just stick to "Aunt Valentina" - we often use Aunt and Uncle for vague relations or close family friends in English! |
28 Jan 2017
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cunliffe
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I agree with FrauSue. For people who play a close part in kids � lives, but are not really related, the honorary title of �Aunt � is often given. |
28 Jan 2017
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yanogator
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Officially, she �s not anything to them, relatively speaking. If they have a personal relationship, then "Aunt/Auntie Valentina" is a good option, or "Grannie Valentina". We generally only use "in-law" for the spouse of a member of the immediate family (My brother �s wife is my sister-in-law) or the immediate family of a spouse (My wife �s mother is my mother-in-law). Bruce |
28 Jan 2017
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redcamarocruiser
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This is confusing. I would say Great Aunt because she (the aunt �s mother) is one generation removed from the aunt.
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28 Jan 2017
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redcamarocruiser
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Here are some relationship charts including the one I used above.
Edit: As Bruce says below, grandmother-in-law is not a commonly used term in today�s English.
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28 Jan 2017
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yanogator
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Nice chart, Mary. I don �t think grandparents-in-law and cousin-in-law are standard usage. I think they are usually "my wife �s grandparents" and "my wife �s cousins". That has been my experience, at least. Bruce |
28 Jan 2017
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cunliffe
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Agree with Bruce: those terms �grandparents-in-law � etc are unheard of. It could be worse though, imagine if someone said �I �m off to visit the grandparent-in-laws �.  |
28 Jan 2017
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Jayho
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In my neck of the woods, an honorary title of Aunty Valentina would be used if Valentina is a regular person in their lives, or if she is not then just Mrs XXX.
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28 Jan 2017
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ninon100
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Thanks everyone! You �ve been most informative! We �ll just stick to the name then with "Aunt" to make it easier :) |
29 Jan 2017
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