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Names for 'the other granny'.

(53 Posts)
petalmoore Thu 27-Apr-17 17:55:44

I've been enjoying the thread about grandfathers' names, and this has prompted me to ask if any of you refers to his or her opposite number using a particular word. If I mention my son's mother-in-law in conversation, for instance, it would be great to be able to use a specific name, but it doesn't seem to be usual. There is a Hebrew word, but I'm not sure enough of what it is to risk writing it here. If you know it, please remind me. But how many people would understand it? I used to live in NW London, but here in the Scottish Borders I have come across very few Hebrew or Yiddish speakers, in fact none. So how do you refer to these members of your extended family?

Humbertbear Sat 29-Apr-17 09:34:13

Petalmoore - it is not a Hebrew word but a Yiddish one and the word for the other granny is 'machatenista'. The word for the other grandparents (or just the in -laws) is 'machatenim'. We are best friends with my DiLs parents so this word is very good shorthand to explain who we are going out with. I believe that there is also a similar word in Greek.

Jalima1108 Fri 28-Apr-17 20:03:34

ghastly mauve dress [gasp]

I am very fond of my DGD's other grandmother/DS's MIL/DDIL's mother

petalmoore Fri 28-Apr-17 19:24:35

Thanks, Magsus - that's it! Do people use the word in English when talking about their machataynista - say, if they're telling their hairdresser about the ghastly mauve dress the lady wore to a wedding they all attended? I've always liked the idea of a specific word for someone with whom many people have a close relationship as part of an extended family, just as the words uncle, aunt, nephew, niece and so on are used. And what about 'other grandad' - is there a term for him too?

Margsus Fri 28-Apr-17 14:22:45

Petalmoore - I think the Yiddish word you're looking for may be "machataynista"!!.

We refer to our daughter-in-law's parents by their first names when talking about them, but when it's to our daughter-in-law, we say your mum and dad.

cornergran Fri 28-Apr-17 10:50:18

I use the name the children use when speaking with them, your Mum to her daughter and use her first name at all other times. If it's relevant i might add xyz's Mum as an explanation but often it's not needed.

Jalima1108 Fri 28-Apr-17 10:25:02

DGC's other granny as well if we are talking about the DGC.

Yes, it is long-winded, it would be nice to have a specific name.

Jalima1108 Fri 28-Apr-17 10:23:02

I see what you mean petalmoore as there doesn't seem to be a specific name for your 'counterpart' MIL/Granny.

I do what M0nica does - refer to DS's MIL by her 'grandmother' name when speaking to the DGC, 'your mum' to DDIL, 'DDIL's' mother if speaking to people who don't know her and by her first name otherwise.

Same with DD's MIL. smile

Anniebach Fri 28-Apr-17 09:00:15

Ask your son?

Greyduster Fri 28-Apr-17 07:53:33

Amnesia, because she seems to have forgotten she has three grandchildren and not just two! Fortunately DH and I have more than enough love for him to make up for the shortfall!

Marydoll Fri 28-Apr-17 07:44:00

Try living next door to "The other gran"! Not always easy grin

Anya Fri 28-Apr-17 07:18:48

DH calls our other gran That Woman.

Anya Fri 28-Apr-17 07:18:20

grin

kittylester Fri 28-Apr-17 07:13:26

Not if one of them is the mother of 'the Idiot' grin

absent Fri 28-Apr-17 07:09:38

kittylester Other gran is good; the opposition is not good.

kittylester Fri 28-Apr-17 06:42:56

Other gran? The opposition?

petalmoore Fri 28-Apr-17 01:46:40

Magsus, you're right - Jewish grannies are often called Bubbe or similar, but I thought someone might know the word for what the other granny is to me, as in 'she's my ??????'.

petalmoore Fri 28-Apr-17 01:39:47

I call my opposite numbers by their first names - no problem at all, and say 'your mum/dad' if I'm talking to my DIL and 'gramma/grandpa' to the grandchildren. What I meant to ask was whether any of you has a specific word to refer to either or both of them when talking to a third party, not a family member, for example when I was telling a friend about the 'other granny' being proud of her Norwegian ancestry. 'My daughter-in-law's mother' is quite long-winded. I once got in a muddle and found myself talking about my DIL's MIL, then realised I was talking about myself!

Luckygirl Thu 27-Apr-17 21:32:24

I use their first names.

kittylester Thu 27-Apr-17 20:09:52

What monica said except ours is nana/granny rather than Grandma A. I don't understand the difficulty!

M0nica Thu 27-Apr-17 20:01:48

To DGC: Grandma A, to DDiL: your mum/mother. To anybody who knows her: A, to others who do not know her; J/DDiL's mother.

tanith Thu 27-Apr-17 19:16:05

I say Granny ____ whatever their name is.
My own Grandmothers were called Nanny Bridge St. or Nanny Ealing because that's where they lived. grin

Margsus Thu 27-Apr-17 18:56:09

Petalmoore do you mean Booba?

Katek Thu 27-Apr-17 18:39:38

Same as ginny

ninathenana Thu 27-Apr-17 18:35:22

Not in front of the GC I hasten to add.

ninathenana Thu 27-Apr-17 18:34:21

I won't tell you what we call D's ex MiL grin