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diminuitive for grandma (UK version)

English translation: granny, gran, nan

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:diminuitive for grandma (UK version)
Selected answer:granny, gran, nan
Entered by: David Knowles

18:21 Jan 14, 2006
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Linguistics / diminuitives of a diminuitive
English term or phrase: diminuitive for grandma (UK version)
Can you call your grandma 'na' or 'nan'
lafresita (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:38
Some people definitely say "nan", but I wouldn't expect "na"
Explanation:
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!
Selected response from:

David Knowles
Local time: 16:38
Grading 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!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +10Some people definitely say "nan", but I wouldn't expect "na"
David Knowles
4 +5granny or gran
Tony M
3 +2We always said nana/nanna
Anna Maria Augustine (X)
4granny
William [Bill] Gray
2In Hindi yes!
Balasubramaniam L.


  

Answers


12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
diminuitive for grandma (uk version)
granny


Explanation:
Our Norwegian granddchildren call my wife by this form!

William [Bill] Gray
Norway
Local time: 17:38
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 16
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13 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
diminuitive for grandma (uk version)
granny or gran


Explanation:
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'

Tony M
France
Local time: 17:38
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 156

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Armorel Young
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Armorel!
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
  -> Thanks, Jack! As I said, perhaps it belongs to an older generation...? Or maybe there's a class thing to it?
agree  Dave Calderhead
5 hrs
  -> Thanks, Dave!
agree  Tania Marques-Cardoso
19 hrs
  -> Thanks, Tânia!
agree  Will Matter
3 days 5 hrs
  -> Thanks, Will!
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7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +10
diminuitive for grandma (uk version)
Some people definitely say "nan", but I wouldn't expect "na"


Explanation:
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.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 22 mins (2006-01-14 18:44:22 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

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!

David Knowles
Local time: 16:38
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 40
Grading 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!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Nesrin: I've often heard "nana" too.
6 mins
  -> Yes, very common
agree  Peter Shortall: "Nan" does seem to be quite widespread (it's all I ever hear in the West Midlands, though I used to hate it!) but I've never come across "na" either.
41 mins
agree  Romanian Translator (X)
2 hrs
agree  Alfa Trans (X)
2 hrs
agree  Enza Longo
3 hrs
agree  Jack Doughty: Nah, there ain't no na!
4 hrs
agree  Dave Calderhead: da is more Northern Irish as far as I know, but could be a Geordie word as well, so na may also be possible In Northern Ireland
5 hrs
agree  cmwilliams (X)
5 hrs
agree  Will Matter
3 days 5 hrs
agree  francis_agui
3 days 16 hrs
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28 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
diminuitive for grandma (uk version)
We always said nana/nanna


Explanation:
This could be regional. We always said pop or poppy for grandad.

Anna Maria Augustine (X)
France
Local time: 17:38
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 28

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Sophia Finos (X)
1 hr
agree  Will Matter
3 days 4 hrs
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8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
diminuitive for grandma (uk version)
In Hindi yes!


Explanation:
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.

Balasubramaniam L.
India
Local time: 21:08
Native speaker of: Native in HindiHindi
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
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
  -> 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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