nukumij
The Mi'kmaq word for grandmother is nukumij.
nukumij is a noun used to refer to the mother of a person's parent.
Meaning: mother of someone's parent (noun)
Did you know?
- In many Indigenous contexts including Mi'kmaq, the term for grandmother is used as a term of respect for many older women in the community, not just biological relatives.
- Because Mi'kmaq is a polysynthetic language, the root within nukumij could potentially be expanded into much longer words to describe very specific familial or even mythical connections.
- The term nukumij is used regardless of whether the grandmother is maternal or paternal.
Example conversation
Michael and Sarah are looking at a family photo.
- MichaelKwi nukumij e kwi?Who is your grandmother?
- SarahNukumij e kwi n'uik.My grandmother is right here.
- MichaelE kwi nukumij tsi'k.Your grandmother looks very nice.
- SarahKwi nukumij e kwi n'uik tsi'k.My grandmother is very kind.
