chapan
The English phrase "great grandma" is translated to Cree as chapan.
chapan is used to refer to the mother of one's grandmother or grandfather.
Did you know?
- While English distinguishes between 'great grandma' and 'great grandpa', Cree kinship terms often prioritize the relationship's position within a complex web of extended family rather than biological sex alone.
- While English uses 'great' to indicate a further step in a lineage, Cree kinship terms often use distinct words for different generational tiers.
- In some dialects, the way you address an elder like a 'great grandma' can change based on whether you are speaking to them or about them to a third party.
Example conversation
A child is looking at an old family photograph.
- Aᐄᐣ ᐄᐣ ᐣᐄᐣ ᐄᐣ?ân الأن الأن nân الأن?Who is this person?
- Bchapan ᒫᓯᑲᐣ.chapan mâsikan.This is my great grandma.
- Aᐄᐣ ᒫᓯᑲᐣ ᐄᐣ?ân mâsikan الأن?Is she very old?
- Bᐄ, ᐄ.ê, ê.Yes, she is.
