I Googled My Mother’s Maiden Name and Found My Family’s Violent Secret

Re:I Googled My Mother’s Maiden Name and Found My Family’s V... by vinceyuan on Saturday April 11, 2015 @01:52AM (#9358668)

As a non-native English speaker, I couldn't understand the title until I realized his great-grandfather Michael Zarbatany is his mother's grandfather, instead of his father's grandfather. Why doesn't English distinguish between paternal grandparents and maternal grandparents?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:I Googled My Mother’s Maiden Name and Found My Family’s V... by tomkwok on Saturday April 11, 2015 @02:05AM (#9358700)

You just demonstrated how to.

"Why aren't there words instead of phrases for paternal grandparents and maternal grandparents?" is what you mean, right?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:I Googled My Mother’s Maiden Name and Found My Family’s V... by anton-107 on Saturday April 11, 2015 @02:15AM (#9358715)

Is it really important to distinguish?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:I Googled My Mother’s Maiden Name and Found My Family’s V... by DominikD on Saturday April 11, 2015 @05:57AM (#9358998)

It's a cultural thing I guess. I know some people who think of their maternal lineage as if it were less of a family than the paternal one. Their excuse borders religion and superstitions.

I'm interested though which languages distinguish maternal and paternal grandparents. Just like in English, in Polish you simply qualify[1] if things like these matter.

[1] paternal: po mieczu (sword lineage); maternal: po kądzieli (distaff lineage)

[ Parent | on HN ]