a new relation on the family tree
I had a video call with my sister yesterday. She was looking after her 3 year-old grand-daughter, my great-niece, and was trying to explain to her who it was she was talking to on Nanny's phone screen.
"It's your great-uncle...", and she showed me to her, waving hello at her and trying to engage her in conversation.
Blank look. I thought maybe this was a bit of a mouthful (and concept) for a 3 year old to grasp, so suggested to my sister that perhaps I could be known as 'gruncle'.
Haha, we thought. Gruncle. A mash-up of Great and Uncle. Relevant, funny sounding, and an easier term for young new speakers to grasp, surely?
My great-niece was more on board with this term, and started happily singing 'gruncle, gruncle, la la-laaa' to herself in the background as my sister and I were chatting.
Then she added her own twist. She grabbed the phone off her Nan, her little snotty face suddenly appeared in extreme close-up on my screen, and she was happily sing-shouting to me repeatedly.
"HELLOOO GRUMPLE!"
Then she shrieked, and judging from the pictures on my end, chucked my sister's phone back at her.
It has been decided.
'Grumple' it is.
Tough but fair.
post link for sharing: https://skryblans.com/a-new-relation-on-the-family-tree