How do I write in the native swedish language the phrase, “In memory of Great Grandma Essie?”?
April 10, 2010 by
Filed under swedish language
I want to get a tattoo featuring a dala horse and a swedish phrase circling it. I want to put that phrase around but im getting mixed answers using the translator sites online. If anyone knows the correct way or another phrase that i may use please let me know. please, no joke responses with fake answers, i will research what you write as best as i could to get a general idea of what you say. please include the english translation in all entrys.
Thank you!
This should be so easy, but in Swedish It depends on whether she is on the paternal or the maternal side.
Mother’s mother’s mother: Till minne av mormorsmor Essie
Mother’s father’s mother: Till minne av morfarsmor Essie
Father’s mother’s mother: Till minne av farmorsmor Essie
Father’s father’s mother: Till minne av farfarsmor Essie
“Mormorsmor” is not so unusual. For some reason, the other three expressions are seldom used except in truly genealogical contexts. It sounds a bit too pedantic in family talk. A more informal expression is “Gammelmormor” for your mother’s grandmothers, whether paternal or maternal, and “Gammelfarmor” for your father’s grandmothers. Literally, this means “Old mother’s mother” / “Old father’s mother”.
Till minne av gammelmormor Essie
Till minne av gammelfarmor Essie
However, it really does sound old, and not all fairly youngish great grandmothers are too fond of that…
A way to get round these problems is to accept mormorsmor in 1 word, but to say morfars mor in 2 words, and the same with farmors mor and farfars mor:
Till minne av mormorsmor Essie
Till minne av morfars mor Essie
Till minne av farmors mor Essie
Till minne av farfars mor Essie
But whichever of all the alternatives above you choose, they are all correct Swedish.