DEAR SUN SPOTS: My nephew “Bill” has a son, “Jim.” Is Jim my great-nephew or grandnephew? Is Jim’s daughter my great-grandniece or my great-great-niece or are the two titles interchangeable? — Just Wondering, No Town

ANSWER: Sun Spots could not find any definitive rule on this topic. The terms appear to be interchangeable. One posting said that the term grandnephew or grandniece is not used in England, but Sun Spots found it in the Oxford English Dictionary, where it said “another term for great-nephew.”

Really, though, if you think about it, it’s not a term you would use other than as a descriptor. Your nephew and his son probably both just call you “Aunt Jane” with no “great” or “grand” in front of “aunt.”

Those lucky enough to have great-grandparents probably don’t use the great either and instead just say “Grandpa” or “Grandma.” At least that’s what Sun Spots has seen in her family.

Perhaps readers will have thoughts. French language rules might be different.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: In reference to Roland Fleming talking about donkey baseball (Dec. 7), when I was very young my family and I came to Bridgton every summer from New York. My father took me and my older sister to the donkey baseball game at the school field.

Advertisement

It was hilarious. Only the way I remember it, the players would bat standing up, then would jump on their donkey and run to first base. The first baseman would field the ball, then jump on his donkey and try to touch first base.

The biggest thing I remember about the game was when one of the donkeys got amorous and started to chase another one across the field, and I said to my father, “Look, Dad, that donkey has five legs.” My sister started to laugh, and my father explained the situation, if you know what I mean. As I said, I was very young. — No Name, Lewiston

BONJOUR, MADAME SUN SPOTS! At the end of this month, a trio of very talented young French-Canadian folk musicians will be visiting the Twin Cities for the first time, and we want to spoil them with some authentic Maine Franco-American hospitality.

My question: Are there one or two generous Sun Spots’ readers who might be willing to cook up a meat pie (tourtiere) or a pot of pea soup (soupe au pois) to feed them while they are here?

The band, called “Ten Strings & a Goatskin,” will be performing a concert at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 29 at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Auburn, and we want to send them on stage with their bellies full of down-home Franco comfort food.

Also, for those who might like to give tickets to this concert as Christmas gifts, perhaps to their mémères/pépères or “matantes/mononcles,” there are ticket vouchers available upon request. We’ve kept the price purposely low at $10, and half-price ($5) for students up to age 22, so that families can afford to attend.

The group’s unusual name, by the way, is inspired by the instruments they play: four strings on the fiddle plus six on the guitar, and the Irish hand drum (bodhran), the head of which was traditionally made with animal hide.

Anyone interested in either concert tickets or feeding the musicians can contact me at mainefolque@gmail.com or 782-0386. Joyeux Noël to all from the Maine Folque Co-op! — Cindy, Lewiston

This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name (we won’t use it if you ask us not to). Please include your phone number. Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can also be emailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.