--- In
cybalist@egroups.com, "Mark Odegard" <markodegard@...> wrote:
> One word we do lack -- and have lacked historically -- is a term to
describe the the persons you share grandchildren with. Until this
century, people really did not live long enough to where such a term
would become necessary. We have to explain it as 'the parents-in-law
of your child'.
Dear Mark!
Sorry, but you are wrong in this assumption. Russian language
(frankly speaking, my native mixed Russian/Ukrainian dialect of east
Ukraine) consist such word svat(m)/svaha(f) (ñâàò/ñâàõà), which
means:
1. Persone, who is involved in process of marriage as a agent of the
other side;
2. The parents-in-law of my child.
In my pity, I don't know etimology of this word. But I'll suppose,
that:
1. This word is rather old one. Russian has many other 'in-law' terms
survived, presaving even differency in terms of husbend/wife size.
2. Russian and Ukrainian have also word kum(m)/kuma(f)
(êóì/êóìà),
which means 'godparents of my child', 'parents of my godchild' or
even 'other godparent of my godchild'. I've think, that this word
attain current meaning in analogue of svat/svaha; so, svat/svaha must
have the same meaning at least, at X-XI senturies, when Russia was
Baptisted.
May be Piotr or Cyrill can help you more.
WBR,
Alexander Dakhov.