L. nonnus, nonna (nun), Ved, ambhâ, Icel. Embla=Ambhâlâ (ancestress of human race), Ger. Amme.
Father, Pa—, protector, S. pitár, Gr. and L. pater, T. fadar, M.E. fader. Mother, Ma—, manager, S. màtár, L. and Sl. mater, C. máther, T. modar, M.E. moder. Husband, ruler, S. pati, L. potis (able), Sl. pats, Go. fath. Wife=producer, Ved. Gnâ (wife of the gods), S. [1]gânî (gana), wife, γυνή, Sl. jena, C. ben, Go. kwen, queen, quean. Son=begotten, or male child, Sl. and Go. sûnu, ὑίος (συιος), C. suth. Daughter=milkmaid, S. duhitar, θυγάτηρ, Sl. dukter, Ir. dear, Go. dauhtar. Brother, bearer, S. bhrâtar, L. frater, Gael. brathair, Sl. bratru, Go. bróthar. Sister, joy, happiness, S. svásar, L. soror (svosor), Ir. sethar, Sl. sestra, Go. swistar, M.E. suster. Father-in-Law, S. svaçura, ἑκυρος, L. socer (svocer), Cor. hveger, Sl. svekru, Go. swaihra, O.E. sveor, Ger. Schwieger. Widow, vindh, vidh=awanting, S. vidhávâ, L. vidua, W. gweddw, Sl. vidova, Go. widuwo, Ger. Wittwe. Orphan, bereft, Ved. arbha (little), L. orbus (a little one), ὀρφανός, C. arbe and T. arbi (inheritance). In addition, there are common terms for uncle, son, daughter, and sister-in-law, husband and wife's brother, grand-son, grand-daughter.
Aryan civilisation was distinctively social, based on the family unity. The terms expressive of the family ties are of two quite different kinds. The child-words (German Lall-wörter or prattle-words) seem to take us into the penetralia of word-making. They point to the monosyllabic stage of aboriginal speech, and do not conform to Grimm's law. The Semitic Abba claims kindred with them, while Nausikàä addresses her father as πάππα φίλε, O! dear papa, exactly as an English girl would. To our Celtic nurses we owe dad and daddy. In Wulfila the Goth began his Paternoster, "Atta unsar," whence the historic Att-ila or little father. Varro says that children in ancient Italy called food papa, father tata, and mother mama. Our spelling mamma is due to the mistaken connection with Lat. mamma, the breast. Nonnus and nonna were originally a mother's brother and sister. The Sans. akkâ is the Lat. Acca Larentia, mother of the Lares. The Ger. Oheim, Sc. eme, Boer
- ↑ Italic g in Sanskrit indicates the soft or palatalised sound, as in "George."
