Is there in any language a single word for "orphaned parents

Char · Post by **Char** » 07 Apr 2006 08:41

Is there in any language a single word for "orphaned parents", i.e. for parents that have suffered the death of a child.

[-> children that are loosing their parents are "orphans", "Waisen"
-> somebody loosing his spouse is a "widow(er)", "Witwe(r)"
-> somebody loosing a child is ...]

We had the discussion and no one knew a language where there is a single word for it.

Can you help ?

gfa · Post by **gfa** » 07 Apr 2006 12:35

Hi,

I think there is no word in French for this idea.

Char · Post by **Char** » 07 Apr 2006 14:46

Thank you for your Input ! And in any other language ?

Sisyphe · Post by **Sisyphe** » 07 Apr 2006 14:53

In latin, the adjective "orbus" means the both : "orbus puer" = orphan, child who has lost his parents, "orbus pater" : "father who has lost his child".

so does the adjective "orphanos" in ancient greek, which is kindred to lat. "orbus" and whence comes "orphan" (and french orphelin).

Latin "orbanitas" and old french "orfenté" means the situation of everyone who has lost the screening of the the head of the family : widow and orphans. "orfenté" means also "misery, poverty", for in maedieval society, who lost the head of family was in a perilous situation, having no income therefore.

Char · Post by **Char** » 07 Apr 2006 15:24

Thanks again ! Especially for the extensive information !!!

So also Latin does not provide a single word for the situation of parents loosing a child.

But isn't there a language which has only 1 word to express this ?

Perhaps more "exotic" languages ?

Fuokusu · Post by **Fuokusu** » 07 Apr 2006 15:27

No,the Japanese language does not allow this.

An orphan = 孤児(koji).

Orphaned parents = 孤児の親 - koji no oya.

Sorry. :/

Char · Post by **Char** » 07 Apr 2006 15:31

Thanks again !

Seems that the situation that children die before their parents is so inacceptable that the different languages only have words to discribe the situation, but no specific word for it.

Or does anyone know a language with a single word for it ?

ANTHOS · Post by **ANTHOS** » 07 Apr 2006 21:19

I don't know of such a word in English or Greek.

A note: in English it's more correct to say 'bereaved parents'

In my opinion, the reason a single word doesn't exist is because it's such a rare event.

It's a v interesting question anyway!

Freddo · Post by **Freddo** » 08 Apr 2006 00:03

Can´t think of any such word in Swedish. How very odd...

Ahhhrgh, now I will be sleepless tonight..

Char · Post by **Char** » 10 Apr 2006 19:04

Thanks again !

Looking at the infant mortality rate in the world, I do not think that it is so a rare event... As mentioned before, I could imagine that this is due to the inconceivability of this fact...

But I will keep on searching and hope for more input...

Sanya · Post by **Sanya** » 12 Apr 2006 14:04

Serbian, Croatian, Bulgarian, Russian also don't have such word.

Nor Portuguese nor Spanish.

Char · Post by **Char** » 18 Apr 2006 18:51

Well, anybody else any input i.r.o. a language which has a single word for the situation ???

Anyway, thank you so much for participating in this discussion...

LokaNova et Freelang

Is there in any language a single word for "orphaned parents

Is there in any language a single word for "orphaned pa

Thank you for your Input ! And in any other language ?

Thanks again !

Thanks !

Thanks again ! Anyone else an idea ?

Well, anybody else ???