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word PRO stuck out Antigrams grandmagrandma

No. of Players: 1+
Type of Game: written
What you need: pen and paper

Goal

To make an anagram that means the opposite of the original word or phrase.

How to play

This game is similar to other anagram games where players rearrange letters of words or phrases into other words or phrases. But with added difficulty: the transformed word or phrase must mean the opposite of the original word or phrase. One fun aspect of this game is deciding on whether the resulting word or phrase really is an opposite meaning.

Examples

antagonist not against
violence nice love
honestly on the sly
funeral real fun
restful fluster

Did you know?

Your family may call her grandma, granny, or gram. But these nicknames are relatively recent, historically speaking. The full word 'grandmother' actually dates back to 1375–1425. It derives from the Old English ealde mōdor, literally meaning 'old mother.'

boy sitting at table with open book   woman sitting at table with cup of coffee   grandmother in rocking chair knitting

The origin of 'great-grandmother' (þridde mōdor, or 'third mother') is slightly more recent. It was first recorded around 1520–30. Incidently, the prefix grand- is used to refer to a person who is one generation removed, and the prefix great- indicates yet another generation.

boy sitting at table with open book   woman sitting at table with cup of coffee   grandmother in rocking chair knitting   great-grandmother in rocking chair knitting

Following this convention, 'great-great-grandmother' would be fēowerþe mōdor (fourth mother) and great-great-great-grandmother would be fīfte mōdor (fifth mother). Given that the average person lived just 35 years in the Early Middle Ages when Old English was spoken, few people back then would have had use for these terms. Other than speaking of mothers who were long since gone, of course.

boy sitting at table with open book   woman sitting at table with cup of coffee   grandmother in rocking chair knitting   great-grandmother in rocking chair knitting   great-great-grandmother in rocking chair knitting

However, that is not true today. There have been a few cases of single families with six generations alive at the same time. And even one family with seven. This occurred with the birth of Christopher John Bollig on January 21, 1989, which made Augusta Bunge Pagel a very-much-alive sixte mōdor – that is, a great-great-great-great-grandmother!

boy sitting at table with open book   woman sitting at table with cup of coffee   grandmother in rocking chair knitting   great-grandmother in rocking chair knitting   great-great-grandmother in rocking chair knitting   great-great-great-grandmother in rocking chair knitting

According to Guinness World Records, Augusta was born on October 13, 1879 in Tonawanda, New York. This made her 109 years, 3 months, and 8 days old at the time. Followed by her daughter Ella Sabin (aged 89), her granddaughter Anna Wendlandt (70), her great-granddaughter Betty Wolter (52), her great-great-granddaughter Debra Bollig (33), her great-great-great-granddaughter Lori Bollig (15), and her great-great-great-great-grandson Christopher.

boy sitting at table with open book   woman sitting at table with cup of coffee   grandmother in rocking chair knitting   great-grandmother in rocking chair knitting   great-great-grandmother in rocking chair knitting   great-great-great-grandmother in rocking chair knitting   great-great-great-great-grandmother in rocking chair knitting

Augusta died on May 18, 1989 in Medford, Wisconsin – no doubt quite proud of her amazing family!

(In case you're wondering, the images in the title of this word game form a rebus puzzle: ANTI + GRAMS = ANTIGRAMS)

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