Re: Words for family groups

Irina Rempt-Drijfhout wrote:

> On Thu, 20 May 1999, FFlores wrote:
>
> >    "A is the father of B"
> >    "B is the son of A"
> > ==> "A and B are *X"
>
> > I'd like to know if this sounds likely and natural
> > (if some natlang has it, preferably).
>
> At least it sounds as if it should exist, if it doesn't. Very useful
> kinship term.
>
> Dutch doesn't even have a word for "siblings" (conversely, Valdyan
> has only a word for "sibling", not for "brother" or "sister").
>
> There should also a word for what your parents are of your
> parents-in-law, I think.
Exactly.  I agree with Irina.  And I especially like your suggestionA
and B are X.  For us, of course, that is usually filled with
"father and son," "mother and daughter";  we have "siblings"
for "sister and brother," but we also need "Aunt and niece,"
"Aunt and nephew," "Uncle and nephew," "uncle and niece,"
and I've always lamented the absence, in English, of being
able to distinguish your male cousin from your female cousine.

Sally