What do you call...

VydorScope · 08-13-2012, 05:01 PM

Ok, So say I have character named Patty who is married to someone named James. Patty has a brother named Bill. I know that makes James, Bill's brother in law. That is easy, but if James has a father named Doug, what is Doug's relation to Bill? Father in law seems like the logical fit, but I do not think I have ever heard that used that way?

carld · 08-13-2012, 05:08 PM

There's no recognized relationship that I know of. Informally he might be called an Uncle, I suppose.

Ntsimp · 08-13-2012, 05:54 PM

I've met the fathers-in-law of my sisters, but I barely know them. There's no relationship there. If there exists a language with a specific kinship term for that, it must be in a culture very different from mine.

QuantumIguana · 08-13-2012, 06:03 PM

Techically, there's no relationship there at all. Your sister's husband's father isn't your father-in-law, at least not officially. There might be an actual social relationship there, even if there is no legal relationship. It really depends on the people involved. If Bill is close to Patty's father-in-law, Bill might use the term father-in-law even if it doesn't technically apply, just as some people might use aunt and uncle for people who aren't technically your aunts and uncles.

Andrew H. · 08-13-2012, 10:08 PM

There's not an actual relationship. I would probably say "My sister's father-in-law."

08-13-2012, 05:01 PM	#1
VydorScope Wizard Posts: 3,418 Karma: 35207650 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: iPad	What do you call... Ok, So say I have character named Patty who is married to someone named James. Patty has a brother named Bill. I know that makes James, Bill's brother in law. That is easy, but if James has a father named Doug, what is Doug's relation to Bill? Father in law seems like the logical fit, but I do not think I have ever heard that used that way?

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08-13-2012, 05:08 PM	#2
carld Wizard Posts: 2,698 Karma: 4748723 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	There's no recognized relationship that I know of. Informally he might be called an Uncle, I suppose.

08-13-2012, 05:54 PM	#3
Ntsimp Zealot Posts: 149 Karma: 1215642 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Utah Device: iriver Story HD, Android	I've met the fathers-in-law of my sisters, but I barely know them. There's no relationship there. If there exists a language with a specific kinship term for that, it must be in a culture very different from mine.

08-13-2012, 06:03 PM	#4
QuantumIguana Philosopher Posts: 2,034 Karma: 18736532 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2 gen, Kindle Fire 1st Gen, Kindle Touch	Techically, there's no relationship there at all. Your sister's husband's father isn't your father-in-law, at least not officially. There might be an actual social relationship there, even if there is no legal relationship. It really depends on the people involved. If Bill is close to Patty's father-in-law, Bill might use the term father-in-law even if it doesn't technically apply, just as some people might use aunt and uncle for people who aren't technically your aunts and uncles.

08-13-2012, 10:08 PM	#5
Andrew H. Grand Master of Flowers Posts: 2,201 Karma: 8389072 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Naptown Device: Kindle PW, Kindle 3 (aka Keyboard), iPhone, iPad 3 (not for reading)	There's not an actual relationship. I would probably say "My sister's father-in-law."

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