"blood family" = kindred

Thu Mar 24 22:10:44 UTC 2005

At 03:35 PM 3/24/2005, you wrote:
> From "Studio B," Fox News Channel, ten minutes ago:
>
>"The Schindler family, Terri Schiavo's blood family."
>
>"Blood family" is not in OED, though "blood-kin" is dated to
>1880.  Personally, I would have said "birth family," which isn't listed either.
>
>Fox News has been using "blood family" routinely in this case.
>
>JL

Makes it sound more emotionally wrenching??