stepgrandparents and relational ambiguity (UNCLASSIFIED)

Mullins, Bill AMRDEC Bill.Mullins at US.ARMY.MIL
Thu Jan 22 16:34:24 UTC 2009


Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

>
> Another sort of ambiguity is "my grandmother," one that implies that
> you have only one living, though that's not necessarily the case. My
> friend (instead of a friend of mine) also has this problem.
>

This ambiguity is a function of not using the available words.  I have a
paternal grandmother, and a maternal grandmother.

Brothers/sisters-in-law are the ones I wish were more specific.  My
brother's wife is my sister-in-law, as is my wife's sister.  But the
relationship seems different to me.
Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org



More information about the Ads-l mailing list