Re: Word(s) Describing Family Relationship
- From: Robin Bignall <docrobin@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 01 Oct 2009 22:59:12 +0100
On Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:05:25 +0100, "Richard Chambers"
<richard.chambers7_NoSpam_@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Mardon wroteIs a wife a blood relative? I think not, unless she's your sister.
All of my _______ relatives are dead.
Is there an adjective that will make the above sentence include all of my
ancestors and all of my ancestors' descendents but not my own children and
their descendents? Alternatively, is there a noun that can replace
"_______ relatives" to achieve my stated goal?
I'll acknowledge the potential for turning this thread into a joke about
in-laws and deadbeat relatives. Have fun if you want but I hope there's
at
least one serious answer in the mix. Thanks.
All of my antecedent relatives are dead.
Unfortunately, this tells us nothing about your brothers, sisters and
cousins, who you say are to be *specifically* included amongst the dead.
There is a similar objection, in my opinion, to "ancestral", suggested by
HVS.
All of my close (blood) relations, except for my progeny, are dead.
You would keep the word "blood" if your wife is still alive, but omit it if
she is dead.
--
Robin
(BrE)
Herts, England
.
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