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Pedants' corner

Terms of reference for a very pedantic poster...

9 replies

No1ErmaBombeckfan · 19/03/2008 18:00

My husband's brothers and sisters are my in-laws...what (if any) relation are their spouses to me - in-laws? Wife/husband to in-law?? outlaws???

I know - v petty....

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whineywhingeybratsmom · 19/03/2008 18:01

in laws

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Taweret · 19/03/2008 18:09

in-laws.

not out-laws
or shake-it-all-about laws.

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MaryAnnSmotheredinchocolate · 19/03/2008 18:12

in laws too,I'd say

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onepieceoflollipop · 19/03/2008 18:20

I am not sure if they are really your in-laws, or technically only your husband's in-laws? However it is traditional imo to refer to them as your in-laws rather than just his.

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No1ErmaBombeckfan · 19/03/2008 18:22

But by that reasoning that would mean that their mums would also be in-laws - heaven forbid - one MIL is enough!!!

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onepieceoflollipop · 19/03/2008 20:13

No1 you mean one MIL is "more than enough"

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No1ErmaBombeckfan · 19/03/2008 20:22

Of all places to !!... perhaps I deserve to leave the lounge and face the corner ...

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No1ErmaBombeckfan · 19/03/2008 20:29

Waving as I leave... Of all places to make a mistake

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Bink · 20/03/2008 12:52

the French sense of in-laws extends to those in-laws-once-removed which you cite ... the English doesn't.

So they are "dh's in-laws", or "my BIL's wife" etc.

Or, indeed, inlawsonceremoved

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