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  1. Your blood-related brother's wife? If she is older or younger than you?

I came up with a discussion some time ago. But, nobody or my friends seem to know. How should I address her?

  1. Your blood-related sister's husband?
  2. What if they are just or god brother or god sister?
Mari-Lou A
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Crazy
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    Seems like you don't want to call your brother-in-law that, and your sister-in-law that, either? Their ages matter? Any reasons? – Yosef Baskin Aug 01 '17 at 02:32
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    English kinship terms are very sloppy from most other cultures' viewpoint. We don't distinguish father's brother from mother's brother (they're both "uncle"), nor father's brother's female children from father's mother's male children (they're both "cousin"). All siblings' spouses are siblings-in-law; your sister's husband (of any age) is your brother-in-law, and your brother's wife of any age is your sister-in-law. And it doesn't matter how old you are or how old your brother or sister is, either. Nor whether blood is involved. These aren't important and aren't remarked. – John Lawler Aug 01 '17 at 02:51

1 Answers1

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  1. Your brother's wife, no matter what his age, is called a sister-in-law.
  2. Your sister's husband is a brother-in-law.
  3. As far as I know, there's no specific term if your sibling is a god brother or god sister, other than god sister's husband or god brother's wife.
Mary
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    Surprises me, I always called my wife's family my 'in-laws'. My brother's wife's family are "my brother's in-laws". – user1661469 Aug 01 '17 at 04:08