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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
Usage
Colloquial usage - family
Hello,
I have been staying in Germany for the last few months. I am not sure if the way I understand 'family' in sentences is the same as the way people here use it. My assumptions (understanding) and questions.
When I say family, I normally mean to say - one's wife and kids. I do not include parents (, brothers and sisters). For example - When I ask, "Do you stay with your family", I mean to inquire if one stays with his wife and kids. On the other hand, if I wanted to know if one stayed with his parents, I would ask, "Do you stay with your parents", even if I knew that the other guy was not married. Am I correct in my usage?
Also, if you knew that the other guy was not married, would you ask, "are you traveling to your family", or, "are you traveling to your parents"? Is the first form of questioning appropriate? Is it common? Would the first form of questioning be correct in written English?
Thanks,
Pradip
I have been staying in Germany for the last few months. I am not sure if the way I understand 'family' in sentences is the same as the way people here use it. My assumptions (understanding) and questions.
When I say family, I normally mean to say - one's wife and kids. I do not include parents (, brothers and sisters). For example - When I ask, "Do you stay with your family", I mean to inquire if one stays with his wife and kids. On the other hand, if I wanted to know if one stayed with his parents, I would ask, "Do you stay with your parents", even if I knew that the other guy was not married. Am I correct in my usage?
Also, if you knew that the other guy was not married, would you ask, "are you traveling to your family", or, "are you traveling to your parents"? Is the first form of questioning appropriate? Is it common? Would the first form of questioning be correct in written English?
Thanks,
Pradip
Top answer
[nq:1]I have been staying in Germany for the last few months. I am not sure if the way I understand ... with your parents", even if I knew that the other guy was not married.
- [nq:1]I have been staying in Germany for the last few months.
- I am not sure if the way I understand ...
- with your parents", even if I knew that the other guy was not married.
- [/nq] "Family" is, indeed, ambiguous, and may be used (in BrE at any rate) to mean spouse/kids, parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts & uncles, cousins, or any combination thereof, pretty much interchangeably.
- Which is why your more precise phrasing of the question is very wise - it's no more "correct" than saying just "family", but it's more likely to yield an unambiguous response.
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24 Answers
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[nq:1]I have been staying in Germany for the last few months. I am not sure if the way I understand ... with your parents", even if I knew that the other guy was not married. Am I correct in my usage?[/nq]
"Family" is, indeed, ambiguous, and may be used (in BrE at any rate) to mean spouse/kids, parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts & uncles, cousins, or any combination thereof, pretty much in
"Family" is, indeed, ambiguous, and may be used (in BrE at any rate) to mean spouse/kids, parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts & uncles, cousins, or any combination thereof, pretty much in
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[nq:1]Hello, I have been staying in Germany for the last few months. I am not sure if the way I ... the first form of questioning appropriate? Is it common? Would the first form of questioning be correct in written English?[/nq]
'family' means different things at different times to different people. For some 'family' includes everyone they are related to. To others, partner and children. Often
'family' means different things at different times to different people. For some 'family' includes everyone they are related to. To others, partner and children. Often
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[nq:1]Hello, I have been staying in Germany for the last few months. I am not sure if the way I ... the first form of questioning appropriate? Is it common? Would the first form of questioning be correct in written English?[/nq]
'family' means different things at different times to different people. For some 'family' includes everyone they are related to. To others, partner and children. Often
'family' means different things at different times to different people. For some 'family' includes everyone they are related to. To others, partner and children. Often
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[nq:1]Hello, I have been staying in Germany for the last few months. I am not sure if the way I ... the first form of questioning appropriate? Is it common? Would the first form of questioning be correct in written English?[/nq]
'family' means different things at different times to different people. For some 'family' includes everyone they are related to. To others, partner and children. Often
'family' means different things at different times to different people. For some 'family' includes everyone they are related to. To others, partner and children. Often
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[nq:1]Hello, I have been staying in Germany for the last few months. I am not sure if the way I ... the first form of questioning appropriate? Is it common? Would the first form of questioning be correct in written English?[/nq]
'family' means different things at different times to different people. For some 'family' includes everyone they are related to. To others, partner and children. Often
'family' means different things at different times to different people. For some 'family' includes everyone they are related to. To others, partner and children. Often
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[nq:1]Hello, I have been staying in Germany for the last few months. I am not sure if the way I ... the first form of questioning appropriate? Is it common? Would the first form of questioning be correct in written English?[/nq]
'family' means different things at different times to different people. For some 'family' includes everyone they are related to. To others, partner and children. Often
'family' means different things at different times to different people. For some 'family' includes everyone they are related to. To others, partner and children. Often
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[nq:1]Hello, I have been staying in Germany for the last few months. I am not sure if the way I ... the first form of questioning appropriate? Is it common? Would the first form of questioning be correct in written English?[/nq]
'family' means different things at different times to different people. For some 'family' includes everyone they are related to. To others, partner and children. Often
'family' means different things at different times to different people. For some 'family' includes everyone they are related to. To others, partner and children. Often
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As others on this thread have noted, "family" can be used in a broad or a narrow sense, and you may have to use more words if you want to be precise. I just want to add two notes.
Sociologists have a technical term, "nuclear family", for the unit consisting just of a husband, a wife, and their children living together. In the U.S., at any rate, that term is fairly widely known among educated p
Sociologists have a technical term, "nuclear family", for the unit consisting just of a husband, a wife, and their children living together. In the U.S., at any rate, that term is fairly widely known among educated p
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[nq:1]Hello, I have been staying in Germany for the last few months. I am not sure if the way I ... with your parents", even if I knew that the other guy was not married. Am I correct in my usage?[/nq]I don't have any problem with the way you use "family", "parents", etc., but I find your examples have an unnatural sound to my ear, primarily because I'm not sure if you're using "stay" as I would u
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This usage is very common in the black community. "Stay" and "live" seem to be used interchangeably.
This usage is very common in the black community. "Stay" and "live" seem to be used interchangeably.
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