Keith Mack
The English language has a limited vocabulary for describing relationships beyond close blood relatives, and this is especially true for relationships by marriage. The term brother-in-law typically refers to one's wife's or husband's brother, one's sister's husband, or one's sister-in-law's husband. However, when it comes to extended relationships, such as the brother of your brother-in-law or the brother of your spouse's sister, the terminology becomes less clear. In such cases, the phrase brother-in-law once removed or co-brother-in-law might be used to indicate a more distant connection. This concept of removal refers to the generational distance or the number of generations separating two individuals. While there is no widely accepted terminology for these extended relationships in English, other languages like German, Russian, and Vietnamese offer more specific terms to describe these connections.
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What You'll Learn
Brother-in-law vs. brother-in-law once removed
The term "brother-in-law" refers to the brother of one's spouse, or the husband of one's sibling. It is a relationship that is established through marriage rather than blood.
However, the term "brother-in-law once removed" is more complex and there is no clear consensus on its definition. The term "removed" typically refers to vertical distances marked off over time and generations. In this context, it could refer to the brother of one's spouse's sibling-in-law, or the spouse of one's sibling's sibling. This would be a more distant relationship than a traditional brother-in-law, hence the term "once removed".
Some people use the term "brother-in-law" for any relationship by marriage, regardless of distance. They may consider the brother of their spouse's sibling-in-law, or the spouse of their sibling's sibling, to simply be another brother-in-law.
In general, English has limited terminology for relationships by marriage, especially when compared to other languages. This can make it challenging to describe certain relationships, such as the one between a person and their son's brother-in-law, as there is no single word or phrase that accurately captures this connection.
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Limitations of English terminology
English has a limited vocabulary for describing relationships beyond close blood relatives, especially when it comes to relationships by marriage. This can make it challenging to accurately describe certain connections, such as the relationship between a person and their son's brother-in-law or their brother's wife's brother.
For example, consider the following scenario: a person's son has a brother-in-law named Mikey. When addressing their grandson, this person would refer to Mikey as "Uncle Mikey". However, when describing Mikey's relationship to themselves, there is no specific term in English to do so. The closest phrase might be "cousin by marriage once removed", but this is awkward and not entirely accurate.
Similarly, when referring to their son's sister-in-law, a person would simply use that title. However, "sister-in-law" can refer to either their spouse's sister or their spouse's brother's wife, which can lead to confusion, especially in same-sex marriages.
In contrast, some other languages have more complex and nuanced kinship terminology. For instance, German has the word "Schwippschwager" or "Schwiegerschwager", which specifically refers to the spouse of one's brother- or sister-in-law. Russian also has distinct terms for various in-law relationships, such as "невестка" (nevéstka) for a wife's brother or mother's son's wife, and "зять" (zyát’) for one's sister's husband or spouse's sister's husband.
The limitations of English terminology in this area can make it challenging to navigate complex family relationships and may require individuals to rely on lengthy explanations or simply using names when referring to certain connections.
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'Removed' meaning
The term "removed" refers to the “vertical” distances marked off on the diachronic axis, i.e. over time and generations. When two people are married, their families are considered joined by marriage, so all siblings in both families of the married couple are "siblings-in-law" to each other. However, in practice, the term “in-laws” is typically only used for a spouse's family, not for a sibling's spouse's family.
For example, if Jane and John are married, John's brother Adam is Jane's brother-in-law. Jane has a sister named Sue, and Adam is her "sister's brother-in-law". Unless they spend a lot of time together, in which case it might be easier to refer to themselves as “siblings-in-law”.
However, the English language lacks a specific term for certain relationships that are formed through marriage. For instance, there is no simple term for the relationship between a person and their son's brother-in-law, or their son's sister-in-law's husband. In such cases, it is common to refer to these individuals by their relation to one's grandchildren, such as “Uncle Mikey” or “Aunt Sarah”.
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Cousins once removed
The term "cousins once removed" is used to describe cousins who are not in the same generation. In other words, one of the cousins is one generation away from being first cousins. For example, if your first cousin has children, they are your first cousins once removed. In this case, the closest common ancestor shared is your grandparents, but you are 'once removed' from the level of first cousin (held by their parents).
Another example of a cousin once removed would be the child of your first cousin. Your first cousin is in the same generation as you, so their child would be one generation below you. This also works the other way: the parent of your first cousin is also your cousin once removed.
The number before "removed" represents the number of generations you are separated from the cousin. So, cousins who are "twice removed" are two generations removed from each other. This would be the grandchild or grandparent of a second, third, or fourth cousin.
The phrase "once removed" can also be applied to other familial relationships. For example, your parent's cousin is your first cousin, once removed. Although you share the same direct blood relative, there is a generation difference.
It is worth noting that the English language has a limited vocabulary for describing relationships beyond close blood relatives, particularly when it comes to relationships by marriage.
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Brother-in-law in other languages
The concept of "brother-in-law" exists in many languages, although the specific terminology may vary. Here are some examples of how the term "brother-in-law" is expressed in different languages:
- French: In French, there is no specific word for a spouse's brother, but they would typically be referred to as "beau-frère," which literally translates to "beautiful brother."
- Spanish: In Spanish, the term "cuñado" is used for a spouse's brother. Additionally, the word "concuñado" describes the relationship between two people who are brothers-in-law to each other.
- Italian: Similar to Spanish, Italian uses the terms "cognato" and "cognata" for brother-in-law and sister-in-law, respectively.
- German: While the specific terms weren't mentioned, German speakers in the discussion referred to the existence of distinct words like "Schwippschwager," "Schwippschwägerin," "zwager," and "schoonzus" to describe these relationships.
- Slovenian: The words "sogor" and "sogorica" are used for brother-in-law and sister-in-law, respectively, in Slovenian.
It is worth noting that some languages, like English, may not have specific terms for certain extended family relationships, especially those formed through marriage. In such cases, individuals may resort to describing the relationship contextually or using the person's name when introducing them.
Now, to answer your initial question, a brother-in-law once removed refers to a more distant relationship. The term "once removed" indicates a generational difference, meaning the brother-in-law in question is from a different generation than yourself. For example, your son's brother-in-law would be your brother-in-law once removed.
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Frequently asked questions
A brother-in-law is one's wife's or husband's brother, one's sister's husband, or one's sister-in-law's husband.
"Removed" refers to vertical distances marked off on the diachronic axis, i.e. over time and generations.
No, there is no simple term for this relationship. The brother of your brother-in-law is your "cousin-by-marriage once removed", but this phrase is clumsy and not specific enough.
You could refer to him as "my brother's brother-in-law" or "my sister's brother-in-law".
If you spend a lot of time together, it may become more convenient to label yourselves siblings-in-law.
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