need some help from foreign members

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groveratgroverat
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
We have quite a few different languages represented here, and I feel an obligation to use that to make up for a glaring omission in the English language.



How do those who speak languages other than English refer to the children of your sisters/brothers in a general term?



Obviously; they are nieces (girls) and nephews (boys) in English, but there is no gender-less term in English.



mom + dad = parents

brother + sister = siblings

niece + nephew = ?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 3
    giaguaragiaguara Posts: 2,724member
    unsure whether i get you right (must be the hour)



    but... in italian spanish and portuguese we have the plural as the masculine - when there is (possibly) at least one male member included.



    e.g.



    zia + zio = zii (uncles); zie ONLY if ONLY consist of aunts

    figlia + figlio = figli (kids); figlie ONLY when females only

    cugina + cugino ecc ecc all the same logic.



    dont ask the specific terms.. i try to avoid the relatives as far as i can <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" />
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  • Reply 2 of 3
    groveratgroverat Posts: 10,872member
    I know Spanish, and the plural as masculine is always a bit troubling. I suppose the English equivalent would be " nieces + nephews = nephews ".
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  • Reply 2 of 3
    spartspart Posts: 2,060member
    Sibling's children.
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