Anonymous wrote:"Machatunim: The word even contains that satisfying, throat-clearing chhh—machhhh-ah-tun-um.
But there’s another, more pragmatic reason they use this word: It’s super convenient. The word means “the parents of my child’s spouse."
https://slate.com/human-interest/2015/12/machatunim-co-in-laws-english-needs-a-word-for-the-relationship-between-parents-and-in-laws.html
Anonymous wrote:In other languages and cultures there are words for this relationship. It seems that in Hindi/Urdu, Yiddish and Spanish there are such words. Wonder if there are other cultures and languages that has a name for this relationship
-Yiddish machatunim; e parents of the people your children marry are your machatonim (the male is your mechuten, and the female your machatonister).
- Spanish it is consuegros and means "co-in-laws.
- Hindi - Sumdhi (male) and Sumdhan (female).
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:All Indian languages have a word for this! I think it stems from the idea of a marriage as a relationship between families, not just the two people being wed.
+1
It is the coming together of two families and any progeny from the marriage is blood to both families. You have to recognize that.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:All Indian languages have a word for this! I think it stems from the idea of a marriage as a relationship between families, not just the two people being wed.
+1
It is the coming together of two families and any progeny from the marriage is blood to both families. You have to recognize that.
I love this. And I just asked my mother this question in the wording the OP used and she said "polite."
Love this too!