some adults in the clan

[keannu]

It may be too vague to define "clan" in English, and in Korea, we start from same-named people such as "Yun" (my family name) and under it are several clans based on specific areas like "Papyung(area) Yun" or "Haepyung(are) Yun" and further into each clan are sub-clans. I don't think I can compare Korean family system to American or English family one.
So can you roughly tell me the boundary of clan, like they have several groups under the top "Smith"?

st101
ex)Ara worked hard on the field that day, and her husband, Urgh, had departed several days before to go hunting with some adults with some adults in the clan....

 

[SoothingDave]

In the US, there is no such identification system. Two people with the same surname may not be related at all.

Ku Klux Klan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And these guys pretty much ruined the word "clan" for everyone.

 

[Tullia]

In the UK it's not in general use either, unless you are referring to Scottish clans.

The names/details in the example you give sound somewhat prehistoric in tone, and we do use "clan" simply to mean family/extended family group when talking about people of such an era.

 

[Barb_D]

Pretty much all I know about clans is from reading highly fictionalized romance novels set in the Scottish Highlands in the 1700. Like Tullia, I may say something like "the family reunion was a lot of fun - pretty much the whole clan was there" to simply mean extended family - aunts, uncles, first cousins, children of first cousins, etc. It does not have a strict bundary.And last names don't help, since daughters of a generation ago usually changed their names when they go married. And then I went and married someone with my last name but I assure you, are not related!

 

[keannu]

You mean "clan" is kind of similar to "extended family" except a special group of "Scottish Highlanders"? Then, is it almost equal to "relatives" as well? "Clan", "extended family", and "relatives" seem all similar, and I can't find the difference among them.

In Korea, it's quite complicated, we define up to third-cousins as our relatives. First cousins are the ones with whom we share the same grandfather, second cousins for the same great grandfather, and third cousins for the great-great grandfather. Maybe you don't have to know about this, but I'm quite interested in the difference between "clan", "extended family" and "relatives".

 

[5jj]

'Clan' is not precise unless we are talking about Scottish clans. It can refer to family and/or friends.

See the definition here.

 

[keannu]

Thank you master! I've been wondering where you are, and I even asked other teachers about your whereabouts.
You're finally back, so our learning would be brighter than ever.

 

[5jj]

You're finally back, so our learning would be brighter than ever.

Hmmm. Not everyone would agree with that. ;-)

Still, I'm glad to be back. Thanks for the welcome.

 

[Barb_D]

I may have set a record for typos in that prior post.

Your "clan" in the US is your extended family. As I said, there is no strict definition - it could include your third cousins, your first cousins twice removed, etc. Another word, more in use in the South I think, is "kin."

When I would be at family reunions with my father's extended family, every year, I'd be asked how person A was related to person B... and I'd think and say "oh they're second cousins once removed" (or whatever) and without fail, the person asking would say "Oh Sugar, when are you gonna learn? They're KIN!" Every year, I fell for this.

Even more informally, and often used to talk about a day spent with your spouse's family: And the whole fam damily was there! (A Spoonerism - the whole damn family, but without being rude.)