kin

[bieasy]

Hi,

Is the following sentence correct?

'They're cousins so they cannot have children for kin reasons.'

 

[Rover_KE]

Hi,

Is the following sentence correct?

'They're cousins so they cannot have children for kin reasons.'

A better word for 'kin' would be inbreeding.

However, marriage between first cousins is legal in very many countries, including Brazil, and nothing prevents them having children.

Rover

 

[euncu]

Hi,

Is the following sentence correct?

'They're cousins so they cannot have children for kin reasons.'

Cousins are no mules, so they can have children. But the problem is that their children can suffer serious genetic anomalies.

 

[bieasy]

Cousins are no mules, so they can have children. But the problem is that their children can suffer serious genetic anomalies.

But is the term 'kin reasons' correct?

 

[Barb_D]

No.

"Kin" simply means relatives. It tends to be a Southern expression in the US.

 

[Offroad]

Cousins are no mules,

gave me a belly laugh!:lol::lol:

 

[BobK]

No.

"Kin" simply means relatives. It tends to be a Southern expression in the US.

:up: It sounds to me like shorthand for an archaic phrase (possibly from The Book of Common Prayer:? - something like 'marriages that are proscribed for reasons of proximity of kinship'.

b

 

[Barb_D]

Do you use "kin" in the UK?

We used to have big family reunions. I always enjoyed that whole "second cousin once removed" calculation process. My aunt would call me over and give me two relatives and ask me how they were related, and I'd to my thing... first cousin, twice removed, etc. And she'd laugh and say "Sure they are, baby doll. But we just call 'em kin." I'd fall for it every year.

 

[tedtmc]

A better word for 'kin' would be inbreeding.

They're cousins so they cannot have children for inbreeding reasons. - this doesn't sound right either, does it?

They're cousins so they cannot have children for biological reasons. ?

 

[Barb_D]

The thing is, they CAN have children. Whether it's advised or not is the issue. (Hence the apt "mule" comment.)

I can't think of a single word for this. Because of concerns of passing on congenital disorders, maybe. But that would apply only if both of the cousins had the problem genes in the first place.

 

[emsr2d2]

We do use the term "kin" in BrE but rarely alone. "Friends and relatives" are sometimes referred to as "kith and kin" (Middle English origin, I understand).

The most common usage that I can think of is "next of kin" - when you are asked to provide emergency contact details by your employer or when undergoing surgery, you're normally asked to provide details of your "next of kin" - your closest family member so that they can be notified in case of any problems.

As various people have said, in most countries, first cousins are free to marry and procreate. It may not be a good idea for the reasons given, but it's not against the law in most places!

As far as the original question goes, I can't think of a way of saying it. Every website I've looked at simply describe the reasons for cousins not marrying as "the heightened risk of congenital defects" or a similar phrase.

 

[BobK]

Do you use "kin" in the UK?

We used to have big family reunions. I always enjoyed that whole "second cousin once removed" calculation process. My aunt would call me over and give me two relatives and ask me how they were related, and I'd to my thing... first cousin, twice removed, etc. And she'd laugh and say "Sure they are, baby doll. But we just call 'em kin." I'd fall for it every year.

Yes, we use it occasionally, but chiefly (I'd say...) in idiomatic expressions like 'kith and kin'. And, as I said, we use 'kinship' (and 'kindred' - only in the phrase 'kindred spirit'). We also use the prepositional phrase 'akin to' (meaning like), which I imagine is related.

I note 'kin' chiefly in old songs - such as

Glad tidings we bring
To you and your kin​

(commonly changed to 'you and your kinG', with more concern for rhyme than for reason ;-))

b

 

[SoothingDave]

Not a teacher.

Maybe "taboo" is the word to be used here.

 

[tedtmc]

Not a teacher.

Maybe "taboo" is the word to be used here.

'They're cousins so they cannot have children for taboo reasons.' ?

I think taboo has the connotation of irrational beliefs.

 

[SoothingDave]

Taboo means that society deems it to be unacceptable. It may have a basis in reason, or it may not. In the case of cousins marrying, it's a little of both. There is an elevated risk of birth defects, but not as high a risk as many people think.

 

[bieasy]

What about that:

They cannot have children for consanguinity reasons.

or

They cannot have children for intermarrying reasons.

Are they correct?

 

[BobK]

What about that:

They cannot have children for consanguinity reasons.

or

They cannot have children for intermarrying reasons.

Are they correct?

Consanguinity is a good word - :up:. But - more so than in languages based on Latin - it's rather formal; and in any case, I wouldn't use it as a pre-modifier. But 'for reasons of consanguinity' would do very well, in the right context (formal/legalistic/academic...). I wouldn't have used 'intermarrying' - though some might - as it suggests tautology: 'they shouldn't marry [each other] because of restrictions on intermarrying'. Consanguinity is about blood relations, not marriage.

;-)

b