Friday, February 7, 2020

phrase usage - Are "maternal uncle" or "cousin brother" commonly used in English?


Expressions like "maternal uncle" (meaning mother's brother) or "cousin brother" (meaning male cousin), used commonly in e.g. Indian English, define more subtly the relationship between people in question.


But are these used in standard English (British, American)?



Answer



From the perspective of a British English speaker I would not use 'cousin brother' but as Alexander mentions in his comment 'male cousin' is used on occasion, where clarity is needed. But most of the time I would just mention my cousin by name.


I have used the phrase 'maternal uncle' myself, but that was when I was discussing medical history with a doctor where knowing which family line I was referring to was important.


Phrases like 'maternal uncle' or 'paternal aunt' are not used in everyday speech by most people. These phrases are rather formal and mostly likely used in specific circumstances such as legal or medical matters.



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