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Not quite what you're talking about but this Apple doc page has always amused me: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/contacts/cnlabelcontactrelationyoung
by hayleox 1y ago
Not quite what you're talking about but this Apple doc page has always amused me: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/contacts/cnlabelcontactrelationyoungercousinmotherssistersson https://developer.apple.com/documentation/contacts/cnlabelco...
I have to assume that there exists some language where that relationship is described in one word, but it hurts my English-oriented brain.
- peterfirefly 1y agoThere are indeed languages that don't have the word "cousin" -- or "uncle" or "aunt".
- alt227 1y agoBut I would bet that those variable labels are never translated into other languages.
- account42 1y agoPresumably those enums are used to select localized labels and you need all these cases to cover unique words / phrases that exist in the supported languages for specific familiar relations.
- delecti 1y agoAnd conversely, there are languages with different words for "father's sister" and "mother's sister", and for male vs female cousins, etc.
- peterfirefly 1y agoAnd we don't even have to get exotic for that. My language, Danish, is just a run-of-the-mill Germanic language and those terms are "faster", "moster", "fætter", and "kusine". Some of the East Asian languages are crazy regarding terms for family members. It's like learning foreign words for plants: I just give up. I will not even attempt to learn them.
- pkaye 1y agoThere are also languages where the relative age difference changes how you address a relative. Like if your father is older or younger than their sibling, the way your address that uncle or aunt changes. There is another way you address them if they are the oldest or youngest uncle/aunt. Similar but slightly different on the mothers side.