# What do I call my son-in-law's parents? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 19, 2000, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-call-my-son-in-laws-parents/46360 "2000-12-19T16:08:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jdl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@jdl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jdl)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-call-my-son-in-laws-parents/46360/1 "2000-12-19T16:08:09Z")
I say: “My in-laws”. That is the way I’ve always heard the term being used to describe that relaytion. 1. Is this accurate strictly speaking? 2. If not, then when does the popular will of a billion English-speakers change make it so? ---
**Author:** ![melchizedek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7cd45c/32.png) [@melchizedek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melchizedek)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-call-my-son-in-laws-parents/46360/2 "2000-12-19T16:13:31Z")
As there is no direct marital link to yourself, there aren’t your in-laws. They should be described as your daughter’s in-laws, as they are her husband’s parents. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-call-my-son-in-laws-parents/46360/3 "2000-12-19T16:23:29Z")
I believe the correct term is _“those cheap bastards who wouldn’t even pay for the wedding reception”_ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![G.B.H.Hornswoggler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c67d28/32.png) [@G.B.H.Hornswoggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G.B.H.Hornswoggler)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-call-my-son-in-laws-parents/46360/4 "2000-12-19T16:25:50Z")
In most families, there is a choice of various terms of opprobrium, but I find just calling them late to dinner is enough. ---
**Author:** ![xicanorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/a88e57/32.png) [@xicanorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xicanorex)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-call-my-son-in-laws-parents/46360/5 "2000-12-19T16:32:26Z")
Of course if you lived in a Spanish-speaking country it would be easy: Consuegros just my .2 cents. XicanoreX ---
**Author:** ![jdl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@jdl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jdl)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-call-my-son-in-laws-parents/46360/6 "2000-12-19T16:38:47Z")
Here is just one of millions of references to using the term “in-laws” to refer to the other set of parents: [Robert Ebert on “Father of the Bride”] The best moments in the movie are not, however, the passages of obvious comedy (I didn’t much go for the extended set-piece that involved Martin visiting his in-laws’ bathroom and ending up in the swimming pool). This is a movie with heart… Source: [http://www.suntimes.com/ebert/ebert\_reviews/1991/12/686197.html](http://www.suntimes.com/ebert/ebert_reviews/1991/12/686197.html) Is Roger Ebert wrong? Or is he, like the rest of us, using this term in an equally legitimate way? ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-call-my-son-in-laws-parents/46360/7 "2000-12-19T16:47:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Coldfire \* > \*\*I believe the correct term is _“those cheap bastards who wouldn’t even pay for the wedding reception”_ 😃 \*\* You could also go with _“The psychotic bitch and her lazy good-for-nothing husband”_ or perhaps _“Those people”_. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-call-my-son-in-laws-parents/46360/8 "2000-12-19T16:57:40Z")
Out-laws? :D:D The generational flip-side, your mother’s husband’s children would be your step-siblings. So maybe some sort of step-_something_ term. How 'bout co-parents? [hijack] One of the definitions of “sister-in-law” is “the wife of the brother of one’s husband or wife”. When I refer to my wife’s brother and his wife, I say “my brother-in-law and sister-in-law”. Then if I mention their kids, I get looks the comments like, “Your wife’s brother and sister got married? Ewwww!” [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Lnix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/fbc32d/32.png) [@Lnix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lnix)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-call-my-son-in-laws-parents/46360/9 "2000-12-19T17:00:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kinsey \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Coldfire \* > > \*\*I believe the correct term is _“those cheap bastards who wouldn’t even pay for the wedding reception”_ 😃 \*\* > > You could also go with _“The psychotic bitch and her lazy good-for-nothing husband”_ or perhaps _“Those people”_. > 😉 \*\* I’ve always thought “limpdick” and “skank-whore” had a nice snap to it ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-call-my-son-in-laws-parents/46360/10 "2000-12-19T18:31:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AWB \* > \*\*[hijack] > One of the definitions of “sister-in-law” is “the wife of the brother of one’s husband or wife”. When I refer to my wife’s brother and his wife, I say “my brother-in-law and sister-in-law”. Then if I mention their kids, I get looks the comments like, “Your wife’s brother and sister got married? Ewwww!” > [/hijack] \*\* I don’t think the spouses of your husband’s (or wife’s) siblings are technically related to you. (At least, that’s what I always thought) Your wife’s brother is your brother-in-law; his wife is just your brother-in-law’s wife. You can call her your “sister-in-law”, though, for clarity in conversation. Example: I have three sisters. We are all married. Our husbands are not really related to each other, other than the fact that they are all married to sisters. They do call each other their “brother-in-law”, but IIRC, they are’t _technically_ in-laws. (I could be wrong…) ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-call-my-son-in-laws-parents/46360/11 "2000-12-19T18:43:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kinsey \* > \*\*I have three sisters. We are all married. Our husbands are not really related to each other, other than the fact that they are all married to sisters. They do call each other their “brother-in-law”, but IIRC, they are’t _technically_ in-laws. > (I could be wrong…) \*\* **sis•ter-in-law** pron: (sis’tur-in-lô"), —n., —pl. sis•ters-in-law. 1. the sister of one’s husband or wife. 2. the wife of one’s brother. _3. the wife of the brother of one’s husband or wife._ Definition 3 is the one I was referring to. I’ve seen it in many dictionaries. It makes sense in that the [niblings](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=8597#post151064) of one spouse are the niblings of the other. “Aunt Clara and Uncle-in-law John” seems rather awkward. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-call-my-son-in-laws-parents/46360/12 "2000-12-19T18:56:30Z")
I’d say in-laws is accurate, at least according to the [dictionary definition](http://www.dictionary.com/cgi-bin/dict.pl?term=in-law) of the word: > [@](#): > > in-law n : a relative by marriage Of course, that’s kind of playing loose with the term… ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-call-my-son-in-laws-parents/46360/13 "2000-12-19T19:09:46Z")
There’s a word in Yiddish as well as Spanish: makhatunem (plural) or makhatunista (adjective, I think) There aint a word in English. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-call-my-son-in-laws-parents/46360/14 "2000-12-19T19:35:08Z")
If you have a cooperative relationship with your daughter’s in-laws, I’d say call them your co-parents-in-law. Later, you may be able to refer to them as co-grandparents, or the other grandparents. This is how my mother referred to my brother’s in-laws until they became “those people”. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-call-my-son-in-laws-parents/46360/15 "2000-12-19T19:39:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AWB \* > \*\*_3. the wife of the brother of one’s husband or wife._ > > Definition 3 is the one I was referring to. I’ve seen it in many dictionaries. > \*\* > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by smackfu_ > \*\*…at least according to the dictionary definition of the word: > > _in-law n : a relative by marriage_\*\* Well, okay. It does make more sense. (I did say I might be wrong.) _::: off to find the dictionary and keep it by the computer :::_ ---
**Author:** ![broccoli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@broccoli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/broccoli)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-call-my-son-in-laws-parents/46360/16 "2000-12-19T19:45:35Z")
I would hope you would just call them ‘Friends’ ---
**Author:** ![Tiburon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e36b37/32.png) [@Tiburon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tiburon)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2000, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-call-my-son-in-laws-parents/46360/17 "2000-12-20T05:10:55Z")
Well, what are their names? If you want to do it by describing the relationship, well, we all know exactly who you are talking about because you described them perfectly - as your son-in-law’s parents. Tibs