Defining family

[Nancy Bradford-Reid]

>Pug writes:
>>Why must it be a pair even. I know families where there are 3 persons
>>who act as parents. As well, are the other members of the family
>>limited to being the children of the parents or are all dependants
>>included?
>
>Then again it could be a *single* parent!
>
>Estrill


Hey, m'lords and ladies, I was only giving the traditional definition of
"nuclear family," with slight alterations allowing for more open
lifestyles.  Y'all can add, modify, subtract, delete, multiply, denote,
connotate, disfigure, disallow, etc. in any way your little hearts desire.
"Family" and "nuclear family" are not and never will be synonymous.  If you
do all of these changes, (except, of course the one that Estrill points
out) then you are no longer discussing "nuclear family" you are now
discussing "family."  The announcement, as Litch will be ever so happy to
tell you, says, "nuclear family."  Let's find another poor equine to
slaughter, eh?

Catherine  @~~:-(

Nan Bradford-Reid
Department of English
The University of Texas
512-471-4991
n.b-reid at mail.utexas.edu