Todd of Port Jefferson, New York, is looking for a positive term that goes beyond the absence of bias: not merely “un-hate,” tolerance, or colorblindness, but active kinship, curiosity, and regard across difference. One candidate is allophilia...
A woman in Farmers Branch, Texas, explains how the simple term cousin succinctly denotes a complicated relationship. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “”Cousin” is a Word for Complicated Relationships”...
A transgender and gender-nonconforming listener wonders if there’s a gender-neutral term for “aunt” or “uncle.” Some people have suggested pibling, meaning the “sibling of one’s parent.” Others have...
Auntie and uncle are often used beyond the family tree as respectful terms for older adults who are close to the family but not blood relatives. Listeners reported this pattern in Uganda, Kenya, Cameroon, South Africa, India, the Philippines...
What’s the difference between a second cousin and a cousin once removed? Here’s a helpful chart from Genealogy.com. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Genealogy Chart” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Good...

