Charles Timoney Quote
In France the concept of la belle famille – in-laws – is broader than that in the UK where the term brother-in-law is limited to my wife’s brother or my sister’s husband. Seen from a French point of view, my beau-frère – brother-in-law – also includes my wife’s sister’s husband, while my wife’s brother’s wife is my belle-sœur – sister-in-law. Having more brothers- and sisters-in-law than you would otherwise have may well strike you as a great reason to come to live in France. But why do they use the words beau or belle? Are French familys-in-law more beautiful or handsome than anyone else’s? Apparently not: it seems that the use of these words goes back to the Middle Ages where they were originally used simply as a mark of affection. French brothers- and sisters-in-law thus may be more numerous than in the UK but they are not necessarily any better looking. Unless, of course, they’re mine.
In France the concept of la belle famille – in-laws – is broader than that in the UK where the term brother-in-law is limited to my wife’s brother or my sister’s husband. Seen from a French point of view, my beau-frère – brother-in-law – also includes my wife’s sister’s husband, while my wife’s brother’s wife is my belle-sœur – sister-in-law. Having more brothers- and sisters-in-law than you would otherwise have may well strike you as a great reason to come to live in France. But why do they use the words beau or belle? Are French familys-in-law more beautiful or handsome than anyone else’s? Apparently not: it seems that the use of these words goes back to the Middle Ages where they were originally used simply as a mark of affection. French brothers- and sisters-in-law thus may be more numerous than in the UK but they are not necessarily any better looking. Unless, of course, they’re mine.