Who is your “SIL”?

[Raincloudsonasunnyday]

Is it:

1. your DH’s sister
2. your brother’s wife
3. your DH’s brother’s wife
4. 1 and 2 only
5. all of 1, 2 and 3?

Having a not-quite-an-argument with my DH.

I find English less confusing than French (my other main language): French has the same issue with SIL & BIL, but also only has one word to mean mother/ father-in-law and stepmother/ stepfather. And they don't have any word for stepbrother/stepsister. You have to say 'the daughter of my stepfather' (which could also mean my father-in-law and so be a very round about way of referring to my sister-in-law).

I don't have anyone in category 3 of the OP, but I do have my siblings' spouses' siblings, whom I consider to be extended family. I just call them by their names, though, not BIL or SIL.

4

All of them - except DH doesn't have any sisters!

Only 1 and 2 for me.

1 and 2 only. I wouldn't call my dh's sisters husband my BIL.

I would call nieces and nephews though there is a bit of distinction as when it comes to organising things (outings/ presents) I do my side and dh does his.

DP doesn’t have brothers so I had to think. I’d call his sister my SIL but her husband isn’t my BIL. So I think option 4 – one and two only. Otherwise you could go on and on: my sister’s partner’s sister’s husband’s sister, etc.

1 and 2 only. Otherwise where does it stop? Do my H's siblings spouse's siblings also become in-laws? Or my siblings spouse's siblings? Because if they are my SIL/BIL, then by extension their parents must also be my PIL. Which is clearly nonsense!

I just call them by their names.

I have one of each of these - husband’s sister, brother’s wife, and husband’s brother’s wife - and I tend to refer to them all by those titles rather than as my sister-in-law anyway. It saves me saying “my sister-in-law said…” and the person I’m talking to saying “which one?”

6 Your daughter's husband

(just to point out the absurdity of MN acronyms)