Who is a brother-in-law: unraveling the complex family ties of Ukrainians.

According to ТСН: The Ukrainian system of family relationship terms is quite complex and precise. Besides blood relatives, there are also people in our circle of communication who are related by marriage. While the terms 'mother-in-law' and 'father-in-law' are well understood, the word 'brother-in-law' often raises questions.

Many Ukrainians confuse 'brother-in-law' with 'brother-in-law (brother of a spouse)', even though this term encompasses several different meanings. According to academic dictionaries of the Ukrainian language, brother-in-law refers to:

1. the husband of one's sibling;
2. the husband of a sister;
3. the spouse of a sister-in-law (sister of one’s spouse).

Origins and Variations

The etymology of this word has Western roots. It comes from the German language (Schwager - brother of a wife or husband of a sister) and likely entered Ukrainian through Polish. The word has become rooted in both literary and colloquial language, becoming a common term for a relative by marriage. In various regions of Ukraine, there are dialectical variants of this word that differ in accent or pronunciation but retain the same meaning:

• shvager;
• shvagor;
• shvagro;
• shovgor;
• shvagerko.

Although for some this word may seem outdated or dialectal, it remains in active use in everyday communication and helps clearly define family connections without unnecessary explanations.

It is also worth noting that among Ukrainians there is a growing interest in dialectal terms, which are actively discussed on social media. One such word is 'piets' - a colloquial dialectism popular in western Ukraine, particularly in Galicia, meaning a stove for heating or cooking food. This word is documented in Ukrainian dictionaries as normative and has Polish origins (from piec). In Lviv, a 'piets' traditionally referred to a large tiled stove, and the word itself has given rise to a number of fixed expressions still used today.

The modern language is continually evolving, and its richness is revealed not only in official terms but also in the lively, everyday vocabulary. Dialectisms like 'brother-in-law' and 'piets' highlight the diversity of cultural heritage and linguistic tradition, preserving the identity of the Ukrainian people. Among the youth, there is a revival of interest in such words, making them an integral part of modern language.