Add a field for "Spouse" category?

[Larry Ward]

I have relastions sensitive to the expression "unmarried" and how that ends up in the book register. Best way to address this? Thanks.

[Deb]

Out of curiosity, what term would you prefer to use to describe their relationship?

[Bob White]

IMHO.... I don't like the term "unmarried" either. When one begins a word with "un", that implies that some sort of relationship (not limited to genealogy) previously existed and it is now "un-ed" or ended. There may be several opinions about the grammar usage BUT.... it is bad grammar to say unmarried. A more accurate term is "Not Married".....

[bmohr]

When one begins a word with "un", that implies that some sort of relationship (not limited to genealogy) previously existed and it is now "un-ed" or ended. There may be several opinions about the grammar usage BUT.... it is bad grammar to say unmarried.

Unthinkable! This unconventional opinion is unfair to our unequalled, unblemished (and occasionally unbearable) language.

While the un- prefix can be used this way (unbend, unwind, undo, unfold), the vast majority of un- words simply express a negative sense of the root word. Just starting alphabetically, we have unabashed, unable, unabridged, unacceptable, unaccompanied, unaccomplished, unaccountable, unaccustomed, unacquainted, etc. None of these imply an "undoing" of a previous state.

Surely you don't think an unbaptized baby had previously been baptized? That unforeseen circumstances had previously been foreseen? That my unfinished research had previously been finished? (I wish!)


As an aside, I was quite amused to find that humorous constructions of the form "un-stampoutable" or "untalkaboutable" are much older than I suspected. The earliest cited in the O.E.D. ("uncome-at-able") dates to the late 17th century.

[Michael Talibard]

Thanks, Brad. As a former English teacher, I really enjoyed that. Unparalleled!

[Gregg]

Back to Larry's original concern (although I enjoyed Bob and Brad's observations)...

Open the Reunion Fields Settings panel and select Family and then Marriage...

The Unmarried field, its abbreviations and Narrative Form can be modified here. Also, there are some other options that might word better like Civil Union or Domestic Partner - these field names can also be modified to something more to your liking.

[kyuck]

Where do I find "Reunion Fields Settings"?

FOUND IT!

Go to Reunion>Settings>Fields>Family>Marriage and the Marriage Fields will be on the left.