Manny 1
Name
Professor
Course
5 September 2016
Introduction
Family is a fluid word that can be understood in the traditional sense of a married heterosexual couple with a son and a daughter. The notion of family has changed. There are also concepts of extended family based on the previously mentioned traditional model that also includes grandparents on both of the biological children’s parts, as well as aunts, uncles and cousins.
The traditional definition of family stems from the early 15th Century which also includes the servants of a household or an estate. The Online Etymology Dictionary defines the word family from the Latin word familia which means the members of a household, the estate, property; the household, including relatives and servants. Early origins did not mean mother, father and children. The word domus (domestic) was used for this.
Now, in modern times the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines family as “a group of people who are related to each other.” Family is also a word that is linked to people who live under the same roof and also linked to common ancestry, as well as common race. These definitions have changed greatly as we can see there are more multicultural family units that differ in common ancestry and common race.
The thesis of this essay is to show how the family structure has changed by giving concrete examples of the variety of families which exist.
Various Formations of the Family Unit
The various formations of the family unit are changing rapidly. A family unit could comprise of two adults and children. With the increasing acceptance of homosexual and/or same-sex couples, those two adults could be of same-sex that are either raising children and/or do not have any children. Family could consist of a married couple with either grown or small children living with grandparents. A family could consist of adopted children with two adults raising them. With many single mothers and even single fathers raising children, these combinations too can also be a viable family unit. A family unit does not necessarily need to consist of people who are bound by blood. Friends can sometimes live under the same roof and mean more to one another than how they feel about their blood relatives. Common-law relationships are also becoming increasingly more acceptable where a couple that is not legally married may be raising children and/or not raising children. In African cultures aunts and uncles are seen as parental figures and may also live under the same roof in a family unit, as well as grandparents and/or cousins. Brothers and sisters can also live together making for a family unit without the parents, unfortunately at times due to situations such as immigration and/or deaths in the family. Adult children may be returning the love of their parents throughout the years by taking care of their parents, as well; seniors may be helping seniors as a family unit. A wealthy person who can afford a servant, may be single or widowed and their domestic is the only family that they have.
Today we have many definitions of family which have all been determined by cultural context.Family does not only need to be bound by blood, which the institution of marriage proves. There are also families where a couple may have adopted a child and the child or adopted children are not blood relatives, however a family is formed.
In Jewish cultures, if the mother is Jewish, then the children are considered Jewish as well regardless of whom the woman marries. This is a maternal society. Other societies are paternal where the definition of the culture tendency within the home safety net is defined through the lineage of the male parent. In modern times throughout the Western Hemisphere, both biological parents tend to define the cultural definition of the offspring and/or children. In cases of adoption, where even perhaps the adoption may be an open one or a mixed race adoption, all of the cultures that contribute to the love of the family are considered important for understanding that family’s cultural mix for Western cultures.
Families will not always have a biological element. Today we see groups with no biological connections securely creating situations wherein children are reared by extended members of the family due to need or choice. The definition of biological family cannot be limited to the Western concept alone. Expanding beyond the Western cultures, we see many family relationships which indicate that there cannot be a single definition for family. For example, the Nairs of India have situations where “three or four men have a wife in common, each of them can have a second wife in common with another three or more men, and similarly a third and a fourth and so on” (The Family).
It is clear that the evolution of the word family from “familia” referring to servants or domestic employees to “familiar” meaning “close friendship” (Online Etymology Dictionary) has followed the need and permission of society and exists in context of these societies. Western civilization has changed dramatically from clearly defined roles and expectations of the members of a family to groups of individuals who band together for personal satisfaction and needs. These sub-cultures of a society in general will continue to adjust to the needs of that society. Today there is no one definition for family; the definition depends upon context, but the overall requirement for any family formation is that it perpetuates its basic reason for existing. Now I will conclude.
Conclusion
The word family conjures up different mental pictures depending upon personal experiences. One common mental picture of family in the Western world might be mother, father, and children. A more expanded common mental picture of family in the Western world might include relatives (both blood related or related by marriage). While these definitions can be agreed upon when referring to people who are related to each other, they are not the only definitions of family in existence. The term family describing people who band together for a purpose has evolved and adapted to fit cultural requirements. Today there is no one definition for family; the definition depends upon context, but the overall requirement for any family formation is that it perpetuates its basic reason for existing.
Works Cited
Diem, Gordon. “The Definition of Family in a Free Society.” Formulations. Formulations, Spring 1997. Web. 9 May 2016.
Engels, Frederick. “The Family.” Origins of the Family, Private Property, and the State. marxists.org. 4 October 2010. Web. April 16, 2016.
“family.” Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, 2011. Web. 8 May 2016.
“family” etymonline.com. Online Etymology Dictionary. n.d. Web. May 1, 2016.
Gabel, A. “The Marriage Crisis.” Virginia. Virginia, Summer 2012. Web. 22 May 2016.
“The Twelve Traditions.” Al-Anon Family Groups, al-anon.org. n.d. Web. May, 9, 2016.