GERMAN-GENEALOGY-L Archives

From: "Nelson R. Sulouff" <>
Subject: Re: [Ger-Gen] direct descendant question
Date: Wed, 24 Aug 2005 15:25:52 -0700
References: <004201c5a8d4$c4163510$03e14d0c@LWinBookLaptop>

Hello Laura,

Your question implies that perhaps there is no difference, and I think you have raised a good technical question that begs for some mental gymnastics. In my opinion, being a descendant is like being either pregnant or not being pregnant: you are either a descendant or you are not a descendant. It seems to me there is no universal distinction between the two terms "descendant" and "direct descendant" that would be agreeable to everyone.

Let's put the question this way: how could someone be an indirect descendant? Perhaps a person who uses the term "direct descendant" does so to emphasize that they have a particular surname that is traced uninterrupted all the way back to some early ancestor. Using just the word "descendant" alone would allow the intrusion of distaff surnames into a given lineage back to some early ancestor.

I guess to get the best answer to your question, one should ask a person who uses the term "direct descendant" to explain what they meant by injecting the word "direct."

Cheers,

Nelson
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----- Original Message -----
From: Laura Reinas-Smith
To:
Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2005 10:53 AM
Subject: [Ger-Gen] direct descendant question


Hello,
Can someone tell me the difference between being a "descendant" and a "direct descendant"?
thanks,
Laura

This thread:

• direct descendant question by "Laura Reinas-Smith" <>

  • Re: [Ger-Gen] direct descendant question by "Nelson R. Sulouff" <>