The main difference between conjugal and consanguine family is their members and size. A conjugal family includes two adult spouses and their unmarried, minor children whereas a consanguine family extends beyond a conjugal family as it includes grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Family is the basic social unit of society. It involves a group of people related by consanguinity (biologically related) or by affinity (marriage or law). There are different types of families in society. Conjugal family and consanguine family are two of these types. As their names suggest, conjugal marriages are based on marriage, while consanguine marriages are based on blood relationships.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is a Conjugal Family
– Definition, Nature, Characteristics
2. What is a Consanguine Family
– Definition, Nature, Characteristics
4. What is the Difference Between Conjugal and Consanguine Family
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Conjugal Family, Consanguinal Family, Families
What is a Conjugal Family
A conjugal family is a family that consists of a married couple and their children. To be more specific, a conjugal family includes two adult spouses and their unmarried, minor children. Moreover, a conjugal family may sometimes only include the married couple; this happens if the couple doesn’t have children or if the children are married and have their own family.
Figure 1: A Conjugal Family
A conjugal family is a type of nuclear family. Furthermore, the term conjugal itself refers to a married relationship. It is typically the marriage bond that forms a conjugal family. Once the minor children in the family grow up and get married, they form their own conjugal family. In this type of marriage, the spouses and their children are considered to be of prime importance than other relatives. Ties to the other relatives outside the family are voluntary and based on emotional bonds, instead of strict duties and obligations.
What is a Consanguine Family
The term consanguine basically means related by blood. Therefore, we use the adjective consanguine people who are biologically related to each other. People who are related through adoption or marriage are not consanguine. A consanguine family is a family that extends beyond the conjugal family. In addition to the married couple and their children, this family consists of grandparents, aunts, uncles or cousins, all living in the same household. In other words, it consists of blood relatives in addition to the immediate family. Consanguine family is often used as a synonym for extended family.
Figure 2: Consanguinity
For example, imagine that your father’s parents, his brother and his immediate family, all live in your house. Then, your family can be described as a consanguine family. In this type of household, three or even four generations live under the same household. Moreover, consanguine families are more commonly seen in Asian and African continents.
Furthermore, a consanguine marriage is a marriage between two closely related individuals. Cousin marriages are an example of consanguine marriages.
Difference Between Conjugal and Consanguine Family
Definition
A conjugal family includes two adult spouses and their unmarried, minor children whereas a consanguine family extends beyond a conjugal family
Members
A conjugal family typically includes two adult spouses and their unmarried children while a consanguine family includes grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, all living under one roof.
Basis
As their names imply, conjugal marriages are based on marriage, while consanguine marriages are based on blood relationships.
Size
Moreover, a consanguine family is larger in size than a conjugal family.
Children
A conjugal family only includes unmarried, minor children; however, if the children get married, they form their own conjugal family. In contrast, a consanguine marriage can include married children.
Generations
Furthermore, a conjugal family only involves two generations, i.e., parents and children, whereas a consanguine involves three or four generations.
Conclusion
A consanguine family typically includes two adult spouses and their unmarried children while a consanguine family includes grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, all living under one roof. Therefore, a consanguine family is larger than a conjugal family.
Reference:
1. “Family.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 2 May 2020, Available here.
2. “Conjugal Family.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 23 Aug. 2019, Available here.
Image Courtesy:
1. “African Family” By Wazzle – Own work, Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Table of Consanguinity showing degrees of relationship” By SVG remake by WClarke based on original by User:Sg647112c – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
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