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[erik19283]

Hello again ("again" because I posted another question just a few minutes ago.)

I have been wondering for a long time what the difference is between the words "relation" and "relative" when they refer to a family member. I like to read English novels and, although I usually see "relative" when someone is talking about another person's family member, I also find "relation" once in a while.

I looked them up in three different dictionaries, but they all indicated similar definitions for either word. Does it have anything to do with when the story of a novel was written (some words seem to age), where it was written (US, UK) or either word is commonly used without making any difference?

A few years back, I remember a Japanese friend arguing with a Chinese about which word to use. The Japanese said "relative", but the Chinese (or maybe she was from Hong Kong???) said it was "relation". I didn't know then, but it seems that both were right.

[cgage2]

According to the dictionary and my experience, they are interchangeable.
Relative seems to be more common in American English.
I believe that I have heard relation used more in plural.
The author, A.A. Milne, refers to "rabbit and his relations" in his book,
Winnie the Pooh

[wintersweet]

In American English, "relation" sounds more formal and is rarely used, I think. We would usually say "relative."

In fact, I think that when "relation" is said in American English, it's usually the phrase "no relation." That's just a short way of saying that two people are not related, even though they might seem to be. I used to have a common surname, so I used it often. "My doctor is George Smith--no relation." "This book is by E. E. Smith--no relation." "Neo's arch-enemy is Agent Smith--no relation."
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