"No relation" - any alternative suggestions?

[bassybill]

I just read a post where someone was commenting on the fact that they had the same surname as someone they didn't know personally. To point out that they weren't from the same immediate family, they used the common phrase "no relation".

It's just my personal reaction, but whenever I see this phrase, I can't help thinking that it's factually wrong. After all, we're all related to each other somehow <group hug>. Unfortunately, I can't think of a phrase that would be a convenient, clear and concise alternative. Suggestions?


/nitpicking

[mike_v_s]

Weird. I use the phrase "no relations" all the time when approached by ugly chicks. It saves a lot of the banter. Although you're nit picking, you seem to take it much better than they do.

Mike

[MakiSupaStar]

ah look. Bassybill is a hippie afterall these years. Either that or a Rastafarian." Peace and love and a inity. We are one in humanity."

[Georynn]

I have a way, you must distinguish yourself by locale...

Like for example Maki Supastar, of the Huntington Supastars, sounds fancier that way too..

Or Michael Palin of the Broomhill Palins...

[Baryonyx]

"Edward Hitler? Any relation?"

"Err, yes, actually!"

[Croox]

I rarley ever run into anyone with my last name but it has happened. I was also asked about him later on (this was at a tech school) my response was "not my bloodline."

[bongomania]

Actually Bill, I would just look at the intent of the phrase a little differently- actually a bit like the way M_v_s described. Saying "no relation" is saying "you should not associate me with that person", even though we are all associable by ancestry, phylum, molecular composition, planet, etc. I know you already know that, but I'm just twisting the unspoken part of the phrase from "I have no relation" to "you should ascribe me no relation for practical purposes".

[WalterBush]

I regularly tell people I'm related to the baked bean company, not the president.

I've also claimed, on the basis that we're all related somehow, to be related to Kate and former Anthrax singer John. I haven't looked, that may even be the case.

That may not help someone who doesn't have a last name in common with famous people, though.

[MakiSupaStar]

Originally Posted by WalterBush

I regularly tell people I'm related to the baked bean company, not the president.

I've also claimed, on the basis that we're all related somehow, to be related to Kate and former Anthrax singer John. I haven't looked, that may even be the case.

That may not help someone who doesn't have a last name in common with famous people, though.

Are you are the genius that came up with the idea to put the little chunk of lard in each can of Pork and Beans?

[EricF]

If you can't make the ancestry link to another person in less than 6 steps, I think the phrase "no relation" is appropriate to indicate a disconnection between one family and another, despite the similarity of last name.

[Hoover]

Originally Posted by MakiSupaStar

Are you are the genius that came up with the idea to put the little chunk of lard in each can of Pork and Beans?

No, that was the soon-to-be-former president.

[dan.ablett]

i share last name with one of australias former greats and his son, a current great of our code of football,AFL.

people automatically assume there is no relation because of the color of my skin, so i actually have the oppisite issue, finding interesting ways to turn the question, "no relation, right?" into an interesting answer, as i can claim relation in 3 steps.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-84YD...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsILk...eature=related

just some youtube of the men in question, and if any of my friends from the US of A are interested in our football code, there is some AFL footage.

[bassybill]

@maki:

Not really a hippy - well, not much anyway. Just being scientific.

As I said, we're all related to each other if you could trace back far enough (not that far, really - some estimates based on DNA studies put the distance back to the last common ancestor of every single human alive today at only about 3,000 years ago). We're even related to all other species. Go outside and say hi to your long-lost cousins, growing on the bark of a tree.

[bassybill]

Anyways, I like the "Huntingdon Supastars" suggestion stating the location and also the idea of using a slightly different phrase a la bongomania, like "no association" or something along those lines.

[JNowiski]

bassybill, is that your actual photo on your avatar? i really hope it is.

[MakiSupaStar]

Originally Posted by bassybill

@maki:

Not really a hippy - well, not much anyway. Just being scientific.

As I said, we're all related to each other if you could trace back far enough (not that far, really - some estimates based on DNA studies put the distance back to the last common ancestor of every single human alive today at only about 3,000 years ago). We're even related to all other species. Go outside and say hi to your long-lost cousins, growing on the bark of a tree.

This is assuming way too much for casual conversation. Do you think that when people approach each other, they approach each other recognizing the homosapien connection to monkey's picking nits out of each other fur? Not to be nitpicky (wait for it, you'll see what I did there ) but this is setting yourself up for a big letdown. Most people are not that deep. Most people are dumb. Take it from me. I'm a monkey. And I'm dumb. I'm perfectly ok with that too.

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by MakiSupaStar

This is assuming way too much for casual conversation. Do you think that when people approach each other, they approach each other recognizing the homosapien connection to monkey's picking nits out of each other fur? Not to be nitpicky (wait for it, you'll see what I did there ) but this is setting yourself up for a big letdown. Most people are not that deep. Most people are dumb. Take it from me. I'm a monkey. And I'm dumb. I'm perfectly ok with that too.

This is why I named my band Ugly Ape. Youre not the only dumb monkey.

[bassybill]

Originally Posted by JNowiski

bassybill, is that your actual photo on your avatar? i really hope it is.

'Fraid not. It's Michael Palin of Monty Python.

[bassybill]

Originally Posted by maki

This is assuming way too much for casual conversation. Do you think that when people approach each other, they approach each other recognizing the homosapien connection to monkey's picking nits out of each other fur? Not to be nitpicky (wait for it, you'll see what I did there ) but this is setting yourself up for a big letdown. Most people are not that deep. Most people are dumb. Take it from me. I'm a monkey. And I'm dumb. I'm perfectly ok with that too.

Well, you're not really a monkey, technically speaking. You're an ape - as are we all, of course. And you're not dumb, in my opinion; quite the opposite.

I can cope with the letdown as and when, but I'm naturally optimistic and it seems I have higher expectations of our fellow apes than you do, you hard bitten old cynic, you.

[jrthebassguy]

Originally Posted by Chris2112

"Edward Hitler? Any relation?"

"Err, yes, actually!"

Bill Burr has a good standup bit about that. It goes something like:


"Hitler...has there ever been somebody so evil they have to retire your name? Or for that matter, is anybody hanging out with their buddy Judas tonight? No, you're not."