Name calling-yoruba tradition

The yoruba culture dictates that a wife must not call her husbands siblings/family members whether older or younger by their names; there must be an "aunty" or "uncle" , "brother" or "sister" before the name as a sign of respect. Thank God for Western influence, alot of us have come out of this tradition (i think) especially if one is already very cool with the sibling or family member and make it better, the sibling or family member is either younger or the same age as one.

Some families on the other hand have stuck to this tradtion. While trying to establish my current relationship, i noticed that all the inlaws call the guy "uncle _____" and the other unmarried sister "aunty ______."

For some reason, this is somewhat funny to me. I honestly can't say i have a problem with doing it but it's really just wierd to me especially since "aunty ____" and i are not far apart at all in age....infact, one of "aunty ____" closest friends is a friend of mine as well and i call him by his name.

Done unconsciously i wanna say, but today something prompted the fact that i had to call "aunty _____." Before i called, i thought about it and realized that i had never called her name for any reason...which by the way was really funny to me...lol....Whenever i speak with her, i tend to switch to yoruba and use "e" which denotes respect in the language rather than the "o" in referring to an age mate. I remember clearly that Mr. had said one time, that it was a good thing i respcted his sister and thanked me for it, but he thought i gave hera little too much respect...but this was also on the basis that i always switched the conversation to yoruba when referring to her so it would end up something like this...

" se e ti jeun", "e ka bo o!", "so fun won", "se won ma jeon" (won also denotes respect even though it is also used for more than one person)

The thing is he may say its too much, but i bet the other family members don't think so because all the other sister in-laws who are probably older than her call her aunty....and you know what they say, you marry one, you marry the whole family...by the way, is that a yoruba thing or a nigerian thing in general?

Anyway, in the last 2 weeks, with the Mr. away, i've had to communicate with her to help him take care of some things but somehow i've pulled all of it off myself and i guess she did her's too and we never had to get in touch...even though he would say call ____ and tell her... or ask if i called ____and i was always quick to say "i didn't need to"....today was different...I had to call her...no choice...

for atleast 3 mins i debated over what i wanted to use - "aunty" or "sister"...lol....sister sounded to me like i was referring to a sister-in-Christ....and eventually went with "aunty."

Maybe now we can actually get close or maybe i can just start calling her and not feeling wierd about it....