Anthropology - Chapter 19: Families, Kinship, and Descent

Descent group

A group based on belief in shared ancestry.

Family of orientation

The nuclear family in which one is born and grows up.

Family of procreation

The nuclear family established when one marries and has children.

Neolocality

The living situation in which a couple establishes new residence.

Expanded family household

A household that includes a group of relatives other than, or in addition to, a married couple and their children.

Extended family household

A household with three or more generations.

Unilinear descent

Matrilineal or patrilineal descent.

Lineage

A unilineal descent group based on demonstrated descent

Clan

A unilineal descent group based on stipulated descent.

Ambilineal descent

A flexible descent rule, neither patrilineal nor matrilineal.

Kinship calculation

The relationships based on kinship that people recognize in a particular society, and how they talk about those relationships.

Ego

The position from which one views an egocentric genealogy.

Kin terms

The words used for different relatives in a particular language and system of kinship calculation.

Bilateral kinship calculation

Kin ties calculated equally through both sexes.

Lineal kinship terminology

Four parental kin terms - M, F, FB=MB, and MZ=FZ.

Lineal relative

Ego's direct ancestors and descendants.

Collateral relative

A relative outside ego's direct line, e.g., B, Z, FB, MZ.

Affiances

Relatives by marriage.

Bifurcate merging kinship terminology

Four parental kin terms - M=MZ, F=FB, MB, and FZ each stand alone.

Generational kinship terminology

Just two parental kin terms - M=MZ=FZ and F=FB=MB.

Bifurcate collateral kinship terminology

Six separate parental kin terms - M, F, MB, MZ, FB, and FZ.