Re: Way off list for wordsmiths

["Patricia M. Godfrey" priscamg@xxxxxxxx]

David B. Kronenfeld wrote:
    In one system, the children of two first cousins are second
cousins to each other. The child of my first cousin is my first cousin
once removed.
This is the only such schema (apart from the last, which is in a
slightly different category) that I would call correct. It is
certainly the one we used when counting kin of European royalty
in discussing dynastic squabbles when I was editing
encyclopedias. It was also, IIRC, that used by Tolkien in
discussing Hobbit genealogy (which is probably the only exposure
to genealogy most people have had). Do the various genealogical
societies recognize the other two schemas?
    An "incorrect" system, but one that has shown up in ca. 14 % of
classes in which I have probed this is one in which cousins who are
one's parents' age, and with whom one interacts, are sometimes referred
to as "uncle" or "aunt".
I would say this is more a matter of courtesy (respect for
elders) than of genealogy; I believe it has a long history among
English-speaking peoples (and may even have an antecedent in the
Hebrew scriptures). So long as the persons involved are aware of
the real genealogical relationship, it's OK.

--
Patricia M. Godfrey
priscamg@xxxxxxxx