Degree of Kinship
Any relationship between two individuals is based on the degree of closeness or distance, which depends on how individuals are related. Kinship basically has three degrees, as explained below:
Primary Kinship
Primary kinship refers to direct relationships. People who are directly related to each other are known as primary kin. There are basically eight primary kins - husband-wife, father-son, father-daughter, mother-son, mother-daughter, brother-sister, and younger brother/sister. Older brother/sister. Primary kinship is of two kinds:
Primary Consanguineal Kinship
Primary consanguineal kin is directly related by birth. The relationship between parents and children, and between siblings forms primary kinship. In the figure given below, A and B reflect the relationship between parents and children, and C is the relationship between siblings. These are the only primary consanguineal kin found in societies all over the world.
Primary Affinal Kinship
Primary affinal kinship refers to the direct relationship formed as a result of marriage. The only direct affinal kinship is the relationship between husband and wife.
Secondary Kinship
Secondary kinship refers to the primary kin of primary kin. In other words, those who are directly related to primary kin (primary kin’s primary kin) become one’s secondary kin. There are 33 secondary kins. Secondary kinship is also of two kinds:
Secondary Consanguineal Kinship
This type of kinship refers to the primary consanguineal ins primary consanguineal in. The most basic type of secondary consanguineal kinship is the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren.
The above figure shows a direct consanguineal relationship between ego and his parents. For Ego, his parents are his primary consanguineal kin. However, for Ego’s parents, their parents are their primary consanguineal kin. Therefore, for Ego, his grandparents are his primary consanguineal kin’s (his parents) primary kin. For him, they become secondary consanguineal kin.
Secondary Affinal Kinship
Secondary affinal kinship refers to one’s primary affinal kin’s primary kin. These kin relationships include the relationships between an individual and all his/her in-laws-sisters/brothers-in-law, and parents-in-law. For an individual, his/her spouse is his/her primary affinal kin, and for the spouse, his/her parents and siblings are his/her primary kin. Therefore, for the individual, the parents or brother/sister-in-law will become his/ her secondary affinal kin. Similarly, any sibling’s spouse or sibling’s parents-in-law will become secondary affinal kin for an individual.
Tertiary Kinship
Tertiary kinship refers to the primary kin of primary kin of primary kin, or the secondary kin of primary kin, or the primary kin of secondary kin. Roughly 151 tertiary kins have been identified.
Like the other two degrees of kinship, tertiary kinship also has two categories:
Tertiary Consanguineal Kinship
Tertiary consanguineal kinship refers to an individual’s primary consanguineal kin (par. ents), their primary kin (parent’s parents), and their primary kin (parents parent’s par. ents). Thus, the relationship is between a great- grandchildren and great-grandparents, and great-grandaunts and uncles, and consequently, the relationship between great grand uncles and aunts and great-grand nieces and nephews.
In the above figure, Ego’s primary kin is his parents; their primary kin is his grand-parents; his grandparent’s primary kin, who are Ego’s primary kin’s primary kin’s primary kin, are his great-grandparents. Thus, tertiary kin is primary kin’s primary kin’s primary kin. This relationship can be seen in different ways. Ego’s tertiary kin is his primary kin’s (parents) secondary kin (father’s grandparents), thus showing that tertiary kin is primary kin’s secondary kin. Another way of looking at this same relationship is by showing that Ego’s tertiary kin is his secondary consanguineal kin’s (his grandparents) primary kin (grandfather’s parents), which proves that tertiary kin can be secondary kin’s primary kin.
Tertiary Affinal Kinship
Tertiary affinal kinship refers to primary affinal kin’s primary kin’s primary kin, of secondary affinal kin’s primary kin, or primary affinal kin’s secondary kin. These relationships are many, and some examples will suffice at this stage.
Tertiary affinal kin can be spouse’s grandparents, grand uncles and aunts, or brother or sister-in-law’s spouses or their children.
Post a Comment