[YG Conlang Archives] > [katanda group] > messages [Date Index] [Thread Index] >

[Date Prev] [Date Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next]

aunt/uncle etc.

In a message dated 2004-05-12 10:29:29 AM Eastern Daylight Time, ram@hidden.email writes:


> apparently no way to render the English words "aunt" and "uncle"
> properly.  ie, an "aunt" is either "the sister of a parent" OR "the
> wife of a brother of a parent".
>
> Ditto for such expressions as "sister-in-law", which can mean "the
> wife of a brother" or "the sister of one's spouse".
>

You're right!  I never thought of this.  I'm open to any suggestions.


Rick,
How about another set of kinship morphemes, e.g.:

qi = sister (zi) OR brother's wife (zukin)
qu = brother (zu) OR sister's husband (zikun)
(qa could be either possibility without specifying which)

Then 'aunt' would be 'jaqi', 'uncle' would be 'jaqu'.
'Sister-in-law' would be 'kanqi' and 'brother-in-law' would be 'kanqu'.

Steven