[Lexicog] Words for "cousin"

[Greg Aumann]

Doug Trick wrote:
> 
> 
> The English word "cousin" refers to the offspring of a
> parent's sibling. Since the offspring is either male or
> female, a parent is either male or female, and the parent's
> sibling is either male or female, there are (at least) 8
> potential combinations:
> - male offspring of father's brother
> - female offspring of father's brother
> - male offspring of father's sister
> - female offspring of father's sister
> - male offspring of mother's brother
> - female offspring of mother's brother
> - male offspring of mother's sister
> - female offspring of mother's sister
> 
> I recently read somewhere that Farsi has 8 distinct forms,
> corresponding to the above. Can anyone confirm whether or
> not this is true? Or, can anyone confirm whether any other
> language has 8 distinct forms? Or even 4 different forms?
> 
> Doug Trick, SIL Philippines

Mandarin Chinese has eight forms but they do not correspond to your eight.
堂兄	tang2xiong1	son of father's sibling (older than you)
堂弟	tang2di4	son of father's sibling (younger than you)
堂姐	tang2jie3	daughter of father's sibling (older than you)
堂妹	tang2mei4	daughter of father's sibling (younger than you)
表兄	biao3xiong1	son of mother's sibling (older than you)
表弟	biao3di4	son of mother's sibling (younger than you)
表姐	biao3jie3	daughter of mother's sibling (older than you)
表妹	biao3mei4	daughter of mother's sibling (younger than you)

Greg


 
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