Distant kins & -shit- :-)

[Koontz John E]

On Thu, 22 Feb 2001, Constantine Xmelnitski wrote:
> I have three questions on Siouan kinship terms.
> 1. What are the terms for greatgrand-
> fathers/mothers,and

The pattern in Omaha is for all fathers of grandfathers to be termed
grandfathers, too, and so on up.  I suspect this pattern generalizes to
most other Siouan systems, though perhaps the thaNka modifier system
Violet mentioned occurs more widely than I realize.

If I recall this properly - note that Omaha has an Omaha kinship system -
all males in the mother's father's line are grandfathers and all females
are grandmothers.  I'm positive that all males and females below mother's
brother in mother's lineage are mother's brother (uncle) and mother,
respectively.

Among themselves Siouan kinship systems cover a fairly
large range of types.

> 2. What are the terms for distant relatives in
> eachgeneration.

In Omaha systems the critical factor is usually the lineage, and then,
within that, the generation.  Some lineages have extremely simple system,
e.g., mother's father's lineage.  Ego's lineage has the most complex
scheme.

> 1) Using composite constructions, like "niyate
> txunkashitku", your-father's his-grandfather,
> orperhaps,

Generally compounded sequences like this aren't used.