Formal analysis of kinship terminologies and its relationship to what constitutes kinship

Abstract

The goal of this paper is to relate formal analysis of kinship terminologies to a better understanding of who, culturally, are defined as our kin. Part 1 of the paper begins with a brief discussion as to why neither of the two claims – (1) kinship terminologies, which primarily have to do with social categories and (2) kinship terminologies, which are based on classification of genealogically specified relationships traced through genitor and genetrix – is adequate as a basis for a formal analysis of a kinship terminology. A substantive problem with rewrite rule formalism is identified next. In Part 2 this problem is resolved when a kinship terminology is viewed from the perspective of a structured, symbolic system in which there is both a symbol calculus and a set of rules of instantiation giving the symbols empirical content. The symbol structure is linked to individuals via culturally specified instantiation of symbols. It is suggested that one’s kin are determined through the symbol structure and its instantiation.