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Genetic Relations of Polynesian Sibling Terminologies
Author(s) -
EPLING P. J.,
KIRK JEROME,
BOYD JOHN PAUL
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
american anthropologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1548-1433
pISSN - 0002-7294
DOI - 10.1525/aa.1973.75.5.02a00250
Subject(s) - genealogy , sibling , linguistics , terminology , taxonomy (biology) , computer science , history , anthropology , biology , sociology , zoology , philosophy
Relations between anthropology and linguistics are explored through the examination of the taxonomy and phylogeny of a small lexical set (sibling terms) within the Polynesian genetic language/culture unit using traditional and mathematical techniques of historical semantics and ethnology. Preliminary to examination of the Polynesian case a theory of sibling terminologies is developed, building on those of Murdock and of Nerlove and Romney. Beginning with the lattice of all possible partitions of sibling terms, assumptions are developed which reduce the number of terminologies (4140) to a smaller number (146), based on conjunctive concepts. The terminologies of a sample of twenty‐three Polynesian languages/cultures are shown to be five of the 146 types. Four of the five types are shown to be adjacent points in an upper semi‐lattice of the whole lattice. An evolutionary hypothesis is developed which further reduces the number of evolvable types, from 146 to nineteen for the Polynesian unit. The relation of the evolution of the terminologies and the daughter languages is shown. Likely paths of evolution of the terminologies are suggested. Functional correlates of the types are also examined, and it is concluded that economic features are of great significance in the evolution of sibling terminologies.