New Database Reveals How Family Members Are Named in Nearly 1,200 Languages ​​(Providing Fascinating Insights)



Ladies in Tanzania, for instance, seem to rigorously keep away from not solely the identify of their parents-in-law, but additionally any phrases that resemble it. And in Lithuania one seems to discuss with the sister-in-law with a phrase that additionally means ‘weasel’.

Father, grandmother, nephew, niece, brother, aunt, daughter-in-law or brother-in-law: these are acquainted designations of members of the family for us Dutch individuals. However what are the identical members of the family known as in different languages ​​and cultures? A world crew of scientists additionally puzzled that a while in the past. And it now leads to KinBank: a database containing the phrases utilized in different cultures to point members of the family. The database now homes greater than 210,000 phrases for family members because the researchers present in almost 1,200 languages.

Weasels
And that intensive database has already yielded quite a few intriguing insights. For instance, the researchers should set up that there’s a connection between in-laws and weasels in Balto-Slavic languages. For instance, the time period utilized in Lithuania to designate a sister-in-law is equivalent to the time period utilized in that very same nation to designate a weasel. And in Bulgarian the daughter-in-law was prior to now referred to by a phrase that additionally means ‘weasel’.

Folktales
It naturally raises the query of why these languages ​​affiliate sisters and daughters-in-law with weasels. Sadly, the researchers can’t say something with certainty about this, however they do have concepts about it. It might have its origins in previous people tales, invented to discourage males from committing adultery with sisters or daughters-in-law.

dad in mother
Whereas there are lots of variations between the phrases used to discuss with the identical family members in several languages ​​and cultures, there are additionally some putting similarities. “Worldwide, phrases usually sound like child gibberish to oldsters,” mentioned researcher Fiona Jordan. “With ma, ba and da sounds.”

Personal identify
Additionally it is humorous that in sure languages ​​and cultures individuals favor to not discuss with members of the family with a time period – comparable to dad or aunt or grandma – however with their very own identify. And in some languages, ladies present respect for his or her in-laws by avoiding utilizing the in-laws’ personal names, the researchers discovered. And in Datooga – a language spoken in Tanzania – ladies go one step additional and keep away from not solely utilizing the parents-in-law’s personal identify, but additionally utilizing any phrases that sound related.

Brother and sister
And the place it’s customary in Dutch to easily discuss with individuals who have the identical father and mom as ourselves as brother or sister, in lots of languages ​​it’s barely completely different. “The commonest approach is to make use of 4 classes to determine siblings,” mentioned research co-author Sam Passmore. This occurs, for instance, in Japanese. “The Japanese have completely different phrases for an elder brother (ani), youthful brother (omōto), elder sister (ane), and youthful sister (imōto).”

Cousin and niece
Equally, in some languages ​​and cultures, there are completely different phrases for the several types of cousins ​​(for instance, your sister’s little brother could also be a cousin, however so is your father’s sister’s baby). It’s unclear why some cultures make a really particular distinction between them. It might should do with the concept it’s permissible to marry one cousin however not permissible to the opposite. The researchers at the moment are investigating this additional.

Enlargement
The expectation is that the database will present much more attention-grabbing insights, particularly whether it is additional expanded within the close to future. “Now we have already noticed some attention-grabbing patterns because of the 1156 languages ​​at the moment within the KinBank have been recorded – however that’s solely 15 % of all languages ​​spoken worldwide in the present day,” Jordan emphasizes. By increasing the database, the researchers hope not solely to be taught extra concerning the languages ​​themselves, Jordan explains. “Phrases for family members are usually not simply phrases – additionally they include necessary cultural elements.”

Lastly can KinBank are additionally of nice worth in view of the languages ​​which are in peril of disappearing. The phrases utilized in these languages ​​to point family members protect at the least a part of such a language – and the tradition to which it belongs. By the way, there are fairly just a few languages ​​which are in peril of ‘dying out’; in the intervening time there can be even 1500 languages ​​are on the verge of disappearing ceaselessly.