As for the third factor influencing the terms of address—_i.e._, the
social relationship which exists between the addresser and the one
addressed,—it is obvious that different designations are applied to
enemies and friends, to strangers and members of the family-circle,
nay, generally, to persons to whom one stands in an altogether
different external relationship. The importance of this factor is
evident from several statements. Thus, among the Hovas, according to
Mr. Sibree, the words for brother and sister “are also used widely
for any person whom one meets and desires to act towards in a friendly
manner.”[498] The Fuegians says Mr. Bridges, form certain kinds of
friendships, and “speak of aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, cousins,
nieces and nephews, &c., which are only so through the friendships
established.”[499] Among the Waguha, strangers are called “ndugu,”
brother, if of the same tribe;[500] and Mr. Hartshorne tells us that
the Veddahs applied to him the term “hura,” or cousin.[501] We
can understand, then, why the same name, as a rule, is used by the
savage to denote just the persons of the same sex and of like age
who belong to his own family-circle; and why, as a consequence, the
nomenclature is rich or poor according as that circle is small or
large. The Yahgans, for instance, who live in families rather than in
tribes, have a very definite list of terms for kinsfolk. They have
different appellations for nephews and nieces on the brother’s side,
and nephews and nieces on the sister’s side, and their words for
uncle and aunt differ according as this relationship is paternal or
maternal. They have also special terms for father-, mother-, son-and
daughter-, brother-and sister-in-law.[502] On the other hand, the
larger, the body of kinsfolk that keep closely together, and the less
it is differentiated, as regards the functions of its various members,
the more comprehensive are generally the terms of address. The
“classificatory system of relationship” must, therefore, have emerged
at a time when the separate families had already united in larger
bodies.
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