Pama–Nyungan grandparent systems change with grandchildren, but not cross-cousin terms or social norms
Evolutionary Human Sciences • Vol/Iss. 2 • PubMed Central • • Published In • Pages: e30 •
By Sheard, Catherine, Bowern, Claire, Dockum, Rikker, Jordan, Fiona M.
Hypothesis
There were four different terms for grandparents in proto-Pama-Nyungan languages.
Note
The results show that proto-Pama-Nyungan languages have a high probability (P = 0.9996 assuming equal rates, P = 0.9991 assuming symmetric rates) of having four separate terms in their ancestral grandparent system. This was still true with or without the inclusion of rare systems in the analysis.
| Test Name | Support | Significance | Coefficient | Tail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bayesian phylogenetic mixed models | Supported | P = 0.9996 / P = 0.9991 | UNKNOWN | UNKNOWN |
| Variable Name | Variable Type | OCM Term(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Grandparent systems of Pama-Nyungan languages | Dependent | Kinship Terminology |
| Merging grandparents by gender | Independent | Kinship Terminology |
| Merging parallel grandparents | Independent | Kinship Terminology |
| Merging cross grandparents | Independent | Kinship Terminology |
| Having four separate terms for all four kinship roles | Independent | Kinship Terminology |