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 will be a co-evolution between Pama-Nyungan grandparent systems and grandchild systems.

Note

"This association between grandparent systems and grandparent–grandchild polysemy, however, was indistinguishable from random variation within a phylogenetic framework (pMCMC = 0.736). We do find moderate evidence linking grandparental and grandchild terms, indicating that care is needed in the assumption of a small number of kinship typologies, particularly in studies lacking phylogenetic correction."

Test

Test NameSupportSignificanceCoefficientTail
Bayesian phylogenetic mixed modelsNot supportedpMCMC = 0.736UNKNOWNUNKNOWN

Variables

Variable NameVariable Type OCM Term(s)
Grandparent systems of Pama-Nyungan languagesDependentKinship Terminology
Grandchildren terms of Pama-Nyungan languagesIndependentKinship Terminology