ABSTRACT
The kinship term inventory is relatively small, and each kinship term covers a broad range of referents. In the basic system, the most important semantic parameters are generation and gender relative to ego (i.e., whether the referent is of the same gender as ego or not). The seniority parameter, of importance to the kinship terminology of other Polynesian societies, is not relevant in Tuvaluan. Terms for siblings are their own converse, and so are several other terms. There are few terms for affines.
