ABSTRACT

In our account of the origin and early stages of evolution of human society we discussed such matters as the organization of the family, incest taboos, the distinction between parallel cousins and cross-cousins, the operation of rules of exogamy and endogamy, and so on. But we had little to say about the means with which such organization was effected and such processes carried on. We did indicate that the means were kinship terms, and we showed how they were used to organize and to regulate family life in the earliest stages of human social evolution. But the subject of kinship terms, or more broadly, kinship systems, is of great significance; it deserves particular and extensive consideration.