Kinship Terminology and Kindred among the Nunamiut Eskimo

The aboriginal soc structure was characterized by bilateral descent, extended fam households, exogamous personal kindreds, & an absence of unilineal kinship group. Componential analysis of the Nunamiut kinship terminology discloses 8 semantic features which are sufficient to define all 38 kinship terms. These features include: (1) kind of relationship; (2) type of affinal relationship; (3) generation distance; (4) degree of lateral removal; (5) absence or presence of a connecting marital link; (6) relative strength of relationship; (7) relative seniority; & (8) sex of kinsman. It is apparent that Nunamiut kinship terms for consanguineal relatives are not extended indefinitely. The constellation of consanguineal relatives corresponds to the concept of the kindred as defined by G. Murdock. W. H. Goodenough has recently formulated the concept of a `nodal kindred,' which he applies to the Eskimos. However, an earlier analysis of the kindred by Goodenough fits the local situation for the Nunamiut better than does his later conception of the `nodal kindred.' D. Cooperman.