30 SYSTEMS OF CONSANGUINITY AND AFFINITY 



superiority of its nomenclature over those of the remaining Aryan nations will be 

 recognized at once, as well as the thoroughly scientific method of description by 

 which it is distinguished above all other systems which have ever been framed. 



From Ego to tritavus, in the lineal line, are six generations of ascendants, and 

 from the same to trinepos are the same number of descendants, in the description 

 of which but four radical terms are used. If it were desirable to ascend above the 

 sixth ancestor, tritavus would become a new starting-point of description; thus, 

 tritavi pater, the father of tritavus, and so upward to tritavi tritavus, who is the 

 twelfth ancestor of Ego in the lineal right line, male. In our rude nomenclature 

 the phrase grandfather's grandfather must be repeated six times to express the 

 same relationship, or rather to describe the same person. In like manner trinepotis 

 trinepos carries us to the twelfth descendant of Ego in the right lineal line, male. 

 He is the great-grandson of the great-grandson of trinepos, the great-grandson of 

 the great-grandson of Ego. 



The first collateral line, male, which commences with brother, frater, is composed 

 of him and his lineal descendants, proceeding in the right line from father to son; 

 thus, fratris filius, literally son of brother, fratris nepos, grandson of brother, and 

 on to fratris trinepos, the great-grandson of the great-grandson of the brother of 

 Ego. If it were necessary to extend the description to the twelfth generation, 

 fratris trinepos would become a second starting-point, from which we should have 

 fratris trinepotis trinepos, the great-grandson of the great-grandson of fratris trinepos, 

 the great-grandson of the great-grandson of the brother of Ego. By this simple 

 method frater is made the root of descent in this line, and every person within it 

 is referred to him by the force of this term in the description ; and we know at 

 once that each person described belongs to the first collateral line, male. It is, 

 therefore, in itself complete as well as specific. In like manner, and with like 

 results, the first collateral line female commences with sister, soror, giving for the 

 series sororis filia, sister's daughter ; sororis neptis, sister's granddaughter ; and on 

 to sororis trineptis, her sixth, and to sororis trineptis trineptis, her twelfth descendant. 

 While these two branches of the first collateral line originate, in strictness, in the 

 father, pater, who is the common bond of connection between them, yet by making 

 the brother and sister the root of descent of their respective branches in the 

 description, not only this line, but, also, its two branches, are maintained distinct; 

 and the relationship of each person to Ego is specialized by force of the description. 

 This is one of the chief excellencies of the system as a purely scientific method of 

 distinguishing and describing kindred. 



The second collateral line, male, on the father's side, commences with father's 

 brother, patruus, and is composed of him and his descendants, limited in the 

 diagram to the right line. Each person, by the terms used to describe him, is 

 referred with entire precision to his proper position in the line, and his relationship 

 is indicated ; thus, patrui filius, son of paternal uncle, patrui nepos, grandson of 

 paternal uncle, and on to patrui trinepos, the sixth descendant of patruus. If it 

 became necessary to extend this line to the twelfth generation we should have, 

 after passing through the intermediate degrees, patrui trinepotis trinepos, the great- 

 grandson of the great-grandson of patrui trinepos, the great-grandson of the great- 



