82 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 195 



Eggan (1937, p. 93) classifies the Ponca kinship system as being of 

 the "lineage" type and of the Omaha subtype. This system is gener- 

 ally found in groups which possess strong patrilineal clans like those of 

 the Ponca. The chart (fig. 4) shows the Ponca kinship system from 

 the viewpoint of the male EGO. It will be noted that in this system 

 generation differences are ignored at certain points. The father's 

 sister's children, for example, are classed with sororal nephews and 

 nieces, and the mother's brother's children with maternal uncles and 

 aunts. Hence, as EGO, I may have an "uncle" who has just been 

 born and at the same time a "grandchild" my own age or older. 



White has discussed this overriding of the generation principle in 

 his article entitled "A Problem in Kinship Terminology" (1939, pp. 

 566-573). He demonstrates that in kinship systems of the Omaha 

 and Crow types the principle of clan affiliation has become stronger 

 than the principle of generation difference. Hence, since my mother's 

 brother and all of his descendants in the male line belong to a different 

 clan from my own, the members of which I owe a customary respect, 

 thay are equated in the kinship system. Likewise, I am called "uncle" 

 by my father's sister's children, and I call them niece and nephew in 

 return. 



The primary terms used by the Ponca are as follows: 



Term Near English equivalent 



Indddi Father 



Inaha Mother 



Wik^ Grandmother 



Witigq Grandfather 



Wizige Son 



Wiz4ge Daughter 



Witilzpa Grandchild (either sex) 



Wizide Elder brother (male speaking) 



Wilinu Elder brother (female speaking) 



Wit4ge Elder sister (male speaking) 



Wizq4e Elder sister (female speaking) 



Wis<lga Younger brother 



WiM Younger sister 



Win^gi Uncle 



Witimi Aunt 



Wit4ska Nephew (male speaking) 



Witilika Nephew (female speaking) 



Witizq, Niece (male speaking) 



Witiizqge Niece (female speaking) 



Witdhq Brother-in-law (male speaking) 



Wisie Brother-in-law (female speaking) 



Wih(lga Sister-in-law (male speaking) 



Wisikq, Sister-in-law (female speaking) 



Wit4de Son-in-law 



Witini Daughter-in-law 



