8 
TRANSACTIONS OF THE TEXAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 
Notation. 
General Meaning. 
Irreducible Meaning. 
aaa. 
Great grandparent. 
Great grandparent. 
aae. 
Grandparent of child. 
Parent-in-law. 
aea. 
Parent of child of parent. 
Step-parent. 
aee. 
Parent of grandchild. 
Child-in-law. 
eaa. 
Child of grandparent. 
Uncle or aunt. 
eae. 
Child of parent of child. 
Step-child. 
eca. 
Grandchild of parent. 
Nephew or niece. 
eee. 
Great grandchild. 
Great grandchild. 
In the case of all these relationships, excepting the first and the last, 
the general meaning includes a simpler relationship to which it may 
reduce; for example, grandparent of child includes the simpler rela- 
ship of -parent . In the same manner the relationships expressed by 
four, five, or any number of elements may be exhibited. 
To change this notation into a nomenclature, all that is necessary is 
to insert some consonant, as d, between the vowels; for then each 
combination can be easily pronounced. In the systematic language so 
derived ada means grandparent, ade consort, eda brother or sister, ede 
grandchild, adada great grandparent, adade parent in-law, adeda step¬ 
parent, and so on. 
Each genus of relationship is divided into species by introducing 
the distinction of sex. Let the consonants m and f denote male and 
female respectively, then the species of the first order are ma father, 
fa mother, me son ,fe daughter. If we introduce the distinction of sex 
after the vowel, we obtain the relationships 
mam , father of man. 
maf , father of woman. 
Jam , mother of man. 
faf , mother of woman. 
mem , son of man. 
mef, son of woman. 
fern , daughter of man. 
fef, daughter of woman. 
The species of the second order, obtained by introducing the dis¬ 
tinction of sex before the first vowel only, are, e.g,: 
mada , grandfather. meda , brother. 
fada , grandmother. feda , sister. 
made f husband. mede , grandson. 
fade , wife. f e de, granddaughter. 
If the distinction of sex is introduced before the second vowel also, 
we obtain: 
mama , paternal grandfather. 
mafa , maternal grandfather. 
fama , paternal grandmother, 
fa fa, maternal grandmother, 
mema , brother-german. 
mefa , brother-uterine. 
fema , sister-german. 
Jefa , sister-uterine. 
