The
Serbo-Croatian
Serbo-Croatian ( / ), also known as Bosnian-Croatian-Montenegrin-Serbian (BCMS), is a South Slavic language and the primary language of Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro. It is a pluricentric language with four mutually i ...
standard languages (
Serbian
Serbian may refer to:
* Pertaining to Serbia in Southeast Europe; in particular
**Serbs, a South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans
** Serbian language
** Serbian culture
**Demographics of Serbia, includes other ethnic groups within the co ...
,
Croatian,
Bosnian and
Montenegrin) have one of the more elaborate
kinship
In anthropology, kinship is the web of social relationships that form an important part of the lives of all humans in all societies, although its exact meanings even within this discipline are often debated. Anthropologist Robin Fox says that ...
(''srodstvo'') systems among European languages. Terminology may differ from place to place. Most words are common to other
Slavic languages
The Slavic languages, also known as the Slavonic languages, are Indo-European languages spoken primarily by the Slavs, Slavic peoples and their descendants. They are thought to descend from a proto-language called Proto-Slavic language, Proto- ...
, though some derive from
Turkish. The standardized languages may recognize slightly different pronunciations or dialectical forms; all terms are considered standard in all language standards, unless otherwise marked:
/sup> (Serbian), /sup> (Croatian), /sup> (Bosnian) and /sup> (Montenegrin) below.
There are four main types of kinship in the family: biological blood kinship, kinship by law (in-laws
In law and in cultural anthropology, affinity is the kinship relationship created or that exists between two people as a result of someone's marriage. It is the relationship each party in the marriage has to the family of the other party in t ...
), spiritual kinship (such as godparent
Within Christianity, a godparent or sponsor is someone who bears witness to a child's baptism (christening) and later is willing to help in their catechesis, as well as their lifelong spiritual formation. In both religious and civil views, ...
s), and legal kinship through adoption and remarriage.
As is common in many rural family structures, three generations of a family will live together in a home in what anthropologists call a joint family structure, where parents, their son(s), and grandchildren would cohabit in a family home.
Direct descendance and ancestry
Words for relations up to five generations removed—great-great-grandparents and great-great-grandchildren—are in common use. The fourth-generation terms are also used as generics for ancestors and descendants. There is no distinction between the maternal and paternal line.
Own generation
Diminutive
A diminutive is a word obtained by modifying a root word to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment, and sometimes to belittle s ...
forms of siblings are used for cousins.
Indirect ancestry, descendants and legal relations
There are separate terms for maternal and paternal uncles, but not for aunts. In addition, spouses of uncles and aunts have their own terms.
In-laws
There are separate terms for a man's and a woman's parents-in-law. However, the same terms are commonly used for siblings-in-law and children-in-law. There are separate terms for co-siblings-in-law.
Step-relatives
There are spouses of ancestors that are not blood relatives and their spouse's descendants, second spouse of father's or mother's siblings (paternal or maternal step-aunts and step-uncles) and their children.
Foster-relatives
Foster relations are important and have dedicated terms.
References
Further reading
*
*{{cite journal, editor=Никола Пантелић, journal=Гласник Етнографског музеја у Београду књ. 50, year=1986, author=Мирко Бaрјaктaровић, title=О сродничким називима код нас и њиховом делимичном нестајању, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EeGmCQAAQBAJ, publisher=Etnografski muzej u Beogradu, id=GGKEY:1Y5P116PDB9, pages=159–171
Serbo-Croatian language
Kinship
In anthropology, kinship is the web of social relationships that form an important part of the lives of all humans in all societies, although its exact meanings even within this discipline are often debated. Anthropologist Robin Fox says that ...
Kinship
In anthropology, kinship is the web of social relationships that form an important part of the lives of all humans in all societies, although its exact meanings even within this discipline are often debated. Anthropologist Robin Fox says that ...
Kinship
In anthropology, kinship is the web of social relationships that form an important part of the lives of all humans in all societies, although its exact meanings even within this discipline are often debated. Anthropologist Robin Fox says that ...
Kinship
In anthropology, kinship is the web of social relationships that form an important part of the lives of all humans in all societies, although its exact meanings even within this discipline are often debated. Anthropologist Robin Fox says that ...
Kinship terminology
Culture of Montenegro
Montenegrin language
Bosniak culture
Bosnian language
Culture of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Serbian genealogy