The Conceptual Structure of Kinship Terms among the Jiarong Tibetans: A Comparison with the Naxi, Mosuo, Yi, and Bai
This study uses the free classification (natural sorting) method to investigate the conceptual structure of kinship terms among Rgyalrong (Jiarong) Tibetans. Results show that this structure has two main dimensions: degree of intimacy among relatives and generational seniority. Kinship terms fall into two broad categories—close kin and non-close kin—further divided into four subclasses: close relatives, non-close elder-generation relatives, non-close younger-generation relatives, and same-generation relatives by marriage (affines). Comparison with related ethnic groups (Naxi, Mosuo, Yi, and Bai) reveals both similarities and differences in kinship conceptual structures. Overall, the findings indicate that the conceptual structure of Rgyalrong Tibetan kinship terms is shaped jointly by family structure, marriage system, living environment, and lifestyle, as well as by language, culture, and religion, highlighting how ecological and sociocultural factors interact to shape kinship cognition across ethnically related but geographically distinct groups.
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