Shan - Kinship



Kin Groups and Descent. Descent is bilateral. Kinship is not an organizing principle in Shan society; people recognize a wide range of others who are their kin and those who behave toward them as if they were kin.

Kinship Terminology. Kin terms distinguish relative age and sex with different terms for older/younger siblings and older/younger siblings of one's mother or father. Kin terms are used primarily as terms of address because Shan do not refer to people by their name without an address term or title. Even when using titles such as "teacher" or "ex-monk," a kin term precedes it.


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