parallel cousin marriage
LowAcademic / Technical
Definition
Meaning
A marriage between the children of siblings of the same sex; a union between a person and their father's brother's child or mother's sister's child.
An anthropological and sociological term describing a specific kinship alliance pattern where individuals marry cousins from the same parental side (paternal or maternal), which is permitted or preferred in certain cultures, in contrast to cross-cousin marriage. It is often studied for its social, economic, and political implications within kinship structures.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
This is a compound noun phrase functioning as a single lexical unit. The term is specific to anthropology, kinship studies, and sociology. It is a descriptive, culturally neutral term for a practice, not a value judgment. It contrasts directly with 'cross-cousin marriage' (marriage to a mother's brother's child or father's sister's child).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or spelling differences. The term is used identically in both academic traditions.
Connotations
None beyond its technical meaning.
Frequency
Extremely rare outside academic anthropology/sociology. Usage frequency is equally low in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Society/Culture] practices parallel cousin marriage.Parallel cousin marriage is [adjective: common/preferred/forbidden] in [culture].The [anthropologist] analysed the function of parallel cousin marriage.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not used.
Academic
Central term in kinship studies. Used in anthropology, sociology, and cultural studies papers and textbooks to describe specific marital practices.
Everyday
Virtually never used. The concept would be explained descriptively (e.g., 'marrying your dad's brother's kid').
Technical
Precise term in anthropological fieldwork, ethnographies, and kinship diagrams (like a standardised symbol in charts).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The group traditionally parallel-cousin-marries to keep property within the lineage.
- They were encouraged to parallel-cousin-marry.
American English
- The group traditionally practices parallel cousin marriage to keep property within the lineage.
- They were encouraged to marry their parallel cousins.
adjective
British English
- He studied parallel-cousin-marriage patterns.
- A parallel-cousin-marriage system.
American English
- He studied parallel cousin marriage patterns.
- A parallel cousin marriage system.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- In some cultures, parallel cousin marriage is a tradition.
- He married his parallel cousin.
- The anthropologist explained that parallel cousin marriage, unlike cross-cousin marriage, involves children of same-sex siblings.
- Preference for parallel cousin marriage can strengthen alliances within a patrilineal group.
- Patrilateral parallel cousin marriage, where a man marries his father's brother's daughter, is a strategic tool for consolidating family assets in many pastoral societies.
- The ethnographic study meticulously documented the decline of prescribed parallel cousin marriage under the influence of urbanization and new legal frameworks.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'parallel lines' running down the same side of a family tree: siblings of the same sex have children who are 'parallel cousins'.
Conceptual Metaphor
KINSHIP IS A STRUCTURE / MAP. The term relies on a spatial metaphor where family relations are mapped geometrically, with 'parallel' indicating lines of descent that do not cross.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Direct translation might result in "параллельный кузенный брак," which is understandable but not the established Russian anthropological term "брак с параллельным кузеном" or more commonly explained descriptively. There is a risk of confusing it with a general term for cousin marriage "брак между двоюродными братьями и сёстрами."
Common Mistakes
- Confusing it with 'cross-cousin marriage'.
- Using 'parallel marriage' alone (incomplete).
- Assuming it is common or has legal standing in Western contexts.
- Misspelling 'parallel'.
Practice
Quiz
What is the defining feature of parallel cousin marriage?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It is a specific type of cousin marriage. It only refers to marriage with the child of your father's brother or your mother's sister. Marrying the child of your father's sister or mother's brother is 'cross-cousin marriage'.
Laws vary by country. In many Western nations, first-cousin marriage laws apply equally to parallel and cross cousins. In some jurisdictions where cousin marriage is restricted, the distinction is not typically made in law.
It helps anthropologists classify, compare, and understand different kinship systems, inheritance patterns, and social structures across cultures. The preference for one type over another reveals much about a society's social organization.
Among many Arab populations, particularly in the past, patrilateral parallel cousin marriage (marrying a father's brother's daughter) was and in some places remains a culturally preferred form of marriage.