matter must be far more doubtful. In the present state of our knowledge we are only justified in making such a feature the basis of a working hypothesis to stimulate research and encourage us to look for other evidence in the neighbourhood of the place where the feature has been found. Our knowledge of the social institutions of the world is not yet so complete that we can afford to neglect any clue which may guide our steps.
I propose briefly to consider two regions, South India and North America, to show how they differ from this point of view.
The terms of relationship used in three[1] of the chief languages spoken by the people of South India are exactly such as would follow from the cross-cousin marriage. In Tamil[2] the mother's brother, the father's sister's husband, and the father of both husband and wife are all called mama, and this term is also used for these relatives in Telegu. In Canarese the mother's brother and the father-in-law are both called mava, but the father's sister's husband fails to fall into line and is classed with the father's brother.
Similarly, the father's sister, the mother's brother's wife and the mother of both wife and
- ↑ I know of no complete record of the terminology of the fourth chief language of South India, Malayalam.
- ↑ I take my data from the lists compiled for Morgan by the Rev. E. C. Scudder and the Rev. B. Rice, Morgan's Systems . . ., pp. 537-566. These lists are not complete, giving in some cases only the terms used in address. They agree in general with some lists compiled during the recent Indian Census which Mr. E. A. Gait has kindly sent to me.
