Subject: Re: Who's cousins of who
From: amanda@wam.umd.edu (Amanda Lynn Babcock)
Date: 1990-12-06, 10:52
Newsgroups: alt.tv.twin-peaks

In article <1990Dec5.215925.12816@midway.uchicago.edu> swsh@ellis.uchicago.edu (Janet M. Swisher) writes:
> >In article <5070@atexnet.UUCP> dawson@epps.kodak.com (Keith Dawson) writes:
> >
>> >>The dwarf (=Leland) says "She's my cousin." If you take the "she" at 
>> >>this moment to stand for Maddie, then Leland speaks truth, because 
>> >>Laura's cousin is also his cousin -- once removed.
> >
> >No, Laura's cousin is his niece.
> >"Cousin once removed" means you're one generation up or down the
> >family tree from a cousin.  Your cousins' children or your parents'
> >cousins are your first cousins once removed.

Wait- your parents' cousins are your _second_ cousins once removed.
(Your parents' cousins' children are your second cousins; their parents, there-
fore, are your second cousins once removed.) 

Except- to your parents' cousins, you are their cousin's child, so _you_ are
_their_ first cousin once removed. Unless I'm missing something here, this can't
be a reciprocal relationship.

Thus, while _Leland_ would technically (but not in normal usage) be Maddie's 
first cousin once removed, Maddie would be _Leland's_ sibling or sibling-in-law
once removed- i.e., his niece and nothing else.

If I have this backwards, please e-mail me (if you really think it's important)-
don't flame! (Remember, only _you_ can prevent flame wars!)