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Getting the constraints right

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 December 2010

Patrick McConvell
Patrick McConvell
Affiliation:
Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia. Patrick.McConvell@anu.edu.au
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Abstract

While the idea of applying Optimality Theory to kinship has potential, this commentary draws attention to problems with the constraints proposed. Particularly, Distinguish Matrikin appears to recapitulate an error of linking matrilineal descent to Iroquois kinship too closely and more generally mixing descent with true kinship parameters.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 33 , Issue 5 , October 2010 , pp. 394 - 395
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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References

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