What is the Difference Between Parallel and Cross Cousins?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The difference between parallel and cross cousins lies in the relationships of their parents. Parallel cousins are the children of a person's parents' same-sex siblings, while cross cousins are the children of a person's parents' opposite-sex siblings. Here's a breakdown of the two types of cousins:
- Parallel Cousins: These cousins share the same parents as the person they are related to. They are the children of a person's father's brother (paternal uncle's child) or of the mother's sister (maternal aunt's child). In most cultures, parallel cousins are considered as brothers and sisters.
- Cross Cousins: These cousins do not share the same parents as the person they are related to. They are the children of a person's mother's brother (maternal uncle's child) or of the father's sister (paternal aunt's child). Cross cousins are usually referred to as brother-in-law and sister-in-law in most cultures.
In traditional societies, the distinction between parallel and cross cousins is important, as parallel cousins are often not considered suitable for marriage due to incest taboos, while cross cousins are often seen as acceptable marriage partners.
On this pageWhat is the Difference Between Parallel and Cross Cousins? Comparative Table: Parallel vs Cross Cousins
Comparative Table: Parallel vs Cross Cousins
The main difference between parallel and cross cousins lies in the relationships of their parents. Here is a summary of the differences:
| Parallel Cousins | Cross Cousins |
|---|---|
| Related through the same-sex siblings of one's parents | Related through the opposite-sex siblings of one's parents |
| Parents share a sibling of the same sex | Parents share a sibling of the opposite sex |
| Parallel cousins are the children of the parent's same-sex sibling (e.g., father's brother or mother's sister) | Cross cousins are the children of the parent's opposite-sex sibling (e.g., mother's brother or father's sister) |
| In some cultures, parallel cousin marriages are considered an incest taboo | Cross cousin marriages are generally not considered an incest taboo in most cultures |
| In many societies, parallel cousins are known as brothers and sisters, while cross cousins are referred to as brother-in-law and sister-in-law |
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- Identical vs Fraternal Twins
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- Cross vs Crucifix
- Serial vs Parallel Transmission
- Reciprocal Cross vs Test Cross
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- Family vs Relatives
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- Serial vs Parallel Communication
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