Cousins – A Brief Lesson:
Conventionally, one’s first cousin is one’s parent’s sibling’s child. Or, for the sake of convenience, psc.
While the basic number distance of cousinage – first cousin, second cousin, etc. – is based on generations through your ancestors (the p‘s), “removals” are counted on the basis of the cousin’s ancestors (the c‘s). “Once removed” means that there’s one generation’s difference between yourself and the other, either forward or backward, except when that would be your aunt or uncle. For example, your first cousin once removed would be your first cousin’s child, or pscc. It would not include your ps, who would be your aunt or uncle. Your second cousin once removed could be either your parent’s cousin (ppsc), or your parent’s cousin’s grandchild (ppsccc). “Twice removed” means that there’s two generation’s difference, etc. Any “cousin” relationship in which the “p‘s” and “c‘s” aren’t symmetrical is a “removal,” based on the parental generation but “removed” by the difference of c generations from p generations.*
Got it? Good.
All that to say that as of earlier this afternoon, I have a new cousin (once removed). Her name is Charlene … and we’ll call her Charley.
