Kin Terms and Context among the Gooniyandi

Abstract

This article discusses some unusual uses of kin terms in Gooniyandi (non-Pama-Nyungan, Australia), uses that are unexpected given their senses as they appear from the context of elicitation. These usages are strongly associated with specific linguistic and interactive contexts; they are not, however, determined by the contexts, but equally construct them. It is argued that these uses imply the need to distinguish coded semantic meaning, contextual meaning, and inferred pragmatic meaning. The system of kin terms is a dynamic one that is deployed strategically by speakers to manipulate kin relations in their attempts to achieve interpersonal goals in interaction with others.