SV: SV: SV: Kinship systems

[Lars Martin Fosse]

V.C.Vijayaraghavan [SMTP:vijay at VOSSNET.CO.UK] skrev 11. oktober 2000 16:47:

>This shows that neither the language family nor the same language can be
the
>marker of ethnicity. Closer to Taminadu, Tamil Muslims in Srilanka speak
the
>same language as the rest of the Tamils, but they are classified as a
>separate ethnic group - on their own request.

An interesting and enlightening example! Ethnicity has a lot to do with
identity, who you "feel" you are. That is why it is difficult to define in
exact terms. Thus, Bosnians, Serbs, and Croats belong to the same "race",
and speak practically the same language. However, they belong to three
different religions and have three separate identities. On the other hand,
I would guess that an American Catholic would be ethnically American and
Catholic in terms of religion. There is no ethnic Catholicism in America,
and religion is not an ethnic marker in the US. Or is it?

Best regards,

Lars Martin



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