Decedance assigns a different term to a relative depending on whether the relative is alive or dead. All kinship systems have both classificatory and descriptive terms. Second, because it suggested a way of dealing with the mass of kin terms from different groups. Until this has been done, discussion of their meaning would appear to be premature. Much of the work that has been in kinship terminologies has been an attempt to describe systems of kin terms on their own terms, without reference to direct translation.
Componential analysis is one such example.
Most of the work you read on kinship terminology will involve arguments about either how to describe the terms or the relationship of the terminology to behaviour within the society. Kinship Terminologies Kinship is one of these more complex systems of culture. All human groups have a kinship terminology, a set of terms used to refer to kin. Kinship terminologies vary in different societies from as few as twelve to more than fifty terms. Anthropologists have learned many interesting things about kinship terminologies.