Relationship: it's confusing...
Relationship: it's confusing...
"I've never understood anything about these 2nd, 6th or 10th degree cousinships. How can you calculate this without a notary and without making mistakes? My cousins, who are sons of my uncles and aunts, are my cousins to what degree? Their children, cousins, are related to me to what degree? And their grandchildren?
Ghyslaine, Les Avanchets
Under art. 20 para. 1 of the Civil Code, the number of generations is used to determine how close a relative is. Let's take your examples one after the other to illustrate the method used to establish the degree of relationship.
The degrees are calculated by simply adding up the generations separating you from the ascendant you have in common with the relative whose 'cousin' degree you want to know. So, a first generation separates you from your mother and a second separates you from your grandmother, who is in turn the ancestor of your uncle, your cousin's father. In this example, your grandmother is the common ancestor. There are two generations separating you from her (she is therefore your 2nd degree relative), then one separating her from your uncle (who is therefore your 3rd degree relative) and yet another separating her from your cousin, who is therefore your 4th degree relative: two generations "going back" to the common ancestor, plus two generations "going down" to your cousin.
Your cousins' children are your 5th-degree relatives, as they are separated by a further generation from your common ancestor, who remains your grandmother, or their great-grandmother. Your cousins' grandchildren are your 6th-degree relatives, because a new generation separates them from the grandmother.
According to art. 20 al. 2 CC, "direct line" relatives are those who are descended from each other, while "collateral line" relatives are those who, without being descended from each other, are descended from a common origin. You will have realised that your cousins are your 4th-degree collateral relatives and that your grandmother is directly related to you in the second degree.
That said, it is important to distinguish the method used in Swiss civil law (described above) from that used in canon law (Catholic Church law), which is quite different, as is the definition of the degree of kinship that constitutes an impediment to marriage.
