posted on Sep, 21 2009 @ 05:04 PM
reply to post by Abbby
Don't feel bad for asking. Most people don't know as it is kinda complicated.
This is how I describe it, hard to do in text too:
Imagine looking at generations of cousins as a basic ladder, with two poles running down the side and rungs inbetween. Each rung of the ladder is
direct cousins, first cousins.
Now, if there is a difference of generations, such as one cousin on one rung and the next cousin on a lower rung, that is once removed.
So your cousin's child is a first cousin, once removed. That child's child would be a first cousin twice removed. But your child and your cousins
child are second cousins.
Each set of cousins, second cousin, third cousin, is a rung down. So the top rung is first cousins. Their children who are cousins are second cousins.
Their children who are cousins are third cousins. And so on.
So if your fifth cousins twice removed, then you are five ladders apart, and two rungs apart.
That is the best way I can describe it. Maybe someone can explain it better.
[edit on 21-9-2009 by nixie_nox to re explain better]
[edit on 21-9-2009 by nixie_nox]