[OOC][PLOT] Planning for Arc 2 - Crisis on Infinite Earths

[robkelk]

I hesitate to use the word "tribe" in the terminology, simply because there's a growing realization in Canada that if you aren't a member of one of the Twelve Tribes of Israel or one of the First Nations, using the word "tribe" is cultural appropriation. But that's a concern for us white folks, who'd have to come up with a different name for that level.

Seriously?  Because the word "tribe" is very, very Roman.  Better to tell all of the biological taxonomists that they're racist, I guess.  Anyway, I think that the word "tribe" should be limited to use by descendants of Roman citizens, all of whom were members of a tribe, which means limited to (does math) approximately everyone.  Though I do wonder why we use "tribal chief" when "tribune" is a perfectly cromulent word.

That said, if you're looking for a word, the anthropological words are in increasing size: lineage, clan, tribe.  The extent to which these apply cleanly to real world societies varies a lot.  But "family" is a good word for a lineage, the smallest sized.  "Clan" is larger-sized, but also means family, just in a different language.

* Labster casts summon Dartz before you guys reinvent the feudal system in here.

Don't blame me - blame people who don't know the difference between etymology and political correctness. I just live here.