Uzbek kinship terms: amaki, tog’a, xola, amma
The commonest place to stumble when recording a family tree is terminology. Translating both amaki and tog’a as "uncle" damages the record, because in Uzbek those two words name two completely different sides of the family.
The father’s side and the mother’s side
Amaki is the father’s brother. Amma is the father’s sister.
Tog’a is the mother’s brother. Xola is the mother’s sister.
The side is carried in the word itself: amaki and amma belong to the father’s line, tog’a and xola to the mother’s. English and Russian make no such distinction, which is exactly how the information gets lost in translation.
Grandparent levels
Bobo is a grandfather, on either side. Buvi is a grandmother.
Katta bobo is a great-grandfather — the third generation up.
Some regions use separate words for the paternal and maternal side. When recording a tree it is worth keeping that distinction in a note: it is information, not a dialect detail.
Downwards: nevara, chevara, evara
Farzand is a child. Nevara is a grandchild. Chevara is a great-grandchild. Evara is a great-great-grandchild.
Jiyan is the child of a brother or sister — a niece or nephew.
In-laws
Quda describes the relationship between two families after their children marry.
Kelin is a son’s wife. Kuyov is a daughter’s husband. Qaynota and qaynona are a spouse’s parents.
These name a connection through marriage rather than blood, and a family tree should record them as a distinct kind of link.
Questions & answers
What is the difference between amaki and tog’a?
Amaki is the father’s brother, tog’a the mother’s. Both translate into English as "uncle", but the Uzbek word states which side.
What is the difference between amma and xola?
Amma is the father’s sister, xola the mother’s sister.
Are nevara and jiyan the same thing?
No. Nevara is your child’s child; jiyan is your brother’s or sister’s child.