alfreda89: 3 foot concrete Medieval style gargoyle with author's hand resting on its head. (Default)
alfreda89 ([personal profile] alfreda89) wrote2012-04-24 10:32 am
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Japanese and Chinese speakers & students - a question.

Is there a word for the concept of Last Child? This is in a enclave on one of the Seven Sisters. Population growth is encouraged, but only to a point -- any child who is the fifth child in a family is "Extra" and does not have the same rights as the others. They can emigrate, join a trading outfit for ten years and return home solvent and as an immigrant, or join the military (when the country is at war, you have a 30% chance of making it back in one piece.)

So -- this concept may or may not be a pejorative, as these are family members. But they don't have the same destiny, and are rarely moved up in pecking order if someone dies, as health care is excellent.

Ack, I have an appt! Later --

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/ 2012-04-24 06:25 pm (UTC)(link)
Not that I'm aware of, at least in modern Han Chinese. But I'm only a learner.