(tech fixes YDNA and mtDNA are the widely used terms. STR tests usually refer to haplogroup tests, though that's probably not strictly accurate. The M222 STR test for example, tests for R1b1c17) |
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-[[User:Knife Maker|Mak]] 23:58, 2 September 2007 (UTC) |
-[[User:Knife Maker|Mak]] 23:58, 2 September 2007 (UTC) |
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| − | :Well said, Mak! Even with DNA work, there are [http://genealogy.wikia.com/wiki/Genealogical_DNA_test#Drawbacks drawbacks |
+ | :Well said, Mak! Even with DNA work, there are [http://genealogy.wikia.com/wiki/Genealogical_DNA_test#Drawbacks drawbacks], including substantial room for error. What Granny said may contain at least a quarter-truth and can lead us in the right direction. [[User:Robin Patterson|Robin Patterson]] 12:09, 3 September 2007 (UTC) |
::The drawbacks are that it is only good for Verifying pure male (son to father to grandfather but not son to mother to grandfather) or with mDNA, pure female lines. As for accuracy, a 25 marker match with a relative is as strong as the strongest case made with the most stringent standards for documentation. At the end of the day, it is as the proverb goes: Maternity is a matter of fact. Paternity is a matter of opinion. Well, maybe not anymore. As for non paternal events, well- most of these folks are dead and buried and there are no feelings to hurt, so ok some of the fathers may have not been the real fathers. Big deal. |
::The drawbacks are that it is only good for Verifying pure male (son to father to grandfather but not son to mother to grandfather) or with mDNA, pure female lines. As for accuracy, a 25 marker match with a relative is as strong as the strongest case made with the most stringent standards for documentation. At the end of the day, it is as the proverb goes: Maternity is a matter of fact. Paternity is a matter of opinion. Well, maybe not anymore. As for non paternal events, well- most of these folks are dead and buried and there are no feelings to hurt, so ok some of the fathers may have not been the real fathers. Big deal. |
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::It will be a big deal for motivated researchers though. One gal on NPR's science friday was saying that their data so far using these markers is that non paternal events are detected for 15% of the cases. Seems small, but statistically it adds up when you are going back 8 or 9 generations. What happens to my interest in Messerli family ancestors in 17th century Switzerland when I find out that my great great great grandmother was not baking pies while grandpa was in the fields? |
::It will be a big deal for motivated researchers though. One gal on NPR's science friday was saying that their data so far using these markers is that non paternal events are detected for 15% of the cases. Seems small, but statistically it adds up when you are going back 8 or 9 generations. What happens to my interest in Messerli family ancestors in 17th century Switzerland when I find out that my great great great grandmother was not baking pies while grandpa was in the fields? |
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Revision as of 01:55, 4 September 2007
Forums: Index > Watercooler > Methodology revolution of DNA and implications for this wikia
It seems to me that the standards of extreme rigour necessary for teasing out the fact from the fiction in dearly held beliefs/ "family lore" about descendants would require this site to become less of a community site, and more a land where only the truly scholarly macho folks dare post anything.
My observation is that the increasing cheap Y-DNA (male line) and mitochodrial mt-DNA (female line) tests revolutionize the standards for accepting data on parentage. Now, folks can post what they heard from grandmothers, etc. and post it as such. Later, ancestors can come along, do the test and if they get a positive match, then much more credence can be give to what would previously been regarded as unsubstantiated myth.
Anyway, it is my intention to document where I am getting information but not get hysterical about securing the primary source material just yet. If I can verify via DNA testing some of these connections, I can go deeper into the family tree a lot lot faster.
-Mak 23:58, 2 September 2007 (UTC)
- Well said, Mak! Even with DNA work, there are drawbacks, including substantial room for error. What Granny said may contain at least a quarter-truth and can lead us in the right direction. Robin Patterson 12:09, 3 September 2007 (UTC)
- The drawbacks are that it is only good for Verifying pure male (son to father to grandfather but not son to mother to grandfather) or with mDNA, pure female lines. As for accuracy, a 25 marker match with a relative is as strong as the strongest case made with the most stringent standards for documentation. At the end of the day, it is as the proverb goes: Maternity is a matter of fact. Paternity is a matter of opinion. Well, maybe not anymore. As for non paternal events, well- most of these folks are dead and buried and there are no feelings to hurt, so ok some of the fathers may have not been the real fathers. Big deal.
- It will be a big deal for motivated researchers though. One gal on NPR's science friday was saying that their data so far using these markers is that non paternal events are detected for 15% of the cases. Seems small, but statistically it adds up when you are going back 8 or 9 generations. What happens to my interest in Messerli family ancestors in 17th century Switzerland when I find out that my great great great grandmother was not baking pies while grandpa was in the fields?
- One thing that is not clear to me is if it is possible to quantify the degree of uncertainty created over several generations when very large marker sets that are currently available (eg 65). If you could, it would be nice so that folks could say- "well, we have only a few recollections recorded for this parentage, but the dna match indicates a probability of 85%, so that's good enough. -Mak 20:04, 3 September 2007 (UTC)