code: public static RelationType getInstance(Locale locale, String type)
     {
        int index = -1;
  
        String[] relationTypes = LocaleData.getStringArray(locale, LocaleData.RELATION_TYPES);
        for (int loop = 0; loop < relationTypes.length; loop++)
        {
           if (relationTypes[loop].equalsIgnoreCase(type) == true)
           {
              index = loop;
              break;
           }
        }
  
        RelationType result = null;
        if (index != -1)
        {
           result = RelationType.getInstance(index);
        }
  
        return (result);
     }
docs: This method takes the textual version of a relation type
  and returns an appropriate class instance. Note that unrecognised
  values will cause this method to return null.
  
  @param locale target locale
  @param type text version of the relation type
  @return RelationType instance