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Bridal

Posted: Sat Aug 24, 2013 9:00 am
by Slava
I'm putting this one out there because of its etymology. It used to mean the feast after the wedding: bride-ale. The ale part meant that there was drinking involved. Much like contemporary wedding receptions.

It has, of course, shifted to mean things related to the bride, but it's fun. I hope no one will bridle at my posting it. :)

Re: Bridal

Posted: Sat Aug 24, 2013 1:14 pm
by Perry Lassiter
You piqued my curiosity:

bride (n.)
Old English bryd "bride, betrothed or newly married woman," from Proto-Germanic *bruthiz "woman being married" (cf. Old Frisian breid, Dutch bruid, Old High German brut, German Braut "bride"). Gothic cognate bruĆ¾s, however, meant "daughter-in-law," and the form of the word borrowed from Old High German into Medieval Latin (bruta) and Old French (bruy) had only this sense. In ancient Indo-European custom, the married woman went to live with her husband's family, so the only "newly wed female" in such a household would have been the daughter-in-law. On the same notion, some trace the word itself to the PIE verbal root *bru- "to cook, brew, make broth," as this likely was the daughter-in-law's job.

Re: Bridal

Posted: Sat Aug 24, 2013 1:21 pm
by Slava
If you're going to have an ale feast, it's a good thing to have a brewer, no?

Re: Bridal

Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 1:00 pm
by gailr
Stretching the meaning, she goes from bride (one associated with brewing ale) to lady (one who kneads bread)?

Re: Bridal

Posted: Wed Aug 28, 2013 12:41 am
by Philip Hudson
The woman in a wedding is the bride. The bridegroom gets bridled.

Re: Bridal

Posted: Wed Aug 28, 2013 9:07 pm
by gailr
^ If I recall correctly, only the woman had to promise obedience in the 'good old days'...

:wink:

Re: Bridal

Posted: Thu Aug 29, 2013 11:27 am
by Philip Hudson
Between a bride and groom, we know who is boss. "Suzy leads that husband of hers around by a ring in his nose."

The following is sexist but it is said by some lowlifes. It puts the bridle and saddle on a woman, not necessarily a wife. "That gal has been rode hard and put away wet." If you know about horses you know what a negative expression this is. No horseman who values his mount puts his horse away without giving it a good, sweat-removing rubdown.