Bridal

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Slava
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Bridal

Postby Slava » Sat Aug 24, 2013 9:00 am

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. :)
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

Perry Lassiter
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Re: Bridal

Postby Perry Lassiter » Sat Aug 24, 2013 1:14 pm

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 bruþs, 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.
pl

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Slava
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Re: Bridal

Postby Slava » Sat Aug 24, 2013 1:21 pm

If you're going to have an ale feast, it's a good thing to have a brewer, no?
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

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gailr
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Re: Bridal

Postby gailr » Sun Aug 25, 2013 1:00 pm

Stretching the meaning, she goes from bride (one associated with brewing ale) to lady (one who kneads bread)?

Philip Hudson
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Re: Bridal

Postby Philip Hudson » Wed Aug 28, 2013 12:41 am

The woman in a wedding is the bride. The bridegroom gets bridled.
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.

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Re: Bridal

Postby gailr » Wed Aug 28, 2013 9:07 pm

^ If I recall correctly, only the woman had to promise obedience in the 'good old days'...

:wink:

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Re: Bridal

Postby Philip Hudson » Thu Aug 29, 2013 11:27 am

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.
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.


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