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Multilingual Demographic Dictionary, second unified edition, English volume

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Multilingual Demographic Dictionary, second unified edition, English vol.
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Go to: Introduction to Demopædia | Instructions on use | Downloads
Chapters: Preface | 1. General concepts | 2. The treatment and processing of population statistics | 3. Distribution and classification of the population | 4. Mortality and morbidity | 5. Nuptiality | 6. Fertility | 7. Population growth and replacement | 8. Spatial mobility | 9. Economic and social aspects of demography
Pages: 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 80 | 81 | 90 | 91 | 92 | 93
Index: Global Index | Index of chapter 1 | Index of chapter 2 | Index of chapter 3 | Index of chapter 4 | Index of chapter 5 | Index of chapter 6 | Index of chapter 7 | Index of chapter 8 | Index of chapter 9


501

The study of nuptiality 1 deals with the frequency of marriages 2 i.e. of unions 3 between persons of opposite sexes which involve rights and obligations fixed by law or custom; with the characteristics of persons united in marriage; and with the dissolution of such unions. By extension, it also includes the study of other conjugal unions (503-8) where their frequency makes their inclusion necessary. A marriage 4 or wedding 4 is the ceremony, prescribed by law or custom, which establishes such a union between a man and a woman as spouses 5, i.e. husband 6 and wife 7. The spouses jointly are called a married couple 8.

  • 4. Marriage, n. - marry, v. - married, adj. - marriageable, adj.: capable of contracting a marriage.
  • 6. A man at, or soon before or after his marriage, is a bridegroom (abbreviation: groom).
  • 7. A woman at, or soon before or after her marriage, is a bride.

502

Marriage laws 1 or marriage customs 2 differ in different societies. A person who is married to only one person at a time is called monogamous 3. A person who is married to several persons simultaneously is called polygamous 4. A distinction is made between polyandrous 5 societies, where a woman may have several husbands, and polygynous 6 societies, where a man may have several wives. The term "polygamy" is frequently used in the sense of polygyny.

  • 3. Monogamous, adj. - monogamy, n.
  • 4. Polygamous, adj. - polygamy, n.
  • 5. Polyandrous, adj. - polyandry, n.
  • 6. Polygynous, adj. - polygyny, n.

503

In some countries a legal union can be established only through a civil marriage 1 performed by an official of the state; in other countries a religious marriage 2 in accordance with the regulations of a church is recognized as having legal force. Social or legal recognition may be given under various conditions in different countries to stable unions which have not been solemnized by a legal or religious ceremony, for instance to customary marriages 3 or to common law marriages 3 conforming to local traditions. Different types of relationships and degrees of social acceptance are implied in terms applied to various unions but their significance varies widely in different countries. The term consensual union 4 implies a socially recognized stable union, the term companionate marriage 4 has a similar connotation. The terms free union 5 and temporary union 6 both imply a less stable union that may or may not include cohabitation 7. Two persons of opposite sexes living in a stable union, whether legal or not, are called a couple 8. The term conjugal union 8 has been used by demographers to include both legal unions and more or less stable illegal unions.

  • 3. Concubinage, n.: a type of illegal union. A concubine in the restricted sense is a woman with an accepted conjugal status inferior to that of a legally recognized wife, particularly in polygynous societies. In other societies, the word concubine is sometimes used loosely to denote any woman other than a wife living in conjugal union with a man. Today such terms as companion or mate are preferred.
  • 7. Cohabitation, n.- cohabit, v.

504

In many countries a minimum age at marriage 1 is laid down by law. The age differs from country to country and may be different for the two sexes. Marriages among persons closely related by blood are called consanguineous marriages 2 and are generally prohibited by either law or custom. Persons who are forbidden to marry one another for these reasons are said to be within the prohibited degrees of consanguinity 3.

505

In some countries the publication of banns 1 or intent to marry 1 is a necessary preliminary to a marriage (501-4), giving public notice to persons interested, who may then oppose the marriage if they have reason to do so. In many countries a marriage license 2 must be obtained before the marriage ceremony can take place. A marriage certificate 3 is usually delivered to the newly married couple 4 after the ceremony. The consummation of marriage 5 has occurred, or a marriage has been consummated 5 when sexual relations have taken place between the spouses.

  • 1. Before the celebration of the marriage the future spouses are said to be engaged or betrothed, words which come from the custom of engagement or betrothal which consists of a more or less formal exchange of promise to marry.

506

Endogamy 1 exists where both spouses must belong to the same group (e.g. tribe, clan). The term is also used to denote a tendency for spouses to be members of the same social or geographical group or isolate 2, which is generally of limited size. The opposite requirement or tendency is called exogamy 3. Mixed marriages 4 are marriages between persons of different nationalities, races, religions, etc. When marriage is contracted between persons with certain common characteristics, social, physical or mental, it is called homogamy 5, the opposite is called heterogamy 6.

  • 1. Endogamy, n. - endogamous, adj.
  • 3. Exogamy, n. - exogamous, adj.
  • 5. Homogamy, n. - homogamous, adj.
  • 6. Heterogamy, n. - heterogamous, adj.

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Go to: Introduction to Demopædia | Instructions on use | Downloads
Chapters: Preface | 1. General concepts | 2. The treatment and processing of population statistics | 3. Distribution and classification of the population | 4. Mortality and morbidity | 5. Nuptiality | 6. Fertility | 7. Population growth and replacement | 8. Spatial mobility | 9. Economic and social aspects of demography
Pages: 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 80 | 81 | 90 | 91 | 92 | 93
Index: Global Index | Index of chapter 1 | Index of chapter 2 | Index of chapter 3 | Index of chapter 4 | Index of chapter 5 | Index of chapter 6 | Index of chapter 7 | Index of chapter 8 | Index of chapter 9