【老外说】英国人说婚姻

In the UK I think marriage is still seen as something that is traditional. But I think fewer people are getting married these days for a number of reasons. Mostly economic. Getting married is seen as something very expensive.

• How come? 怎么会这样呢？

相当于how so?，可以理解为是how does/did it happen/come (that…)?

- They don’t say a single word to each other.

- How come?

- 他俩一句话也不说。

- 咋会这样呢？

For example, the average person getting married spend somewhere around 10,000-20,000 pounds sterling , on their wedding day and honeymoon. So you have this big expensive day...

• sterling 英国货币

Pound是英镑，sterling的原意是银子（并不纯，92.5%）。当初英镑是有银子做后盾的，也就是说一张一英镑的支票是能直接到银行兑换出相应的银子。这样的做法是控制英镑发行量，有一镑的银子才能印一镑纸币，防止乱印纸币造成通货膨胀。因此英镑的全称是Pound Steling。复数Pounds Sterling.

都是英镑，但是用法不同。Sterling不能作为量词，只能用作名字。能说“接受英镑” we accept payments in Sterling，但是不能说“一英镑”为“ one Sterling”。

Absolutely! That’s the other side of the argument. Some people also say exactly that you don’t need to spend so much money on one day, you can in fact get married in a registry office or pretty much anywhere these days.

• registry office 登记处

I had two weddings in the end because my wife is Italian.

• paper work 书面手续

• marriage licence 结婚证书

• Proper white wedding 体面的白色婚礼

I think people’s attitudes in England are changing towards marriage. Fewer people are seeing it as something that you need to do but more something that is nice to do.

No, not at all.

Young people find it harder and harder each year to be able to afford a home of their own. So lots of people in the UK will now live together for long periods of time before even considering a marriage. That’s called cohabiting . I think you’ll find this in American cultures as well. You’ll move in together. You’ll see if it works .

• cohabit （无婚姻关系）同居

• it works 管用、奏效、行得通

• get engaged  订婚

  
  

You wouldn’t necessarily commit to that level until you knew for sure.

• commit to 承诺，保证

• compatible 和睦相处的

• stand 忍受