Forum newsfeeds 
|  | | Notices | You are welcome to answer questions posted in the Ask a Teacher forum as long as your suggestions, help, and advice reflect a good understanding of the English language. If you are not a teacher, you will need to state that clearly at the top of your post. Please note, all posts are moderated by our in-house language experts, so make sure your suggestions, help, and advice house the kind of information an international language teacher would offer. If not, and your posts do not contribute to the topic in a positive way, they will be subject to deletion. | 
06-Aug-2008, 09:05
|  | Key Member | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Country: China
Posts: 2,762
Current Location: Shanghai First Language: Mandarin, Hokkien Member Type: Other Thanks: 2,125
Thanked 187 Times in 181 Posts
| |  matrimony vs. marriage
Quote: |
Rev George Bringham flew ahead of the couple on the wings of a third aircraft and brought the Lancashire couple together in holy matrimony over an airborne communications system.
| What's the difference between the 'marriage' and matrimony'? Can I replace matrimony with marriage?
Thanks! |
06-Aug-2008, 09:17
|  | Key Member | | Join Date: Jun 2008 Country: Australia
Posts: 3,187
Current Location: Brisbane First Language: English Member Type: Academic Thanks: 46
Thanked 1,388 Times in 1,279 Posts
| |  Re: matrimony vs. marriage
Quote:
Originally Posted by thedaffodils  What's the difference between the 'marriage' and matrimony'? Can I replace matrimony with marriage?
Thanks! | The words "holy matrimony" go together. You could replace that phrase with "marriage" in this case. In general, "marriage" is a far more common word. |
06-Aug-2008, 09:41
| | Key Member | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Country: China
Posts: 2,762
Current Location: Shanghai First Language: Mandarin, Hokkien Member Type: Other Thanks: 2,125
Thanked 187 Times in 181 Posts
| | Re: matrimony vs. marriage
Raymott, thank you for your help.   |
06-Aug-2008, 09:52
| | Senior Member | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Country: malaysia
Posts: 953
Current Location: malaysia First Language: chinese Member Type: Student or Learner Thanks: 14
Thanked 346 Times in 338 Posts
| | Re: matrimony vs. marriage
Couples are said to be 'joined/united in holy matrimony' by the pastor in a church wedding ceremony. It is a formal and sacred term for marriage.
It is not used in everyday language. You don't say, 'I am going to attend my relative's matrimony'. Lawyers would use the word in legal documents - matrimonial dispute, matrimonial property law.
not a teacher | | The Following User Says Thank You to tedtmc For This Useful Post: | |
06-Aug-2008, 10:09
| | Key Member | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Country: China
Posts: 2,762
Current Location: Shanghai First Language: Mandarin, Hokkien Member Type: Other Thanks: 2,125
Thanked 187 Times in 181 Posts
| | Re: matrimony vs. marriage
Hello Tedtmc, thank you for your great supplement! I see! |
06-Aug-2008, 10:24
|  | Moderator | | Join Date: Jul 2006 Country: England (South East)
Posts: 6,198
Current Location: England (South East) First Language: English Member Type: English Teacher Thanks: 94
Thanked 1,114 Times in 988 Posts
| | Re: matrimony vs. marriage
A Also, "matrimony" is only ever used (I think...) in the context of a marirage contract/service/social arrangement. The word "marriage" can be used in idioms and collocations that have nothing to do with matrimony:
Examples: HP and Compaq merged in 2001 [?] but the marriage was not consummated fully until ....
The invention of satellite broadcasting represents the marriage of terrestrial TV and the science of geo-stationary satellites.
Microsoft's deal with DEC was only a marriage of convenience.
Bob Dylan's teaming up with Mark Knopfler on the Slow Train Coming was a marriage of poetic genius with musical virtuosity.
...
b | | The Following User Says Thank You to BobK For This Useful Post: | |
06-Aug-2008, 12:34
| | Key Member | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Country: China
Posts: 2,762
Current Location: Shanghai First Language: Mandarin, Hokkien Member Type: Other Thanks: 2,125
Thanked 187 Times in 181 Posts
| | Re: matrimony vs. marriage
Hello BobK,
Thank you for illustrating the usages of the two words. |
23-Oct-2008, 01:52
|  | VIP Member | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Country: INDIA
Posts: 10,192
Current Location: INDIA First Language: HINDI/MARATHI/KANNADA Member Type: Other Thanks: 539
Thanked 810 Times in 699 Posts
| | Re: matrimony vs. marriage
Matrimonial is used for the advertisement and information space in TV or Newspaper, given for the purpose of making an alliance between a boy and a girl. It sounds decent than Marriage advertisement. | | The Following User Says Thank You to SUDHKAMP For This Useful Post: | |
23-Oct-2008, 02:13
| | Key Member | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Country: China
Posts: 2,762
Current Location: Shanghai First Language: Mandarin, Hokkien Member Type: Other Thanks: 2,125
Thanked 187 Times in 181 Posts
| | Re: matrimony vs. marriage
Quote:
Originally Posted by SUDHKAMP Matrimonial is used for the advertisement and information space in TV or Newspaper, given for the purpose of making an alliance between a boy and a girl. It sounds decent than Marriage advertisement. | Hi SUDHKAMP,
Thank you for your answer. | | Thread Tools | | | | Display Modes |  Linear Mode | 
Posting Rules
| You may post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off | | | All times are GMT. The time now is 06:22. | |
