theassassintherapist t1_je97aix wrote on March 30, 2023 at 10:04 AM

Reply to comment by stegg88 in In China, Marriage Rates Are Down and ‘Bride Prices’ Are Up by I_call_it

"Bride price", especially with the quotes sounds like mail ordered brides when the reality is that it's a tradition to pay the bride's family to take their daughter into marriage. Major optics difference.

Shuber-Fuber t1_jeb3228 wrote on March 30, 2023 at 6:46 PM

Except both are correct term though.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bride_price

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dower

And without the quote it gets even more ambiguous

Bride price is up

"Bride price" is up.

And dower has a different meaning for Western world, which is functionally an optional contract that's essentially a divorce settlement.

y-c-c t1_jee5ozt wrote on March 31, 2023 at 11:08 AM

I still think the traditional term is “dowry” (not “dower” which was probably a typo) though. It’s a commonly understood term.

Shuber-Fuber t1_jef9kc6 wrote on March 31, 2023 at 4:12 PM

Dowry is payment from the bride family to the groom.

Dower is the reverse one.

stegg88 t1_je97bmt wrote on March 30, 2023 at 10:04 AM

A fair enough. I see your point now.