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What are your attitudes toward "fulgural marriage"?
Jun 24, 2008 01:58
guestedward
Hi everbody,

I am a newbie here. My Eglish is not good. I don’t know if I choose the right expression. In Chinese, we have an expression: 闪(shǎn)婚(hūn),which means getting married too soon. The two people get married after meeting for only several days. It is as quick as the speed of lightning. I don’t know how to translate it into English accurately. I have searched about the expression in English.
I found several translations: “speed dating” “lightning marriage” “fulgural wedding”. I don’t know which one is correct. Can some English-native-speakers help me? Thank you in advance. I am preparing a short research paper on the topic.

“Fulgural marriage” is a rage among the Chinese post-1980s generation. It has become a stylish living style for the young Chinese. The young Chinese people now the popular belief that the tempo of modern life is too fast and young people are busy in working. So young Chinese people don’t have enough time to engage in “ the Marathon dating or courtship”. They don’t have much time to have a better mutual understanding before marriage. Some young Chinese just thought that knowing each other too well will make them become bored with each other and end up with breakup. Furthermore, young Chinese people are now very open and bold. They don’t take divorce and marriage seriously. Some thought that “we can get married today and divorve tomorrow. It is not a big deal”. I want to know how different people view the “figural marriage”. Opionions from both Chinese and Foreigners are welcome. An extra question: will you dare to try the “fulgural marriage”?
Jun 24, 2008 11:11
#1  
  • JABAROOTOO
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Hey Griz,

Fulgural -- Here's another 'new' word for all us native speakers. Never heard of it before!! has anyone else.


Dictionary meaning

(adj) pertaining to lightning
Jun 24, 2008 14:45
#2  
  • GRIZ326
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Yup! Words we've never seen or heard as native English speakers. My gal did it to me just the other day with the word glebe, which is an old English word for birds of prey. She was worried about our ducks and chickens being eaten. :-)

闪婚 - flash marriage is how I translated that from Wenlin.

I do not know if we have an expression to cover a "flash marriage" or "lightening fast wedding." I cannot think of one now, but flash marriage is a fair expression.

I've been flash married and was promptly struck by lightening. ;-)
Jun 24, 2008 19:00
#3  
  • JABAROOTOO
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Shot Gun wedding is the term we us usually use for a quick wedding but I think it may be a case of the girl is pregnant so he marry s with the threat of a bullet, not because they've chosen a short engagement.
Jun 24, 2008 19:18
#4  
  • FAERIEQUEENE
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the idea of “lightning” is in the expression of “a love at first sight” in the French language (as if a sudden stroke of lightning)....not about marriage though…!!!
Jun 24, 2008 21:59
#5  
  • LEONARDO
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"Fulgural" ?

OMG! I can't even find the word in my dictionary. Lightning marriage is just like lightning. It comes quickly, it goes quickly!
I think "lightning marriage" is different from "love first sight".
Jun 25, 2008 12:19
#6  
  • SETH
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Actually this sounds like a way to get a "license to have sex", maybe to save face with families who are horrified at the idea of pre-marital sex? This way, a couple can simply say "well, we were married but it didn't work out".

I was raised to view marriage as sacred and lasting... a true commitment. Taking it so lightly, as in the "fulgaral marriage", would really collide with my personal ethics. My personal ethics, by the way, aren't based on formalized religion as much as just plain golden rule teachings.
Jun 25, 2008 20:58
#7  
  • ICEBLUE
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A great number of people marry hastily when they are not young. In particularly, women are afraid of being solo when they are over 28. If a woman is still unmarried in her 30s, she would be called " a leftover woman" in China. The general opinion is quite agaist her.
Jun 25, 2008 21:45
#8  
  • SHESGOTTOBE
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Are you talking about shotgun wedding wherein the girl and the parents (usually the girl’s parents) force the guy to marry. LOL!

Seriously now. Usually it is called a whirlwind romance or whirlwind marriage wherein the people fell in love right after they met. It would seem that the time they spent together isn’t enough so they decided that they don’t want to get separated anymore and so they get married right away. I don’t have any thoughts on this because it depends on the people involved. Just like any marriages, some are successful, some are not.
Jun 30, 2008 21:01
#9  
  • LEONARDO
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Shesgottobe,

I think the guest is not talking about shotgun wedding. I understand the concept " 闪婚" in Chinese. It means that the two parties get married too quickly but they are voluntary. I don't know how these people view marriage. Some might think marriage is only part of the daily necessity just like cooking oil, salt, soy sauce and vinegar.
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