Same Sex “Marriage”
In my last post, I put “same sex marriage” in quotes, or referred to such unions as “so-called marriages.” I did this because such unions are not marriages. It is impossible for persons of the same sex to marry each other. This is not a moral judgement, but a linguistic and biological fact.
The Latin word for marriage is matrimonium. Mater is Latin word for “mother,” and the suffix monium signifies an action, state, or condition. Matrimonium literally means “state of motherhood.” Or more correctly, when a couple marry, the man leads his wife into motherhood.
It is biologically impossible for a woman to lead another woman into motherhood, just as it is biologically impossible for a man to lead another man into motherhood. Same sex marriages are a biological impossibility.
If a same sex couple insist on forming a immoral union, there are very few countries that will legally stop them. However, no country can change the biological fact that such unions are not marriages.
February 27th, 2009 at 11:30 am
Not quite.
Etymononline.com has this:
marry (v.)
1297, from O.Fr. marier, from L. maritare “to wed, marry, give in marriage,” from maritus “married man, husband,” of uncertain origin, perhaps ult. from “provided with a *mari,” a young woman, from PIE base *meri- “young wife,” akin to *meryo- “young man” (cf. Skt. marya- “young man, suitor”). Said from 1530 of the priest, etc., who performs the rite.
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Your word history is wrong. It comes from a word meaning “husband,” perhaps ultimately from a word for “young man.”
Your heaping your moral views onto language also have no bearing in fact.
February 28th, 2009 at 3:36 am
John D:
Thank-you for this opportunity to clarify. I did not say that the English word marriage comes from the Latin word matrimonium. I said, “The Latin word for marriage is matrimonium.” If you check any Latin to English dictionary, it will define matrimonium as marriage. It may additionally give the words wedlock and matrimony.
If you give the word matrimony to the Online Etymology Dictionary, it has this to say:
My word history is correct, as are my moral views.
March 1st, 2009 at 4:10 am
I chose “marry” because you said:
“It is impossible for persons of the same sex to marry each other.”
Okay, “matrimony” is from “mater,” but you still can’t draw inferences from the roots of words.
Some examples:
Is “influenza” really from the “influence of the stars?”
If it’s “dreary” out, does that really mean it’s dripping blood?
Is a “walnut” necessarily foreign?
No.
I think of this sort of argument as “ripping a word out by its roots.” It’s a lot like ripping a plant out by its roots, as it doesn’t get you anything new.
The current use of the word “marry” has nothing to do with the ultimate roots of the word. Language is like that. The only thing etymology tells us is how the word changed over time. We cannot fix the word in some past meaning, even if history suggests it once had that meaning.
Even “matrimony,” in the contemporary meaning of “in the state of marriage” is not the same as a possible former meaning of “in the state of motherhood.” From your argument you could conclude that since men can’t be mothers, men can’t engage in matrimony. This leaves the question of who those women are going to marry.
Finally, everyone feels their moral views are correct. As it happens, I have moral views that I feel are completely justified. They conflict with yours on the point on equal protection under the laws for gay people.
I think the state’s denial of marriage rights to same-sex couples is a moral failure.
March 10th, 2009 at 5:49 am
[...] Same Sex “Marriage” [...]
April 16th, 2009 at 12:48 am
This article makes it clear why the Royal Spanish Language Academy won’t change the definition of “matrimonio”, which actually comes from the latin word “Matrimonium” itself. It all makes perfect sense to me. I suppose same sex unions just need a different name, so that we all can have it right.
Your “moral” views, however, are simply wrong. Unfortunately, I don’t think I can convince you of that, so I’ll just go on living happily with my perfect-12-year-long-homosexual-relationship, leaving you to your “moral” views.
Thank you very much, for the clarification on etymologies.