Saturday 11 December 2010

Something old, something new


Something old, something new
Something borrowed, something blue

今天才知道,原來這句話還有一句下文-And a silver sixpence in her shoe.今天和哈尼說到台灣的結婚習俗新郎從頭到腳的穿著都由女方贈送,象徵一個新的開始時,哈尼說西方也有一項傳統可以為婚姻帶來祝福,就是上面這首許多人耳熟能詳的韻文。看來我得努力找一些新的、一些舊的、一些藍色的、一些借來的穿戴在婚禮當天了。

查到了下面的這個習俗的由來,又是一個古老的英國傳統呢!

The next line of this old saying actually hints at its origin. The complete phrase is:
Something old, something new
Something borrowed, something blue
And a silver sixpence in her shoe.
A sixpence is a coin that was minted in Britain from 1551 to 1967. It was made of silver and worth six pennies. So this wedding tradition is definitely English, and many sources say that it began in the Victorian era.
Each item in this poem represents a good-luck token for the bride. If she carries all of them on her wedding day, her marriage will be happy. "Something old" symbolizes continuity with the bride's family and the past. "Something new" means optimism and hope for the bride's new life ahead. "Something borrowed" is usually an item from a happily married friend or family member, whose good fortune in marriage is supposed to carry over to the new bride. The borrowed item also reminds the bride that she can depend on her friends and family.
As for the colorful item, blue has been connected to weddings for centuries. In ancient Rome, brides wore blue to symbolize love, modesty, and fidelity. Christianity has long dressed the Virgin Mary in blue, so purity was associated with the color. Before the late 19th century, blue was a popular color for wedding gowns, as evidenced in proverbs like, "Marry in blue, lover be true."
And finally, a silver sixpence in the bride's shoe represents wealth and financial security. It may date back to a Scottish custom of a groom putting a silver coin under his foot for good luck. For optimum fortune, the sixpence should be in the left shoe. These days, a dime or a copper penny is sometimes substituted, and many companies sell keepsake sixpences for weddings.



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