article
Gender pragmatics: agency, speech, and bride-theft in a Cretan mountain village
Anthropology • 9 (1) • Published In 1985 • Pages: 25-44
By: Herzfeld, Michael.
Abstract
In this article, Herzfeld examines the grammar of gender in narratives of bride-abduction in highland Crete. Bride abduction occurs in situations when the male suitor's original request for marriage is rebuffed. The successful abduction shows off the suitors cunning and forces the hand of the bride-to-be's father. In the narratives, the suitor does not express romantic love (EROTEVOME) as the reason for his action, but the love (AGHAPI), or mutual affection expressed between affines. Herzfeld argues that bride abduction has the same objective as an animal-theft in securing an alliance and friendship between agnatic groups through an initial hostile act that commands respect.
- HRAF PubDate
- 2003
- Region
- Europe
- Sub Region
- Southeastern Europe
- Document Type
- article
- Evaluation
- Creator Type
- Ethnologist
- Document Rating
- 4: Excellent Secondary Data
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- Analyst
- Ian Skoggard ; 2002
- Field Date
- 1974-1984
- Coverage Date
- not specified
- Coverage Place
- 'Glendi', Crete, Greece
- Notes
- Michael Herzfeld
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 44)
- LCCN
- 78645681
- LCSH
- Greece