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