Abstract
On Marriage Rituals as a Swear and Words Used to Express practices Concerning Marriage: Cradle of Rank, Betrothal, Solemnizing
Activities describing steps of marriage process are usually denominated with idioms containing the verb kes- 'to cut' and its derivatives. Verbs of the expressions like beşik kertmek, söz kesmek, nikâh kıymak all contain the meaning 'cutting'. In old Turkish tradition, if two strange persons decide to be friend and brother of each other, they cut their arms in the presence of their relatives, and their blood pours into a cup. They put a sword or another weapon between them, and then mix their blood with wine and drink. After that, they exchange their weapons or horses or sisters. Thus, they become friends bound by an oath. People becoming friend of each other in that way were called 'anda' during the Mongol periods. It is very natural that such an important ritual as marriage would contain arrangements made by blood. The acts kert- 'to scrape', kes- 'to cut' and kıy- 'to sliver' would surely cause blood to pour. This is so in the practices for swore brotherhood, too.<
Keywords
marriage, to cut, take an oath