At Marriage

Question

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/spring-cleaning-2011-readers-choice/2011/05/19/AFKNfz7G_story.html

"We need to eliminate the tradition of women taking their husband’s name at marriage."

Dictionary

According to entry 1 & 2, "marriage" should be read as something that lasts a period of time, but not a singular point in time. Yet "at marriage" in the example seems to suggest that marriage is a point in time, like birth and death (at birth, at death). Am I wrong?

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

Are you suggesting that the Washington Post does not write good English?

It certainly is not a common phrase, but I have no trouble in understanding it in the sentence. Do you?

English can be a very flexible language.

Perhaps the writer might argue that he was thinking of the marriage ceremony as an event at a particular point in time.

Clive

CSnyder · Answer

Marriage can certainly mean a definite point in time - in this case, think of it as synonymous to "wedding".

Canadian45 · Answer

MeggPhaggSioux "We need to eliminate the tradition of women taking their husband’s name at marriage ." (= at the time of marriage)
This only refers to when the couple gets married, not to the whole duration of the marriage.

Dictionary According to entry 1 & 2, "marriage" should be read as something that lasts a period of time, but not a singular point in time.

The time of marriage is a point in time. Yes, and that's when the woman takes her husband's name. After that she keeps her husband's name.

Yet "at marriage" in the example seems to suggest that "at marriage" is a point in time, like birth and death (at birth, at death). yes
c45

At Marriage

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