Thai Wedding (Thailand)

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Exercise 1

Vocabulary

glorious

Adjective

ˈgloʊriːəs

impressive; successful; beautiful and stunning

We have gathered here today to celebrate our glorious victory!

cornerstone

Noun

ˈkɔːrnərˌstoʊn

the most important part of something; the foundation of something

Dedication is the cornerstone of running a successful business.

dowry

Noun

ˈdaʊriː

(in some cultures) money or other possessions that a wife's family gives to her husband or a husband's family gives to his wife when they get married

In the past, it was quite difficult for women without a dowry to get married.

entourage

Noun

ˌɑːntʊˈrɑːʒ

a group of people following another person, one that is usually important or powerful

The sports star and her entourage are going to arrive at the hotel on Sunday morning.

toll

Noun

toʊl

an amount of money to be paid for using a road or a bridge

He paid the highway toll with his credit card.

Exercise 2

Dialogue Practice

Read the dialogue aloud with your tutor.

Nina attended her Thai friend's wedding and is telling Jessica about it.
	Jessica Nina, how was that wedding last week? Did you have fun?
	Nina Yes, it was amazing! It was my first time attending a Thai wedding. It was such a glorious event!
	Jessica I've never been to a Thai wedding. What was it like? Are their weddings traditional or modern? Was it a religious ceremony or just a legal one?
	Nina This one was quite traditional, but generally it depends on the family and their preferences. And, there is no such thing as the religious ceremony in Thailand.
	Jessica Really? I thought Buddhism was extremely important to Thai people.
	Nina Well, that is true, but their wedding ceremonies are not religious. Monks are invited to bless the union, but that is as far as the religious practice goes. After the blessing, the monks are offered food. Everyone else has to wait until the monks finish, and only then can they start eating. This is part of the merit-making custom which is the cornerstone of their religious life.
	Jessica Oh, I know a thing or two about that. It’s about making donations and doing good deeds, right?
	Nina There are actually many different forms of merit-making, but essentially, yes, those would be the simplest and most common examples. Anyway, the ceremony continues after the monks have finished blessing everything,.
	Jessica That's interesting! What is the rest of the ceremony like?
	Nina Well, basically, the groom and his family bring gifts, flowers, candles, etc., which represent the dowry for the bride. They are surrounded by an entourage of drummers and dancers.
	Jessica It sounds really exciting! What happens next?
	Nina When the groom arrives, he has to pass through a number of obstacles, or metaphorical gates, to get to his bride. He has to pay a toll that increases the closer he gets to his destination.
	Jessica And when are they officially married?
	Nina The couple is linked to each other by two threads – one that links their hands, and one that connects their heads. Then, the guests pour holy water over their hands. This completes the ceremony.

Exercise 3

Fill in the Blanks

Fill in the blanks to complete the sentences.

The for using this bridge is $5.

My sister got that necklace as a from her husband's parents.

Family is the of many societies.

He is always accompanied by his .

We spent a month together in Thailand.

Answer Pool (Questions 1-5)

dowry
cornerstone
toll
entourage
glorious

Exercise 4

Discussion

What do you think about Thai weddings?

What are the wedding traditions in your country like? In what way are they different or similar to Thai traditions?

What do you think about the practice of merit-making (donating, honoring others, promoting non-violence, etc.)?

Do you think the wedding traditions should be preserved?

What do you know about Thailand?