We have spoken of marriage as a formal contract. It should be noted, however, that this contract does not (1) the same form in different societies. In Western societies, the (2) of a man and a woman (3) given the status of legal marriage by being registered by an official (4) by the state. In some African cities, (5) , marriage has nothing to do (6) an official registration of this kind but is legalized by the formal (7) of goods. Generally (8) is the bridegroom who is required to make a payment of goods to the bride’s kin(亲戚), though (9) a payment is also made by the bridegroom’s kin to (10) of the bride.
Among the Nuer, a (11) living in Southern Sudan, the payment made over to the bride’s kin, (12) as bride- wealth, is in the (13) of cattle. Once the (14) of bride- wealth is agreed (15) , and the formal payment is made, the marriage becomes a (16) union and the offspring of the union become the acceptable (17) of the husband. They remain (18) children even (19) the wife subsequently leaves him to live with (20) man.