Americans wait longer to get married - Part 1

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1. Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English. I'm Faith Lapidus. BOB DOUGHTY: And I'm Bob Doughty. This week on our program, we talk about couples(1) and relationships (2).

2.  What do traditional American weddings(3) look like? Well, in some ways(4), they look like smaller versions of last month's wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William in London.

3. The Bride(5) traditionally wears(6) a long white dress(7) and the groom (8) might(9) wear a uniform if he is in the military. Otherwise(10) he usually(11) wears a tuxedo(12) or suit(13). A member of theclergy(14) usually leads the ceremony, and the bride and groom exchange rings(15) and vows(16).

4. But getting married is not the only way some American couples choose to declare their love.  "Maybe(17) we will get married someday. Maybe we'll get matching(18) tattoos(19) someday. But at this point it's just a party."

5. Ellen and her boyfriend(20), Doug, have been a couple for more than eleven years. They own(21) a house together in northern California. This spring(22), Ellen and Doug decided to celebrate(23) their relationship. They invited one hundred and thirty friends to a party. Ellen wore(24) a big pink gown(25). Doug came dressed as(26) a red, ripe strawberry(27).

6. Everyone ate(28) a nice dinner outdoors(29), then went inside(30) to dance. Ellen and Doug did not read vows or exchange rings -- there was no ceremony, no kiss, no wedding.  "We feel like we are together. This didn't really need to be confirmed at this point in our relationship. But we did want to have a party and celebrate it. But it was definitely confusing(31) for other folks(32), I think, just because(33)they hold(34) specific expectations culturally and socially about marriage."

7. Some of the guests(35) were not sure what to think(36) of Ellen and Doug's celebration -- or even(37) how to describe it. Some found it easier(38) to tell other people that they were going to a wedding. Thatway(39) they did not have to take the time to explain. So what did Ellen's family think of this untraditional celebration? This is her aunt(40).

8. ELLEN'S AUNT: "I actually(41) don't know what to say about it. I was quite surprised(42) first of all(43) and was trying to find out from Ellen for the longest time what this was about(44)."

9. This is Ellen's godfather(45). ELLEN'S GODFATHER: "As long as(46) two people care about each other(47), love each other, whether they want to get married or not, as long as they don't hurt(48) anyone else, and they love each other, it's not up to us(49) to judge(50) them, really."

10. And this is Ellen's father. What did he think of the whole(51) situation? ELLEN'S FATHER: "I want a grandchild(52). I'll be seventy in July, and I just – whether(53) they get married or not, I want a grandchild."

11. Last year's national census counted more than six million unmarried couples(54) in the United States who were living together. That was a thirteen percent increase(55) from the last census in two thousand. Experts say more Americans are choosing to wait to get married, or not to get married at all(56)

12. Americans have been waiting longer(57) to get married. The Census Bureau estimates that in eighteen ninety, half of all women who got married for the first time were twenty-two or younger. For men themedian age(58) – meaning(59) half were younger and half were older -- was twenty-six. By last year, however(60), the median age for women was twenty-six, and for men it was twenty-eight.

13. A new Census Bureau report(61) shows that twenty-five years ago, one in four women age twenty-five to twenty-nine had never been(62) married. In two thousand nine that number was close to half(62).

14. There are different reasons why(64) people wait to get married. They may want to first complete their education or establish a career(65) or gain financial security. Or they may have just not found the right person.

15. But experts say more and more(66) Americans have simply chosen(67) not to get married or at least(68) not to take that step(69) too quickly. The Alternatives to Marriage Project is a nonprofit(70)organization based in Brooklyn, New York. It works for equality and fairness for unmarried people, including people who are single(72) or live together before marriage.

  Couples = casais

2.                   Relationships = relacionamento

3.                   Weddings = casamentos

4.                   in some ways = de algumas formas

5.                   Bride = noiva

6.                   Wears veste

7.                   Dress = vestido

8.                   Groom = noivo

9.                   Might = pode

10.               Otherwise = do contrario

11.               Usually = normalmente

12.               Tuxedo = smoking

13.               Suit = terno

14.               Clergy = clero

15.               exchange rings = trocam anéis

16.               vows = votos

17.               Maybe = talvez

18.               Matching = correspondente

19.               Tattoos = tatuagem

20.               Boyfriend = namorado

21.               Own = possuem

22.               Spring = primavera

23.               Celebrate = comemorar

24.               Wore = vestiu

25.               Gown = vestido

26.               dressed as = vestido como

27.               ripe strawberry = morango maduro

28.               ate  = comeram

29.               dinner outdoors = jantar ao ar livre

30.               went inside = foram para dentro

31.               definitely confusing = definitivamente confuse

32.               folks = pessoas

33.               just because = só porque

34.               hold = sustentar, manter

35.               guests = convidados

36.               were not sure what to think = não tinham certeza do que pensar

even = sequer, até mesmo

         

38.               found it easier = acharam mais fácil

39.               way = forma

40.               aunt = tia

41.               actually = na verdade

42.               I was quite surprised = Fiquei bastante surpresa(o)

43.               first of all = antes de qualquer coisa

44.               what this was about = do que se tratava

45.               godfather = padrinho

46.               As long as = contanto que

47.               care about each other = importe-se um com o outro

48.               hurt = machucar, magoar

49.               it's not up to us = não cabe a nós

50.               judge = julgar

51.               whole = toda(o)

52.               grandchild = neto(a)

53.               whether…or not (quer..ou não)

54.               unmarried couples = casais não casados

55.               increase = aumento

56.               at all = absolutamente

57.               waiting longer = esperando mais tempo

58.               median age = idade mediana

59.               meaning = significando

60.               however = contudo

61.               report = relatório

62.               had never been = nunca tinha sido

63.               close to half = perto da metade

64.               reasons why = razões pelas quais

65.               establish a career = estabelecer uma carreira

66.               more and more = cada vez mais

67.               have simply chosen = tem simplesmente escolhido

68.               at least = pelo menos

69.               take that step = tomar esta decisão

70.               nonprofit = sem fins lucrativos

71.               fairness = justice

72.               single = solteiro(a)