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 so cieties, -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 -9- of goods to the bride s kin(亲戚), though sometimes a payment is -10- made by the bridegroom s kin to that of the bride.
Among the Nuer, a -11- living in Southern Sudan, the payment made to the bride s kin, -12- as bridewealth, is in the -13- of cattle.Once the -14- of bridewealth 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.