Question

A man wants to marry a woman outside his social group. His family offers a gift to a bride from a distant town, and she agrees to marry him. Which of the following is INCORRECT about their arrangement?

a-He is participating in an exogamous marriage.
b-The gift offered by his family is known as a lobola.
c-This is an example of marriage as a form of economic and political exchange.
d-He paid a dowry to marry his wife.
e-The gift acts as insurance against divorce.

Answer 1

The incorrect statement is that the man paid a dowry; the gift given is actually considered bride wealth or lobola, which is provided by the groom's family to the bride's family.

Step-by-step explanation:

The incorrect statement about the marriage arrangement described is option d: He paid a dowry to marry his wife. Here, the gift from his family to the bride is better described as bride wealth or lobola, not a dowry. A dowry is a transfer of parental property from the bride's family to the groom or his family, ostensibly for the bride. Conversely, the lobola or bride wealth is a gift to the bride's family from the groom's side. The marriage described is exogamous, as it involves a man marrying outside of his social group, reflecting values such as love and compatibility rather than just economic or political considerations. Such a gift often serves as insurance against divorce, providing some security for the bride in her new household.