> > what sort of Orlanthi man would agree to being an underhusband? How
> > tenable is the system if men aren't assured of passing down property
> > to their sons, and everything remains in the hands of the women?
> So what sort of woman would agree to being an under-wife? Why would
> they agree to a system where they aren't assured of passing down
> property to their daughters....? It works the same way.
The objection is surely that if patrilineage is the 'norm', there will be a disincentive to matrilineal marriage. Perhaps so, but hardly an insuperable one, given compensating 'incentives'. However, I don't think that 'property' has anything to do with this. Does one mean personal property (which can be passed down however one wishes) or odal property (which can't really be inherited per se at all)?
> Actually, remove the requirement for them to be underhusbands, just
> make sure the children stay in the clan, and I don't see a problem.
> Most wives in standard clans aren't underwives, after all.
Indeed, the sort of marriage you and Guy are talking about seems not to be the "underhusband" type at all, which is actually still a patrilineal marriage, but the "Esrolian husband" marriage, which is matrilineal. Well, not quite, since Guy suggests his clan is female-only.
Mind you, this is the nittiest of nits, since personally I think the 'seven types of marriage' is a pretty notional number, and that in reality all sorts of nuances and variations exist, however they happen to be codified by a particular clan. Each clan probably only espouse (as it were) a small number of different marriage customs, but they will know of, and parhaps recognise, a somewhat larger number, pretty much corresponding to those neighbours that they might normally countenance intermarriage with. If you get an 'unusual' marriage between clans who normally don't intermarry, then one of the 'standard' seven is the most likely common legal ground for coming to agreement on the form of the marriage, but if push comes to shove, an exceptional sort of 'contract' can always be made, if both sides are sufficiently determined so to do.
Slainte,
Alex.
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