– English Lyrics

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

Cultures throughout the world

have their own unique ideas on how to say, "I do."

We're taking you around the globe to show you

how people celebrate their big day.

The dollar dance, also known as the money or apron dance,

is a tradition associated with countries all over,

including Poland, Hungary, Nigeria, Philippines, and Mexico.

These videos feature a Mexican American wedding

and Mexican Filipino wedding.

Money is tossed, handed, or pinned onto the couple while

different guests take turns dancing with the newlyweds.

The money is a great way to help with a little extra

financial support and to let them know you wish them

a life of prosperity.

Jumping the broom refers to a wedding tradition

in which a couple literally jumps over a broom.

There's a misconception that it began during slavery

in the United States, but it originated in Ghana

and is still practiced there.

The broom holds spiritual value and symbolizes

the sweeping away of evils and past wrongs.

Today, some African American couples include it

in their ceremony as a tribute to tradition.

In Greece, the koumbaro is similar to the best man.

On the morning of the wedding, they help the groom prepare

for the ceremony by helping them shave and get ready.

It's a practice that signifies trust between close friends.

In the days before the wedding, one or both of the fiancés

are taken by their friends and family

and covered in various substances

like soot, feathers, food, and more.

The tradition started as a way to ward off danger

from supernatural forces.

After being covered up, they're paraded around town

while their friends make plenty of noise

and make a scene for all to see.

The Chinese tea ceremony is a wedding tradition

that bonds two families together.

While kneeling, the couple serves tea to their parents.

Traditionally, the couple serves the groom's parents

and elders in order of seniority,

followed by the bride's family.

This serves as a formal introduction, to show respect,

and to express gratitude.

In return, the couple usually receives lucky red envelopes

with money or jewelry.

In this pre-wedding ritual, turmeric paste is rubbed

onto the couple's skin by friends and family.

In India, turmeric can signify a lot of things,

including purity, fertility, and good health.

The paste also gives the couple

a nice glow for their big day.

The ceremony is usually accompanied by traditional song

and dance and is supposed to ease nerves.

This German tradition has guests smashing porcelain

before the wedding to wish the couple luck

in their married life.

The couple is responsible for cleaning up the shards

to symbolize teamwork.

The more shards of broken dishes,

the better the luck the couple will have.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
celebrate /ˈsɛlɪbreɪt/ A2	verb - to observe a special day or event with festivities
tradition /trəˈdɪʃən/ A2	noun - a custom or belief passed down through generations
unique /juːˈniːk/ B1	adjective - being the only one of its kind
prosperity /prɒˈspɛrɪti/ B2	noun - the state of being successful and thriving
symbolize /ˈsɪmbəlaɪz/ B2	verb - to represent something else by association
ceremony /ˈsɛrəməni/ A2	noun - a formal event or ritual
tribute /ˈtrɪbjuːt/ B1	noun - an act or statement of respect or remembrance
ward /wɔːrd/ B2	verb - to prevent or protect against something
superstition /ˌsuːpərˈstɪʃən/ C1	noun - a belief in supernatural forces
turmeric /ˈtɜːrmərɪk/ C1	noun - a spice used in cooking and rituals
porcelain /ˈpɔːrsəlɪn/ B2	noun - a type of ceramic material
teamwork /ˈtiːmˌwɜːrk/ B1	noun - the combined effort of a group
seniority /ˌsiːniˈɒrɪti/ C1	noun - the state of being higher in rank or longer in service
gratitude /ˈɡrætɪtjuːd/ B2	noun - the quality of being thankful
nerves /nɜːrvz/ B1	noun - feelings of anxiety or tension
shards /ʃɑːdz/ B2	noun - pieces of broken pottery or glass

Key Grammar Structures

• Cultures throughout the world have their own unique ideas on how to say, 'I do.'

  ➔ Present Simple with 'have'

  ➔ The verb 'have' in the present simple tense is used to describe a general truth or characteristic of cultures.

• The dollar dance, also known as the money or apron dance, is a tradition associated with countries all over.

  ➔ Past Participle as Adjective

  ➔ 'Associated' is a past participle used as an adjective to describe the tradition.

• Money is tossed, handed, or pinned onto the couple while different guests take turns dancing with the newlyweds.

  ➔ Present Simple with Passive Voice

  ➔ The passive voice ('is tossed, handed, or pinned') is used to emphasize the action rather than the doer.

• There's a misconception that it began during slavery in the United States, but it originated in Ghana.

  ➔ Past Simple vs. Past Perfect

  ➔ 'Began' (past simple) contrasts with 'originated' (past perfect) to show sequence of events.

• The broom holds spiritual value and symbolizes the sweeping away of evils and past wrongs.

  ➔ Present Simple with 'symbolize'

  ➔ 'Symbolizes' is used to describe a general truth about the broom's meaning.

• In this pre-wedding ritual, turmeric paste is rubbed onto the couple's skin by friends and family.

  ➔ Passive Voice with 'is rubbed'

  ➔ The passive voice ('is rubbed') focuses on the action and the recipient (the couple's skin).

• The more shards of broken dishes, the better the luck the couple will have.

  ➔ Comparative Structure

  ➔ The comparative structure ('the more... the better...') is used to show a direct relationship between two elements.