English Words Explained: 1) honeymoon

In this series, I will explain some interesting and unusual English words. When we know more about the origin of words, we're able to better understand language as a whole.

After Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on a full moon, it feels appropriate to begin this series by discussing words that relate to the moon.
 
First up is honeymoon.

Forget the honeymoon, I'd be quite happy to go there by myself.

History 

Originally, 'honeymoon' referred to the time after a couple got married. Nowadays, however, just like in Chinese, a honeymoon (蜜月) is a holiday newly-weds (新婚) take after getting married.  Since this is usually a time of bliss, if someone starts a new job we might also refer to this as the 'honeymoon period' since they are at the beginning of something and are, presumably, happy.

Etymology  (詞源)

Bear in mind, though, that honeymoons do end. I mention this because the sense of good things coming to an end is implicit in the word itself.

Honeymoon comes from the Old English 'hony moone'. While 'hony' was the word for honey, here it refers to the "tenderness and pleasure experienced by newly-weds". 'Moone', meanwhile, refers to the fleeting amount of time that such tenderness and pleasure lasts.  These days, honeymoons are positive but the term was originally used to warn newly-weds about waning love. The message is that love, just like the moon, can wax and wane (消長).

This sense of impermanence (無常 or 白衣蒼狗) is nicely summed up by the 17th century writer Samuel Johnson, who wrote: “The first month after marriage, when there is nothing but tenderness and pleasure; originally having no reference to the period of a month, but comparing mutual affection of newly-married persons to the changing moon which is no sooner full that it begins to wane”.

"It will never last!" - Dr Johnson

Another side to the story relates to mead (蜂蜜酒), which used to be very popular and which some people claim is the ancestor of all fermented drinks. After a wedding, the just-married couple were given a month’s supply of mead. People believed that drinking mead during that first month of marriage would help the woman to get pregnant. As it happens, clinical studies have shown raw honey to be a powerful fertility aid. 

Next time: 2) mooncalf