The Amy Adams movie called 'Leap Year' deals with a woman who can ask a man to marry her on February 29th in a leap year. But where does this tradition come from and is there any truth tothe movie's premise?

艾米.亚当斯在电影闰年中精彩演绎了女子求婚记.然而,电影里面那个关于闰年女子向男子求婚的传说到底有几分可信度,是否真的是有依有据呢?

Actually, leap Year has been the traditional time inmany place that women can propose marriage.

在很多地方,女人可以在闰年特定的某天向自己中意的男人求婚的.

In many of today's cultures, it is okay for a woman to propose marriage toa man. Society doesn't look down on such women. However, that hasn't alwaysbeen the case. When the rules of courtship were stricter, women were onlyallowed to pop the question on one day every four years. That day was February29th.

向男人求婚在如今的社会看来并不是什么大不了的事,更不会有人觉得女人这样做是丢脸的行为. 然而,在过去, 女人向男人求婚绝对是不被允许的. 但是也有特例,在闰年的2月29号这一天,女人可以大胆向男人求婚.

St. Bridget's Complaint

圣布里奇特的抱怨

It is believed this tradition was started in 5thcentury Ireland when St. Bridget complained to St. Patrick about women havingto wait for so long for a man to propose. According to legend, St. Patrick saidthe yearning females could propose on this one day in February during the leapyear.

很多人相信,闰年女人允许向男人求婚的传统开始于5世纪的爱尔兰. 当时,修女圣布里奇特向大主教圣帕特里克抱怨,女人等男人求婚要等很久,于是,圣帕特里克决定允许女人在闰年的2月29号向男人求婚.

February 29th in English Law

英国法律对于闰年2月29号规定

According to English law, February 29th was ignoredand had no legal status. Folks assumed that traditions would also have nostatus on that day. It was also reasoned that since the leap year day existedto fix a problem in the calendar, it could also be used to fix an old and unjustcustom that only let men propose marriage.

根据英国法律规定, 闰年2月29号这一天不受法律约束.人们相信这一天,也可以不受传统的束缚, 闰年的目的是为了弥补人为规定与地球公转产生的差异,那么这一天同样可以打破只能由男人想女人求婚的传统.

The first documentation of this practicedates back to 1288, when Scotland supposedly passed a law that allowed women topropose marriage to the man of their choice in that year. Tradition states theyalso made it law that any man who declined a proposal in a leap year must pay afine. The fine could range from a kiss to payment for a silk dress or a pair ofgloves.

将闰年女人向男人求婚这个规定记录在案的文献可以追溯到1288年,苏格兰按照这个规定制订了法律,女人在闰年的这一天向自己心仪的男人求婚,如果男人拒绝女人的求婚,男人要接受一定的责罚,责罚也许就是一给女方一个吻,或是给女方一件丝织裙或是一双手套.

Greek Superstition

希腊人的忌讳

However,there is a Greek superstition that claims couples have bad luck if they marry during a leapyear. Apparently one in five engaged couples in Greece will avoid planningtheir wedding during a leap year.

然而在希腊,人们对闰年却是有忌讳的,人们认为情侣在闰年结婚会招来霉运,所以5对订婚情侣中至少有1对会避开闰年举行婚礼.