（電影《閏年》的女主角就是打算在2月29日向男朋友求婚的恨嫁女郎）

Custom allows marriage-minded gals to propose to their boyfriends on February 29. Leap Year has been the traditional time that women can propose marriage.
想結(jié)婚的姑娘們，可以在2月29號向男朋友求婚啦！閏年已經(jīng)成了國際女性求愛日的傳統(tǒng)。

February 29th marks the leap year for all those who follow the Roman calendar, and on that day, the tradition since medieval times has allowed women the privilege to propose marriage to their desired patriarchal figure.
根據(jù)羅馬歷法，2月29日標(biāo)志著四年一遇的閏年的到來。2.29的女性求愛日傳統(tǒng)可以追溯到中世紀(jì)時期：女性可以使用專屬特權(quán)向心儀已久的男子表白求婚。

It is believed this origin of "The Ladies' Privilege" was started in 5th century Ireland when St. Bridget complained to St. Patrick about women having to wait for so long for a man to propose. According to legend, St. Patrick said the yearning females could propose on this one day in February during the leap year.
據(jù)說“女士特權(quán)”傳統(tǒng)起源自公元五世紀(jì)的愛爾蘭。愛爾蘭修女Bridget 向圣徒Patrick抱怨女性要等很久才能等到男子求婚。根據(jù)傳說，圣徒Patrick于是給渴望婚姻的女性一個機會，她們可以在閏年2月的29日向男士求婚。

Another school of thought held that a man so entreated either had to accept the proposal or pay the refused woman a substantial forfeit for turning her down, such as a silk gown or ￡ 100. Indeed, it was widely reported that a Scottish Act of Parliament from the 13th Century had mandated this. The first documentation of this practice dates back to a 1288 decree by Queen Margaret of Scotland, under which men who declined the invitation to wed were fined ￡100. In another form of the belief, men who said no were not on the hook to buy expensive presents for the disappointed girls or to pay fines, but their refusals attracted ill fortune to themselves.
關(guān)于女性表白求婚傳統(tǒng)的另一種說法是，被表白的男士要么選擇接受求婚，如果拒絕求婚需要向女性支付數(shù)量可觀的傷心補償費，一件綢袍或是100英鎊。一種流傳甚廣的說法是蘇格蘭國會法案早在13世紀(jì)就通過確定2月29日為“婦女權(quán)利日”的法律，1288年當(dāng)時的瑪格麗特女王頒布法令，宣布在閏年的2月29日，女人可以向男人求婚，并對無拘無束地追逐女性，又拒絕接受警告的男人實行罰款。還有一種觀念是拒絕的男士不用給失望的求婚女孩買禮物或是付罰款，但拒絕求婚可能會給他們帶來厄運。

【相關(guān)文化習(xí)俗】

Sadie Hawkins Day
美國版的女性求婚日：賽迪-霍金斯節(jié)

In the United States, some people have referred to the first Saturday in November as Sadie Hawkins Day with women being given the right to run after unmarried men to propose.
美國版的女性表白求婚日在11月的第一個星期六，賽迪-霍金斯節(jié)這一天（小編注：系列卡通漫畫《小阿伯那爾》中的虛構(gòu)節(jié)日）。女士可以追在未婚男士后面向他們求婚表白。

Greek Superstition
希臘人的閏年迷信

There is a Greek superstition that claims couples have bad luck if they marry during a leap year. Apparently one in five engaged couples in Greece will avoid planning their wedding during a leap year.
希臘人有一種迷信說法是新人如果在閏年結(jié)婚會帶來霉運。在希臘，每五對訂婚的情侶中就要一對會竭力避免在閏年舉行婚禮。

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