Size Matters: Vocabulary Knowledge as Advantage in Partner Selection

Abstract

Partner selection can be studied from different disciplines, such as psychology, sociology, and economics. However, linguistic perspectives have been neglected. That is why we need an interdisciplinary approach that includes language. The present article investigates how important the vocabulary size of a potential partner is for marital choice. Our theoretical framework is mainly that of biological markets which are still being widely used. This framework assumes that human decisions are made on a rational basis, e.g., about the characteristics that a potential partner brings into a marriage such as economic assets (wealth, education), psychological traits (intelligence, kindness, fairness), or signs that show physical and mental health. Partner selection takes place on a biological market where assets are displayed and are part of the negotiation for the best partner. We argue that vocabulary knowledge is such an asset, which is acquired through lengthy and costly education and distinguishes potential partners (or their parents) who can afford the accumulation of this form of human capital. Markets are not fully transparent and our knowledge about a potential partner might be incomplete or even distorted through false information or even cheating as one can clearly see from advertisements in online dating. However, we cannot pretend, at least not over a longer period of time, to know words that are not at our disposal. This present study is based on data from 83 couples after more than 15 years of marriage. Their vocabulary scores correlate highly and it is possible that this correlation is the result of accommodation through marriage. However, through partialling out statistically the years of marriage we conclude that the vocabulary size of each partner was an important factor already right at the beginning of their relationship. Those with higher human capital in vocabulary attract similar partners, and this holds for males and females as well as vice versa. Our participants are all Turkish–English sequential bilinguals and the question is whether it is vocabulary knowledge in the first or the second language that plays a crucial role in partner selection. Our results show that both languages are important. We argue that it is not knowledge of words at the surface level but that it is knowledge of conceptual concepts underlying both languages that serve as a display of human capital on the biological market of partner selection.