Newlywed Vocabulary

Wonderful. The greatest. My soul mate. Such are the staples of newlywed vocabulary.

However, as the high divorce rate illustrates, not all marital adoration is based on reality. And according to one study, the accuracy and specificity of such lovey-dovey statements—especially by women—predict long-term survival of the marriage. Moreover, if new spouses don't agree on each other's best traits, it might be a warning sign.

Women who accurately view their husbands' qualities—independent of how positively they viewed these traits—are happiest in the first few years of marriage. The researchers speculate that people who can make specific, as opposed to blanket, statements about their partners possess the tools to sustain marital happiness.

What about men? Previous studies show men don't think as often about a relationship's complexities, the researchers say. And women are more likely than men to work at improving a relationship.