fantasy (n.) early 14c., "illusory appearance," from O.Fr. fantaisie (14c.) "vision, imagination," from L. phantasia, from Gk. phantasia "appearance, image, perception, imagination," from phantazesthai "picture to oneself," from phantos "visible," from phainesthai "appear," in late Greek "to imagine, have visions," related to phaos, phos "light," phainein "to show, to bring to light" (see phantasm). Sense of "whimsical notion, illusion" is pre-1400, followed by that of "imagination," which is first attested 1530s. Sense of "day-dream based on desires" is from 1926.
The etymological definition of my favorite genre of fiction is incredibly revealing of my person. I have said before that I am an aesthete, involving imagination and vision. I have also said that my head is in the clouds, which involves the "day-dream based on desires" portion. "Whimsical" is a perfect word to describe me, which I looked up in the dictionary and it didn't have too revealing of an etymological history, so I tried similar words, like quirky or eccentric, until I found "weird."
weird O.E. wyrd "fate, destiny" (n.), lit. "that which comes," from P.Gmc. *wurthis (cf. O.S. wurd, O.H.G. wurt "fate," O.N. urðr "fate, one of the three Norns"), from PIE *wert- "to turn, wind," (cf. Ger. werden, O.E. weorðan "to become"), from base *wer- "to turn, bend" (see versus). For sense development from "turning" to "becoming," cf. phrase turn into "become." The modern sense of weird developed from M.E. use of weird sisters for the three fates or Norns (in Germanic mythology), the goddesses who controlled human destiny. They were usually portrayed as odd or frightening in appearance, as in "Macbeth," which led to the adj. meaning "odd-looking, uncanny," first recorded 1815.
I had no idea that up until Shakespeare's Macbeth, weird was just another word for destiny or fate. Or, "to turn, wind." (note "wind" is the first part of my last name.) So weird meant fate, until the use of the three fates, or Weird Sisters, in MacBeth led to it being used as "odd-looking, uncanny." This is truly fascinating, as it is a slightly derogatory adjective now, though it is also used among circles like mine as an affectionate description. Also fascinating is that the "Weird Sisters" are minor characters in JK Rowling's Harry Potter series. I didn't even know they were based on historical literary/mythological characters. Her genius amazes me more and more every day.
So, note that the etymology of "fantasy" described my personality completely, and led me to "weird", which cast certain light on the history of my oddity and had links to my name and my Harry Potter obsession. Fun associations abound!
All of Rowling's characters are based on mythological sources - like the Norse, Egyptian, Middle Eastern, etc. If you look them up you will find them. This doesn't make her a genius... All fiction does this, since the birth of the first novel. But I know that feeling, when you discover something like that! :)
ReplyDeleteNow, the Magic and Fairytale references all come from a people called the Persians - who were the Magi and Seers in real life (in the ancient world). They are the only people who ever practiced magic (which is not fantastical in essence, it's actually more natural and involves true wisdom based on Logic). But because today we have lost that information, it appears fantastical to us.
For example the Three Magi who went to look for Jesus were Persians, and Jesus was meant to be one of them (a "Saoshyant", Redeemer). This information was not allowed to get out there about his identity.