Halloween

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Dr. Goodword
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Halloween

Postby Dr. Goodword » Sun Oct 30, 2022 5:51 pm

• Halloween •


Pronunciation: hæ-lê-ween • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun, proper

Meaning: The night before All Saints Day, when English-speaking children run about (if not amok) in scary costumes representing the menacing spirits of the dead. It is the tradition to play pranks on neighbors or offer them immunity from such pranks in exchange for treats, a practice known as "trick or treat".
Image
Notes: Today's word is a blend of a reduction of Allhallowmas and even, the predecessor of evening. The Catholic Church of England, like other churches, tried to preempt pagan holidays with holidays of its own. The Church chose the day of Samhain [so-win] as the vigil for their celebration of all the saints. Samhain was set at the end of summer and the onset of winter, the season of death. The Celts believed that on this night the spirits of the dead returned to mingle with those of the living. The confusion of the two holidays led many early English Catholics to believe that the dead arose on Halloween, too.

In Play: The result of this confusion was the odd combination of the profane and sacred we now celebrate on October 31 and, some of us, on November 1, too. The pumpkin lantern (jack-o'-lantern) was originally a hollowed turnip lantern placed in windows on Halloween to scare away the spirits of the dead that were supposed to wander about that night. The costumes children will wear tonight descend from the days when kids dressed up like those spirits, such as skeletons, ghosts and goblins, to take advantage of the beliefs of their elders and play tricks on them.

Word History: Today's word was originally All-Hallow Even "All-Saints Evening", when hallow meant "holy" and "saint". So Halloween is the evening before Catholic All Saints Day, when all the saints are celebrated. Some still spell it Hallowe'en, the apostrophe indicating the elision of the V in "even". However, now that even has been replaced by evening, the apostrophe becomes pointless. Hallow comes from Middle English halwen, the descendant of Old English halgian. It derives from the same source as the hale in 'hale and hearty', and the greeting, 'Hail!' Hail is akin to heal and, more distantly, to German Heil "health, salvation", a word used in those most unholy of salutes, Heil Hitler! And Sieg Heil! "Victory Hail!" used by the Nazis during World War II.
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Debbymoge
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Re: Halloween

Postby Debbymoge » Mon Oct 31, 2022 11:47 am

I am curious as to why you specified "English speaking children"?
I have watched as Halloween appeared in (at least) France, Belgium and the Netherlands and swelled to unholy dimensions, much as it has here.

It was not "celebrated" there when I began visiting regularly about 35 years ago, but I remember long talks with friends when first it was being introduced. It came, of course, blown in on the winds of commerce, not by quiet chants of the church.

Surely, that's not the only area outside of English speaking countries so infected?
I used to much enjoy it, but the complete takeover by costume manufacturers, candy purveyors and greeting card hawkers have ruined it for me.
Same goes for Xmas (used advisedly) and Easter, Chanukah and Fourth of July.
The list goes on...
I am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw.
Shakespear

bnjtokyo
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Re: Halloween

Postby bnjtokyo » Mon Oct 31, 2022 7:23 pm

And by now I'm sure you've heard or read about the catastrophe the commercialization of halloween caused in Korea. Although Christianity is the religion with the largest membership in South Korea (28.6% of the population), I am confident the religious aspect of halloween had nothing to do with what motivated all those people to crowd into Itaewon, Yongsan-gu

David Myer
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Re: Halloween

Postby David Myer » Wed Nov 02, 2022 5:50 am

Yes isn't 'festival' commemoration a ghastly commercial experience these days? Here in Australia, whose head of state is the reigning British monarch (I mean, can you get more ridiculous than that?) we had a national day of mourning for the recently deceased Queen. Goodee! An extra public holiday! Celebration, not sadness and reflection. Or so it seemed - people having a ball at picnics and barbecues and on the beach. Oh, we mourned alright, we mourned.

I am not suggesting that we should have mourned, I mean half the population is either Greek, or Italian, or Irish, or Vietnamese, or Serbian/Bosnian/Croatian, or Chinese, or Indian, or Aboriginal, or ... Her death is not terribly significant for them - except that for the indigenous population, it was a cause of celebration. Death to the imperialist invaders of 250 years ago.

It is time for us to move on from the Union Jack though! We even have a public holiday every year to celebrate her birthday. Not even the Brits do that!

But back to Halloween. Yes, here too, the ridiculous event has taken off. It is now quite big and the reason is surely the commercial push of hat/cloak/mask/skeleton manufacturers. The rubbish is all so cheap.

But there I go again, miserable Grinch that I am. If I had my way we wouldn't do celebrations at all. Don't get me started on fireworks.

bnjtokyo
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Re: Halloween

Postby bnjtokyo » Wed Nov 02, 2022 9:54 am

Please come to Japan where fireworks can be integrated with other things. At the link is a long clip from a performance of "Greeting From the Edge of the Earth II" in the outdoor theatre in Toga village, Toyama Prefecture Japan (with subtitles). It is immodest of me to say so, but my daughter closes the show against the backdrop of fireworks. (Please like and share -- it helps with funding)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHV-3oYLCFc

Debbymoge
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Re: Halloween

Postby Debbymoge » Wed Nov 02, 2022 10:00 pm

BNJ, had you shared another one of these with us before?

Fascinating, though to me, at least, obscure.
I know only 2 or3 phrases in Japanese, and am losing those as well, although my interest in Japan has not wained.
I have a Japanese "sister" who joined our family when I was a senior in High School. Whenever I have hosted people from there sent to me by her, I am again reminded, however excellent their command of English, just how much more there is to communication than just words.
Thank you so very much!

Congratulations to you for such a talented daughter; to her, for a wonderful performance.
Again, many thanks.
I am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw.
Shakespear

David Myer
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Posts: 1134
Joined: Wed Nov 11, 2009 3:21 am
Location: Melbourne

Re: Halloween

Postby David Myer » Sun Nov 06, 2022 7:47 am

Wonderful show. Not quite sure what it was all about, but deeply impressive nonetheless. And well done by your daughter bnj.


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