Of course we all know that words change their meaning over time. One of those that always amuses Gavin is virgin. In the (Welsh) Laws of Hywel Dda given in the White House on the River Taff, it is decreed that a nobleman may marry only a virgin with two healthy children. Obviously virgin didn’t mean intact, as it has come to mean currently in the United States.
A simple little word such as nice might confuse you when it is applied to an adolescent, for it means exact, as in a nice distinction … that is, if any distinction can be exact.
When it comes to other words such as hag (see Yvonne’s thoughts below on hq/crone) the Christians have had a field day. Crone also falls into the same category, although of course Chronos is the elder god, the god preceding all others.
Yvonne muses:
Only Mecca itself surpasses Hagia Sophia in the reverence it receives from worshippers and tourists. Sophia means wisdom, but what does hagia mean? Hagia means holy! A word from ancient Egypt gives the clue: hq or hk is a holy woman.
Because of assorted malevolent propaganda masters working through the centuries, hk/hq has morphed into hag. Likewise with crone: one crowned (cf corona) with wisdom and maturity, meriting our deep respect.
My thinking is prompted by reflection on hk/hq and on crone. If I’m perceiving everything wrong, please give me information (specific information with sources, not just vituperation) that will set me straight.
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