My Pastor Lied to Me

[ThankQ]

I attended several different Christian churches in my formative years. I recall at least two different pastors, one in private conversation--the other during sermon, who said that the word "history" developed from the two words, "His Story", meaning the story of God.

Of course, in my youthful naivety I simply accepted that, and I may have never thought about it again for the rest of my life had it not come up in conversation two days ago.

As a wee whippersnapper I lacked any understanding of the evolution of language or etymology. The OED? What's that? I've since studied linguistics and the history of language and been awarded a degree in English. Almost needless to say, when I heard this history of history told again the other day, it, of course, set off blaring alarms in my head. I didn't KNOW it to be untrue, but with the understanding of language I now have, it seemed very unlikey that this could be true.

So I looked it up.


This is from http://www.etymonline.com

Sorry, I can't afford my own copy of the OED.

history 1390, "relation of incidents" (true or false), from O.Fr. historie, from L. historia "narrative, account, tale, story," from Gk. historia "a learning or knowing by inquiry, history, record, narrative," from historein "inquire," from histor "wise man, judge," from PIE *wid-tor-, from base *weid- "to know," lit. "to see" (see visionRelated to Gk. idein "to see," and to eidenai "to know." In M.E., not differentiated from story; sense of "record of past events" probably first attested 1485. Sense of "systematic account (without reference to time) of a set of natural phenomena" (1567) is now obs. except in natural history. What is historic (1669) is noted or celebrated in history; what is historical (1561) deals with history. Historian "writer of history in the higher sense," distinguished from a mere annalist or chronicler, is from 1531. The O.E. word was þeod-wita.

Is this etymological myth pervasive? Have you ever come across this, or did I just happen to be exposed to this myth more than statistics would suggest?

 

[Peach Wookiee]

I never heard that one, ThankQ. It's when pastors are trying to be "cute..."

 

[Canadave]

I've heard it used by feminists, actually. As in, history is "his" story; in other words, it is the story of men. Thus, you get silly alternate versions like "herstory," which have absolutely nothing to do with the root of the word.

 

[bigdaddy]

It's a church... you want the truth from a church?

 

[ThankQ]

It's a church... you want the truth from a church?

This is MISC, can we try not to go there?

 

[Spot's Meow]

I've heard that before but only as a joke, not as a serious origin of the word.

I just finished writing a paper on historical theory and the meaning of history in the nineteenth century and I thought I would come here to get away from it for awhile. I guess I was mistaken.

 

[ThankQ]

I've heard that before but only as a joke, not as a serious origin of the word.

I just finished writing a paper on historical theory and the meaning of history in the nineteenth century and I thought I would come here to get away from it for awhile. I guess I was mistaken.

Sorry to put you on brain overload

I like to, from time to time, fit in a dab of thinking amongst the "Do you think cabbage farts or beer farts smell better" threads.

 

[Roshi]

Your pastor had Michael Jackson's CD playing somewhere before that sermon...

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ Hat sermon? Is this where the pastor advises his flock that they should all wear sombreros?

Also: Beer farts. Definitely.

 

[Roshi]

I edited as soon as I saw my typo...

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ Damn. I wanted to hear the hat sermon.

 

[Roshi]

Heee heee! Hoooo!

 

[Tom Riley]

I had never heard that before, but I had noticed that it looked like "his story", perhaps they noticed it and just thought that must be where it came from?

 

[Crusher Disciple]

I'm still trying to process the idea that ThankQ goes to church.

 

[ThankQ]

I'm still trying to process the idea that ThankQ goes to church.

I look damn good in a suit.

 

[WillsBabe]

Have you ever come across this, or did I just happen to be exposed to this myth more than statistics would suggest?

I came across this "his story" thing when I was in my final year at university, studying English and Linguistics, funnily enough. It was something my stepfather of the time told me. I thought it was an interesting take on the word but I didn't "believe" what he was saying. He also said something about the word "evolution" that I can't recall right now. Something similar. Also, something about the 9 planets... ? I do remember my 20 year old feminist self thinking, "his story"? That'd be right.

 

[O'Dib]

I remember hearing this as well, but it never even occurred to me that the pastor might seriously believe what he was saying, or be trying to convey that as a fact. Hey, some people cannot find enough nice things to say about God without making shit up!

 

[RJDiogenes]

I've heard the "his story" thing a million times; it's usually-- or was originally-- said to make the point that most of what we know from History comes from the point of view of individual people, so it should be taken with a grain of salt. A real understanding of History should come from many sources, including both individual accounts and objective studies of events, artifacts, et cetera. No doubt many people have taken this literally, though, since it's used so often by schoolteachers, and believe it to be the true etymology of the word.

There's also the "her story" thing, which has come into common usage, and which, at its best, reminds people that women were present during History too and, at its worst, is a flag for Feminist propaganda.

I've never before heard it in this religious sense, though, of the "his" in "his story" referring to the Christian god. I don't know if these Pastors were serious or not, but we can probably assume they were deliberately using it in a manner similar to schoolteachers, except to make their religious point.

 

[Crusher Disciple]

I'm still trying to process the idea that ThankQ goes to church.

I look damn good in a suit.

Pics or it never happened.

 

[ThankQ]

I'm still trying to process the idea that ThankQ goes to church.

I look damn good in a suit.

Pics or it never happened.

You show me yours "extraordinary claims" girl. THEN, I'll show you mine.

Yeah, think I forgot? HA!