Adventure, according to the OED is both noun and verb. Etymologically speaking, both the noun and the verb come from an Old French word, auenture, based on the Latin adventura, a thing about to happen to anyone.
The thing I love most about this definition is that last bit -- the notion that originally an adventure could happen to anyone -- and further more was ABOUT to happen to anyone. So much of today's applications of this word are wrapped up in impossible situations, danger, incredible risk, and the kinds of coincidences that most of us who avoid such things for insurance purposes (never mind plain old fear of death or bodily injury or looking stupid on television) would never do, let alone expect to simply "happen" to us.
Consider these two sample definitions:
5. a. A hazardous or perilous enterprise or performance; a daring feat; hence a prodigy, a marvel.
1617 Sir L. Cranfeilde in Fortesc. Pap. 42 My many and dangerous adventures in his Majesties service.
Anyone else think this is the 17th century precursor to James Bond? Or perhaps Jack Aubrey?
8. The encountering of risks or participation in novel and exciting events; adventurous activity, enterprise.
This one I think desrves a quote or two from J.M. Barrie -- who better to define adventure in this sense than Peter Pan or Wendy?
0. Comb. adventure playground, a playground where children are provided with miscellaneous equipment, often waste material, from which they may contrive their own amusement (see quot. 19531); adventure-school, a school started and conducted as a private speculation.
This one was new to me; all of the quotes are from the 20th century, the age of recycling. I think I spent most of my childhood "contriving my own amusement."
And of course, for the adventure-as-verb fans:
3. refl. To risk oneself; to venture.
1440 Morte Arthure 360, I salle auntyre me anes hys egle to touche.
Who better than a knight of the Round Table to risk one's self? I wonder if Dumbledore's assertion about death being an adventure to the orgnanized mind will make it into the quotes of future editions of the OED.
And I wonder if JK Rowling knows that one of the old definitions of muggle is someone who smokes marijuana?
[the title of this post refers to the Scottish version of this word-- well, that, and I'm none too fond of haggis.)
No comments:
Post a Comment