Talk:myth

The Sanskrit attribution in definition 2 seems spurious unless there is some specific reason to believe it. Much more likely is the simple linkage to Gr. μυθος (mythos).

Is there no english verb for the french word "mythifier"? That should be invented.....

My version of the Oxford Dictionary states that myth has been used archaically as to mean gently, to mark, and to measure. Should that be here?


 * Yes, tagged archaic, but best if cited. (And don't copy!) DAVilla 04:22, 12 July 2007 (UTC)


 * The word "mithya" in Sanskrit means "false". That is the complete and sufficient translation from Sanskrit and any more explaination is superfluous and likely to produce confusion as to its meaning. It is also surprising that the Sanskrit attribution should seem spurious because the close relationship of Indo-European languages is well recognized among linguists. Secondly, the noun form of this word is explained in three ways on the main page and only one of these explainations says that the object being referred to exists only in imagination. Actually there is no usage of this word without implying that the object being referred to is imaginary or false. So this point should be clarified in all three explainations because otherwise there is likelihood that people would call things false without really intending to do so. When this term is applied to any object, the fact that it is being regarded as false or imaginary is unescapable. If this point is not clarified in all three explainations, there is also the added possibility that words with the root "myth", and those that are explained with the help of this word may be misinterpreted.

wow. Just wow. I'll just say this. It is correct that mithya is an obscure Sanskrit word meaning "wrongly". It is a derivation from mithu, which also means "wrongly". It also has nothing whatsoever to do with Greek muthos. Or else pray explain how Greek /u:/ corresponds to Sanskrit /i/, or at least quote some reference that makes the connection explicit. Also, even if there was an etymological connection, it is ludicrous to suggest that an obscure Sanskrit particle is the origin of a separate meaning of the English word myth. --Dbachmann 09:07, 30 December 2009 (UTC)