Myth
is derived from the Greek word ยต????
mythos
, which means "word of mouth."
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MYTH TICKETS
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Academic usage
In the academic fields of
mythology,
mythography, or
folkloristics, a myth is a sacred
story. The body of myths in a given culture usually includes a
cosmogonical or creation myth concerning the origins of the world or how the world and its creatures came into existence. The active beings in myths are generally gods and goddesses, heroes and heroines, or animals. Most myths are set in a timeless past before recorded and critical history begins.
A myth is a sacred narrative in the sense that it hold religious or spiritual significance for those who tell it, and it contributes to and expresses systems of thought and values. Use of the term by scholars implies neither the truth nor the falseness of the narrative. To the source culture, however, a myth by definition is "true," in that it embodies beliefs, concepts, and ways of questioning and making sense of the world.
Popular usage
In popular use, a myth can also be a collectively held belief that has no basis in fact according to the speaker. This usage, which is often
pejorative,
[1] arose from labeling the religious myths and beliefs of other cultures as being incorrect, but it has spread to cover non-religious beliefs as well.
[2] Because of this popular and subjective word usage, many people take offense when the religious narratives they believe to be true are called myths (see
religion and mythology for more information). This usage is frequently associated with
legend,
fiction,
fairy tale,
folklore,
fable, confusing data, personal desire and
urban legend, each of which has a distinct meaning in academia.
Urban myth
is an alternative term for
urban legend.
See also
- Falsehood
- Folklore
- Myth and ritual
- Mythology (main article)
- Religion and mythology
- Rumor
- Saga
- Urban legend
References
- The Myth of the Titanic
- Eliade, ''Myths, Dreams and Mysteries'', 1967, pp. 23, 162.