Welcome to the blog for An Introduction to Architecture and Visual Communications.
Please use this blog to post your glosses.
post titles uncapitalized!!!
Thanks
:)
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
tradition
/trəˈdɪʃən/
1.That which is thus handed down; a statement, belief, or
practice transmitted (esp. orally) from generation to generation.
c1380 WyclifWks.(1880) 392 I-bounden oonly by a posityue
lawe or a tradycion þat þai han hem sijlfe made.
The
origin of the word stems from the Latin term traditionem, from traditus,
the past participle of trader which
means “to deliver or hand over”, trans
meaning “across” and dare “to give”.
The
etymology of translate is
closely linked to that of the word treason. Treason is defined by the Oxford English
Dictionary as “the action of betraying; betraying the trust undertaken by or
reposed in any one; breach of faith, treacherous action, treachery”. First used
c1225, derived from the French word traison, which is now in Modern French
terms, trahison. Of which, the Old
French term traison drew influence
from the verb trair, which means “to
betray”. Treason is a
handing over, delivery or surrender of information and statements, whereas tradition is the delivery of beliefs,
legends and customs from generation to generation.
In the
past, traditions were passed on to succeeding generations solely by oral
methods and word of mouth. This resulted in the stories and folklore being
manifested in many different forms such as folktales, ballads, songs and
chants. In Ancient Greece, the epic tales of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey were
originally told through oral tradition. Homer sang his tales and through the
creation of musical literature and lyrical poetry other Greeks were able to
memorize and continue to retell these epic tales to succeeding generations. As
the tales were told it was common for the storytellers to improvise and alter
the story to better suit the mood of the audience, while still maintaining the
main themes and morals. As a result of the liberties taken by the storytellers,
it is impossible to know how far these tales have strayed from the original. It
is through the maintaining of tradition and the translation of myths into songs
and chants that we have a clearer understanding of Ancient Greek culture today.
Tradition is the preservation of one’s
cultures and beliefs. They may undergo major or minor changes, however they
still retain the base principle and moral that existed generations ago. Traditions are long-standing customs that
have been established by our predecessors and generally accepted because of
their permanence in society. Though there may be no legal constraints that
compel one to follow tradition, the precedence of customs deeply rooted within
our morals and society are reason enough for people to comply.
It is a tradition in our
household to have dinner at my grandparents’ home every Christmas.
[1] "treason,
n.". OED Online. September 2012. Oxford University Press.
http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/205355?rskey=kpPBXA&result=1&isAdvanced=false
(accessed November 20, 2012).
[2] "tradition, n.".
OED Online. September 2012. Oxford University Press.
http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/204302?rskey=xmmRXY&result=1&isAdvanced=false
(accessed November 15, 2012).
[3] Jan Vansina, Oral
Tradition as History, (James Currey Publishers,
1985)http://indigenousfoundations.arts.ubc.ca/home/culture/oral-traditions.html
(accessed November 15, 2012), 27-28.
[4] Walter Englert, "The
Iliad," HUM110 Iliad (blog),
http://academic.reed.edu/humanities/110tech/iliad.html.
No comments:
Post a Comment