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From: mcovingt@aisun3.ai.uga.edu (Michael Covington)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
Subject: Re: Easter: what's in a name? (was Re: New Testament Double Standard?
Message-ID: <Apr.12.03.43.44.1993.18820@athos.rutgers.edu>
Date: 12 Apr 93 07:43:45 GMT
Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu
Organization: AI Programs, University of Georgia, Athens
Lines: 31
Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu

(MODERATOR: THIS IS A REPLACEMENT FOR AN EARLIER, MORE CLUMSILY WORDED
SUBMISSION ON THE SAME TOPIC WHICH I SUBMITTED A FEW MINUTES AGO.)

I think we need to distinguish etymology from meaning.  Regardless of
how the word 'Easter' *originated*, the fact is that it does not *now*
mean anything to Christians other than 'the feast day of the Resurrection
of Jesus Christ'. 

The meaning of a word is _only_ what people understand it to mean.

And the same goes for other cultural practices.  The festival of Easter
may possibly have some historical association with some pagan festival,
but *today* there are, as far as I know, no Christians who *intend* to
honor any kind of "pagan goddess" by celebrating Easter.

It is nonsense to say "this word (or this practice) 'really' means so-
and-so even though nobody realizes it."  Words and practices don't mean
things, people do.  

(This is basic semantics; I'm a linguist; they pay me to think about
things like this.)
-- 
:-  Michael A. Covington, Associate Research Scientist        :    *****
:-  Artificial Intelligence Programs      mcovingt@ai.uga.edu :  *********
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[Further, Easter is specific to English.  In many other languages,
the word used is based on Passover or resurrection.  Is it OK to
celebrate it in countries using those languages, but not in those
using English?  --clh]
