Jinx
Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:28 pm
by Perry
jinx (n.)
1911, Amer.Eng., from 17c. jyng "a charm, a spell," originally "wryneck," a bird used in witchcraft and divination, from L. iynx "wryneck," from Gk. iynx. The verb is 1917 in Amer.Eng., from the noun.
OED
Have we ever explored this word? I cannot recall.
Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 1:20 am
by Slava
It has been now, just short of 3 months from the suggestion.
However, and this is perhaps beyond the discussion of the origins, I'd like to know how spells and charms came to be seen as evil. The origins as Perry posted don't really indicate bad intention.
Is witchcraft inherently bad? And, of course, to bring in the gender question, what does that mean for wizardry? Or aren't they different?
Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2010 1:09 pm
by LukeJavan8
Considering the "fascination" with witches and witchcraft
in both the movies and on TV, not a bad word to
explore. "Knock on wood" so as to not jinx something is also a sidekick.