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Goth·ic (gthk)

ADJECTIVE:


1.Of or relating to the Goths or their language.
Germanic; Teutonic.
2.Of or relating to the Middle Ages; medieval.

3.Of or relating to an architectural style prevalent in western Europe from the 12th through the 15th century and characterized by pointed arches, rib vaulting, and a developing emphasis on verticality and the impression of height.
Of or relating to an architectural style derived from medieval Gothic.
Of or relating to painting, sculpture, or other art forms prevalent in northern Europe from the 12th through the 15th century.
often gothic Of or relating to a style of fiction that emphasizes the grotesque, mysterious, and desolate.
gothic Barbarous; crude.

NOUN:

The extinct East Germanic language of the Goths.
Gothic art or architecture.
often gothic Printing
See black letter.
See sans serif.
A novel in a style emphasizing the grotesque, mysterious, and desolate.


OTHER FORMS:
Gothi·cal·ly (Adverb)

WORD HISTORY:
The combination Gothic romance represents a union of two of the major influences in the development of European culture, the Roman Empire and the Germanic tribes that invaded it. The Roman origins of romance must be sought in the etymology of that word, but we can see clearly that Gothic is related to the name Goth used for one of those invading Germanic tribes. The word Gothic, first recorded in 1611 in a reference to the language of the Goths, was extended in sense in several ways, meaning "Germanic," "medieval, not classical," "barbarous," and also an architectural style that was not Greek or Roman. Horace Walpole applied the word Gothic to his novel The Castle of Otranto, a Gothic Story (1765) in the sense "medieval, not classical." From this novel filled with scenes of terror and gloom in a medieval setting descended a literary genre still popular today; from its subtitle descended the name for it.

Interesting.... hard to tell how a group of people decided to completely change the definition to describe a group of individuals who wear mostly dark colors, are into art, sometimes dark things, witchcraft, satanism, vampires, etc.

Not to give the wrong idea, witchcraft and vampirism aren't 'evil', but are still dark.

I suppose it has to do with the way a word looks or sounds

Witchcraft and stuff isn't really all that dark. It's just the fact that people who don't have a concept of actual understanding see things as dark. In all reality, nothing is really dark or light, they are only given this little painted color due to the morality and goodness level set by the majority of the populace.

Still, I think it's good to know the true definitions of things, even though that doesn't really matter. Words are only a method of communication, but items that are called one thing can be called another and if enough people agreed to call it that, then the definition of that word changes. It's all about the populace again, not about any real significance.

Thats true,people make things bad or good...even if they are neutral words or phrases

Everything's really neutral. Some people believe that homosexuality....cannibalism....all those things are "wrong" or "dark". That's just a view installed into a person's mind due to their surroundings and their level of subseptibility(sp?) in their minds. Ask the people who do it. Almost all of them think that it's perfectly fine and normal to do it. That's because they've grown up knowing it to be alright and not something bad.

I always like to learn about the entymology of word, thank you for the info.

that's interesting. i knew that there were gothic paintings and a gothic time but i'm wondering how a group of people all of a sudden became the "gothic" group. i know that it's considered to be dark in dealing with things like witchcraft, but not all of it is dark. it's all kind of confusing actually.

Interesting how 'goth' as we know it now evolved from what it was.

In my opinion it is merely a distortion nowadays. I feel it has lost its true meaning. Then again, this is with most things in life today...a trend.

It certainly is refreshing to see individuals true to the root form meaning.

goth today is not a style or a trend it is simply a lifestlyle/attitude

I can respect that standpoint entirely.

Thanks for the info. People today act as if goth is this horrible way to be. Makes me so mad. If people don't like it then don't look or talk.

Teach them teach them :)

But certain words definitions change by time not only the word gothic.

However thanks for bringing this up:)

some good definitions of the word goth there,but does anyone know wot the heck where the word emo came from?

I once had a roomate who considered herself goth. While I try not to define other people, or judge them, she annoyed me and my other roomate to the point we had to be a bit harsh.
She asked us what we thought the definition for goths was. We gave her a very similar definition as the one stated above... needless to say, she didn't like it. Its interesting how different people react to the defenition. When I first found out about it (reading a book), I thought it was kinda cool. Then again, I like swords, so I don't know how that could change my opinion...

Yeah Lady cause people want to hear only what they want to hear.

It's the same when I say the definition and give my other personal opinion of gothic.

It's never liked cause I don't tell them what they want to hear.

People... -_-

there is no right or wrong way to define it really ;)

Yes there is; Goths are Evil, worship Satan, wear Black, are Depressed and are from Outer Space, and ..and..Oh My God - They Killed Kenny!

true goths are barbarians back in the middle ages, they conquered such cities as rome. but every defintion now days is strechted. for example punk, no one knows the real meaning to it. but i look at goth and punk as a way of life and mentality. then as a style or type of music

The Goth Nation was always veiwed as a dark type of people simply becasue they were so warlike. However the Goth today I think pertains to a style not a way of life.

Thanks for taking the time to post that information. Quite informative.

Wiccan and Vampyrism don't have to be dark, its just how people portray the culture to be like. Frankly not everyone needs to be dressed up in dark clothes to be considered a gothic individual.

I like wearing black from time to time, yet its usually nothing to the extrem like most. Yet, I do like my blue jeans and white shirts alot more then my black clothes.

Yet, I feel the ideal thought of being a Goth is more of a mind set and attitude. Yet, when I mean mind set I do not mean, Life sucks, death rules, love blows, I suffer all the time, no one understands me, I'm the black sheep of the world, type of mind set. I mean the ability to understand each aspect of both and be down to earth but at the same time not.

Yet, then again, I guess I'm more of an Occultist then I am a goth.

- Sin

Dictionary**

thx.. DarkWolfman.. Sorry for it..
Gothic Subculture

That was a very interesting read....i like it...good info!

witchtcraft isnt reallly dark but i guess it is kinda a bit .. i dunno....KOOL!!

nic eread by the way its very good and interesting

Finally someone puts up the difference between Gothic and Goth

I think the modern usage of "Goth" or "Gothic" stems from Gothic Literature, which began in 1764 with Horace Walpole's "Castle of Otranto." Gothic literature was an extension of Romanticism and featured horror in a way that was both romantic and stimulating to the reader. Gothic literature normally contained haunted castles, death, ghosts, and other supernatural components.

Interesting. I love definitions.

verry interesting

Thanks for the info!!

I already understood the entymology of the word "Gothic"

Its almost funny how words twist themselves over time... For example, the swastica used to be a CHRISTIAN symbol during times of hiding and prosecution...

BACK TO THE ORIGINAL TOPIC... Lol
TODAY- the word "Gothic" is just another label... and its DIFFERENT to everyone.

The meaning/word in itself is relative.

It´s cool you have putted the definition of the word and not the definition of being a goth because in my opinion there isn´t a definition to be one...

actually

swas·ti·ka (swst-k)

NOUN:

An ancient cosmic or religious symbol formed by a Greek cross with the ends of the arms bent at right angles in either a clockwise or a counterclockwise direction.
Such a symbol with a clockwise bend to the arms, used as the emblem of the Nazi party and of the German state under Adolf Hitler, officially adopted in 1935.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ETYMOLOGY:
Sanskrit svastika, sign of good luck, swastika, from svasti, well-being; see (e)su- in Indo-European roots

^sigh^ sorry requiem, i didnt even think to look... i sorta wanted it to stand out so it wasn't after a long list of other stuff... oh well, i stand rebuked.

for the rest of you, i was handed an article last night about goths in general, and after much searching, it can be found here:

http://cana.userworld.com/cana_Goth.html

the article talks about the origin of goths, the types of goth, and vampyrism as it relates to the goth subculture. the article was written to "normal" people and gives advice as to how best talk to goth people. i found it very informative and i enjoyed it. i will be talking to the church leaders next wednesday concerning the issue and would just like to know if people here felt the writer was right or wrong in her advice to readers and why.

Great Information

nice... not what my deffinition would have been but nice

The definition of gothic can be many things. It means something different to every one. Although it does have a meaning that is true all over such as Gothic Architecture and that sorta thing