Nic Tamzek

Hey BCH forum folks,

I am an IIE/C denizen seeking a word to describe creationist sayings, quote-minings, and mini-arguments/assertions that get started someplace and then get copied passed on ad infinitum in a very uncritical matter.

The best I can think of is "pericope", but I figured you guys might have some additional good terms from textual analysis that fit.

Thanks!
Nick

Toto

Somehow pericope is not the word you want.

Text critics talk about legendary development, but I don't think that term will get you very far.

Hm...

Vivisector

Adages, aphorisms and bromides are terms that come to mind, though none has quite the impact I'd like. Maybe I'm looking for a cross between urban legend and fable. :huh:

Vorkosigan

myth? meme? chestnut?

DramaQ

How about "homilyms"?



("Christoquips"?)



dq

Celsus

Unfortunately, I don't think there's any real good word out of biblical studies ("memes" would seem to be your best bet, as Vork suggested). "Myths" is problematic because of the large variety of definitions. Usually in anthropological approaches, myths are studies according to their function: that is tales of the sacred design to explain a current reality, or else a social structure or conflict. That might be acceptable, but then it is conflated with pejorative understandings of myths which you'd then have to explain. One might follow R.A. Oden in using "myth" to mean any story involving a deity, but this doesn't really get what you're looking for, I'll bet.

In form and source criticism (or Formgeschichte and Traditionsgeschichte respectively), the terms used are generally just "units" or "blocks" to refer to individual stories of the Bible that (according to the theory) passed through a long oral tradition (perhaps tied to a geographical area) before reaching canonical status. This I believe comes closest to what you want.

A "pericope" in biblical criticism again is similar to the "block" or "unit" but isn't directly relevant as its definition in lit. crit. usually involves it being part of a bigger story (the most common passage known is the Sinai pericope, which involves Moses' address to his people--think of a "story within a story"). Traditionally, it referred to biblical passages read in sermons.

Joel

Amaleq13

You owe me a cup of coffee, you evil bastard. I snorted most of this one up my nose. :notworthy

JLK

Not from biblical textual analysis, but from the religious arena... originally added to the sung parts of the Mass in the Middle Ages: intentionally "turning" the audience.

Date first in English: 1533
Etymology: from Fr. trepein (to turn), from Latin: tropus, from Greek: tropos
Definition: a phrase, expression, saying or verse offered as an embellishment or interpolation, originally used in a figurative sense, now with connotations sometimes of mistaken for literally true.

Captures the ficticious, embellishment, and intended "audience turning" aspect of creationist quotemines, but misses the "old story widely transmitted/repeated to the point of staleness" aspect.
Since its time is long past due, and thanks to Vork, I hereby request you folk at the NCSE now portmanteau your own...

Creationists and their chestnuTropes.

Jackalope

Huh, the only place I've heard that used is in music. There's a traditional tune structure that uses 4-bar pieces AABA that is often called "tune tune turn tune." The turn is what flips you back into the repetitive part.

Ted Hoffman

apologeticopymania