Difference between revisions of "Rite de passage"
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| − | '''Rite de passage''' is a technical term in (mostly) Social Anthropology and Sociology. The word means any of the customs or ceremonials with which a given society marks important occasions in which a person moves from one status or condition to another, as in becoming adult, or married. There are common rites de passage to mark a mother's return to society after the birth, the naming of a child, puberty, initiation and so on. | + | '''Rite de passage''' is a technical term in (mostly) Social Anthropology and Sociology. The word means any of the customs or ceremonials with which a given society marks important occasions in which a person moves from one status or condition to another, as in becoming adult, or married. There are common rites de passage to mark a mother's return to society after the birth, the naming of a child, puberty, initiation and so on. It is not obvious to all British people that dying, too, and the ceremonies associated with it, are ''rites de passage'' (the correct [[plural]] form): but in most cultures, including the Christian religion, death is passing from one world to the next, or another form of existence. |
| − | As | + | As is a French term, it should properly be written in italics, '''''rite de passage''''' and pronounced with a long '-ee-' vowel for '''''rite'''''. The [[plural]] should be written in the French way, '''''rites de passage'''''. It is pronounced precisely the same way as the singular - the '-s-' in '''''rites''''' is silent. |
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| + | Many modern writers prefer to use the direct English translation, '''rite[s] of passage'''. It is less affected. | ||
[[category:pronunciation]][[category:foreign words]][[category:academic culture]] | [[category:pronunciation]][[category:foreign words]][[category:academic culture]] | ||
| − | [[category: | + | [[category:French words]] |
Revision as of 15:57, 3 November 2009
Rite de passage is a technical term in (mostly) Social Anthropology and Sociology. The word means any of the customs or ceremonials with which a given society marks important occasions in which a person moves from one status or condition to another, as in becoming adult, or married. There are common rites de passage to mark a mother's return to society after the birth, the naming of a child, puberty, initiation and so on. It is not obvious to all British people that dying, too, and the ceremonies associated with it, are rites de passage (the correct plural form): but in most cultures, including the Christian religion, death is passing from one world to the next, or another form of existence.
As is a French term, it should properly be written in italics, rite de passage and pronounced with a long '-ee-' vowel for rite. The plural should be written in the French way, rites de passage. It is pronounced precisely the same way as the singular - the '-s-' in rites is silent.
Many modern writers prefer to use the direct English translation, rite[s] of passage. It is less affected.
