I know what Greek myths are, and I know the word's dictionary definition. What I'm asking is, would you call something that might be true a myth (not meaning if you personally don't believe it and therefore call it a myth - ex, the idea that the polar caps are shrinking is just a myth. And hey! Don't jump on me for that one! I know they are shrinking. Just giving an example here.) Thanks!Is a myth, by definition, false?
Since this is a place to discuss words, I'll answer your question that way. The word ';myth'; is used in a variety of ways. The first is for a story that relates famous historical events, world origins, religious history, and such things in a story-telling mode. Those kinds of myths are usually truths wrapped up in a story, although not all of them contain literal truths. A second use of ';myth'; is to indicate blatant untruth that people believe for no reason at all. So, to use your example, if I were to call global warming a ';myth';, I would mean that it's pure fiction. Another use is to refer to a religion you personally don't believe in. For example, people who are not Buddhists might refer to Buddhist beliefs as myths, even though Buddhist believe they are totally true. If you do not believe the Catholic teachings about a particular miracle (let's say the Virgin Mary appearing at Lourdes), you might refer to those teachings as ';myths';. This is a kind of academic usage, trying to be neutral, not engaging the question of whether one should believe such things.
So the short answer is, I think, that a myth is not, by definition, false. But the word is used for things that are not generally (or maybe at all) accepted as true or at least not as completely true.Is a myth, by definition, false?
A myth may have a kernel of truth but with much embellishment over time so the story develops to mythical sometime magical proportions. BTW only the north polar cap is shrinking—tho not usually reported the south polar cap is growing at record proportions..
Yes, a myth must be false. We use the word to describe ancient tales and also current falsehoods, but something that is actually true cannot be called a myth.
the true meaning of ';myth'; is a story which explains the reason or/and origin of something. it is a sacred, rather than profane story. one good definition, i forget from who, 'myth is encapsulated truth'. i believe the meaning of the word should be the meaning used by those who know most about it........ ie. Joseph Campbell, Carl Jung, Mircea Eliade
no ofence dough do you really belive in myth. don't belive it might be a fact or false come on
a myth is like a legend, exept that legends have events that actually happened
so a legend, you might say is 3/4 right and a myth is 3/4 false
In my simplistic definition, I would have to say its a theory that has not or cannot be proven..
Basically, the polar caps are shrinking (fact) because of global warming (fact), which is caused by man (myth).
Go ahead and flame me with your theories.
An apocryphal story can be a myth and yet still be based in truth and/or on realty, it is simply of uncertain or doubtful authenticity.
A Myth is essentially the same thing as a theory, its right until proven wrong.
And propane is better than charcoal...lol
not false just not proven scientificly a theory pasted down genarations
Sure, just like opinions, usage of words can be ';false'; or incorrect.
A myth is unlike a theory... while a theory is an unproven fact!
a myth is an un-theorized belief!
you kinda answerd your own question buddy. if someone didnt think it was true it wouldnt be a myth. so yes if there is any reason to believe it but not concrete proof its a myth for instance. i'm smart and no what im talking about
anything that isn't proven YET or isn't disproved YET is a myth (lolz the show mythbusters)
http://www.just-define.com/myth-definiti…
Definition of myth
myth
n : a traditional story accepted as history; serves to explain
the world view of a people
As defined in: WordNet (r) 2.0
Myth \Myth\, n. [Written also mythe.] [Gr. my^qos myth, fable,
tale, talk, speech: cf. F. mythe.]
1. A story of great but unknown age which originally embodied
a belief regarding some fact or phenomenon of experience,
and in which often the forces of nature and of the soul
are personified; an ancient legend of a god, a hero, the
origin of a race, etc.; a wonder story of prehistoric
origin; a popular fable which is, or has been, received as
historical.
2. A person or thing existing only in imagination, or whose
actual existence is not verifiable.
As for Mrs. Primmins's bones, they had been myths
these twenty years. --Ld. Lytton.
Myth history, history made of, or mixed with, myths.
As defined in: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Myth \Myth\ (m[i^]th), n. [Written also mythe.] [Gr. my^qos
myth, fable, tale, talk, speech: cf. F. mythe.]
1. A story of great but unknown age which originally embodied
a belief regarding some fact or phenomenon of experience,
and in which often the forces of nature and of the soul
are personified; an ancient legend of a god, a hero, the
origin of a race, etc.; a wonder story of prehistoric
origin; a popular fable which is, or has been, received as
historical.
[1913 Webster]
2. A person or thing existing only in imagination, or whose
actual existence is not verifiable.
[1913 Webster]
As for Mrs. Primmins's bones, they had been myths
these twenty years. --Ld. Lytton.
[1913 Webster]
Myth history, history made of, or mixed with, myths.
[1913 Webster]
As defined in: English Monolingual Dictionaries
100 Moby Thesaurus words for ';myth';:
Marchen, Mishnah, Spiritus Mundi, Sunna, Talmud, Western,
Western story, Westerner, adventure story, allegory,
ancient wisdom, apologue, apparition, archetypal myth,
archetypal pattern, bedtime story, brainchild, bubble, canard,
chimera, cock-and-bull story, common law, concoction, creation,
custom, delirium, detective story, eidolon, epic, extravaganza,
fable, fabliau, fabrication, fairy tale, falsehood, fancy,
fantasque, fantasy, fib, fiction, figment, folk motif, folk story,
folklore, folktale, forgery, gest, ghost story, hallucination,
history, horse opera, idle fancy, illusion, imagery, imagination,
imagining, immemorial usage, insubstantial image, invention,
legend, lie, lore, love story, maggot, make-believe, mystery,
mystery story, mythology, mythos, nursery tale, parable, phantasm,
phantom, prevarication, racial memory, romance, saga,
science fiction, shocker, sick fancy, space fiction, space opera,
story, suspense story, tall tale, thick-coming fancies, thriller,
tradition, traditionalism, traditionality, trip, untruth, vapor,
vision, whim, whimsy, whodunit, whopper, wildest dreams,
work of fiction
As defined in: Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
some myths can be true. its a story. Most of the time it has a lesson it them. There mostly to give u a lesson.
Well the things people ask on here,I guess it is
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