According to www.etymonline.com (a website devoted to etymology and the historical definitions of words) fun has a number of definitions throughout history:
“fun (n.)
‘diversion, amusement, mirthful sport,’ 1727, earlier ‘a cheat, trick’ (c. 1700), from verb fun (1680s) ‘to cheat, hoax,’ which is of uncertain origin, probably a variant of Middle English fonnen ‘befool’ (c. 1400; see fond). Scantly recorded in 18c. and stigmatized by Johnson as ‘a low cant word.’ Older senses are preserved in phrase to make fun of (1737) and funny money ‘counterfeit bills’ (1938, though this use of the word may be more for the sake of the rhyme). See also funny. Fun and games ‘mirthful carryings-on’ is from 1906.
fun (v.)
1680s, ‘to cheat;’ 1833 ‘to make fun, jest, joke,’ from fun (n.). Related: Funning.
fun (adj.)
mid-15c., ‘foolish, silly;’ 1846, ‘enjoyable,’ from fun (n.).
fun-loving (adj.)
1775, from fun (n.) + loving (adj.).”
As can be seen from the above definitions, fun does not seem to be what can be considered an upstanding word. Fun in earlier days denotes a kind of foolery.
According to another historical source, the reputed Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, the word “fun” is given a negative definition:
“FUN, noun Sport; vulgar merriment. A low word.”
“Fun” apparently is no fun, rather it is having foolish merriment, according to history. Nowadays however the word has changed greatly. According to http://www.merriam-webster.com, the word fun is given in the usual sense:
“1. someone or something that is amusing or enjoyable : an enjoyable experience or person
2. an enjoyable or amusing time
the feeling of being amused or entertained”
Isn’t it interesting to see how a word that was once used to describe a hoax, and foolery, and vulgar merriment is now a word that everyone seeks to have and be? We all want to be the “fun” person to hang out with. We all want to go have a little “fun”. I know that the word has changed meanings from it’s old roots to mean enjoyment, but how did that transition occur? As stated above in the quotation from www.etymonline.com, fun changed it’s definition in 1846 to mean enjoyment. What cultural shift happened around this time to change the word? It’s rather “funny” that we have been running around having fun, when to a historical figure, we’d of been running around like the village fool.
How strange.
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