임태율

Why I collected this word

The meaning of the word 'Character' is deeply related to the essence of human nature. Getting to know the origin and changing history of this word would lead me to understand how people's point of view on human nature began and have changed over time.

01 Origin

Proto-Indo-European · χαράσσειν · charaktēr · to scrape, dig ditch, carve, engrave — It originally meant to engrave something.

• Etymonline — https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=character
• American Heritage Dictionary — https://www.ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=character
• Oxford English Dictionary — https://www.oed.com/dictionary/character_n?tab=meaning_and_use#9587486

02 Change & Context

• Mid 14th century A mark, symbol, or brand engraved on the body. — The earliest recorded evidence of the word 'character' in English appears around 1350 in the writings of the poet William of Shoreham, borrowed from Old French as 'carecter'. William wrote as follows: "Caracter, þet is prente ycliped, Nys non of eliinge." In this context, 'character' specifically meant an indelible spiritual mark or brand imprinted permanently on the soul through Catholic sacraments such as baptism. As we can see, in this era, the word “character” was initially used to refer to a mark or symbol engraved on the body. As time went by, meanings in slightly different contexts began to be added. In the mid 15th to late 15th century, the meaning 'a Symbol or a design used in magic or sorcery' was added, influenced by medieval alchemy and astrology. This meaning later expanded to include alphabets, symbols, and letters that represent phonemes or syllables. In the 16th century, it was also used to refer to handwriting, calligraphy, and printed typefaces. (https://www.oed.com/dictionary/character_n?tab=meaning_and_use#291276119)
• Mid 17th century The mental and moral qualities and personal traits distinctive to an individual — In the early 17th cenruty, after the Renaissance of the 1500s, the use of this word in ancient GreeK was revisited. In aincient Greek, people often used the word metaphorically to refer to a person’s unique traits. Around 1640, people began to reuse the meaning of the word, and also brought back the old Latin spelling 'character'. (https://www.oed.com/dictionary/character_n?tab=meaning_and_use#291276119)
• Mid 17th century An individual in a play or novel — By the late seventeenth century, drama and the novel were becoming increasingly important forms of popular culture. Once again, the word acquired a new meaning. Character came to mean an individual created by a writer and given a particular personality and identity within a work of fiction. (https://www.oed.com/dictionary/character_n?tab=meaning_and_use#291276119)

03 Network

• indelible Indelible is connected to character through the idea of something being permanently marked or impressed (Oxford English Dictionary)
• Characteristic the meaning of this word originated from the word 'character'. (American Heritige Dictionary)
• Personality Personality is closely related to character because both describe the qualities and traits that make a person who they are. (Camebridge Dictionary)
• Identity Identity is related to character because both involve the qualities that distinguish one person from another. (Camebridge Dictionary)

04 Voices

• Yimhayul A person in a movie, drama, or a novel.
• anonymous Mascots, iconic protagonists in fictional stories.
• anonymous Qualities and traits that distinguishes an individual from others.

05 Reflection

The distinctive qualities of a person. I learned that the word 'character' originated from the idea of an indelible mark, brand, or design that was carved or engraved.