What does it mean to be a Bohemian?

[Jinx]

Every now and again, I hear people say soemone's a Bohemian, but what does that really mean? ...and, where does it come from?

[Markxxx]

In the broadest sense it means that the person is nonconformist or lives an unconventional life. It is often applied to "artsy" type people.

Of couse it can also mean you were born in Bohemia

[Spoke]

Wiki knows all:

The term emerged in France in the early 19th century when artists and creators began to concentrate in the lower-rent, lower class gypsy neighborhoods. The term bohémien was a common term for the Romani people of France, who had reached Western Europe via Bohemia.

[pravnik]

Strictly speaking, "Bohemian" means coming from or associated with Bohemia, the westernmost part of the Czech Republic that Prague is located in: Bohemia. Colloquially, "Bohemian" has many other connotations of an artistic and/or unconventional lifestyle.

[Götterfunken]

So, you want to know what a Bohemian is? And what does he do? And how does he live?

Puccini has your answer: he's a poet. He writes. And he... lives. He just lives.

Oh, and he's probably got a friend who's a painter, another one who's a philosopher, and another who's a musician. Plus a poor girlfriend who usually makes paper flowers for a living, but is dying of consumption. They're all Bohemians, too.

[Koxinga]

It means my grandmother would sniff at you for coming from the wrong side of the tracks over there in Czech-town. (All the reputable townsfolk live on *this* side, in proximity of die Lutheran Kirche.)

[blondebear]

If you're a really rich Bohemian, you have your own very own grove to hang out in. According to Cecil, Satanic rituals are probably not included with your membership.

[Švejk]

Incidentally, the word Czech (both in Czech and in English) derives from the Czech word for Bohemia (Čechy); the adjective 'český' can mean both Czech and Bohemian (ie not Moravian). For instance, a number of Bohemian cities are known as Český as distinct from their Moravian counterpart (e.g. there's both a Český and a Moravský Krumlov).

[Sitnam]

Older term for 'hippy'.

[Darth Panda]

Originally Posted by blondebear

If you're a really rich Bohemian, you have your own very own grove to hang out in. According to Cecil, Satanic rituals are probably not included with your membership.

Everything is an add-on these days. I think you even have to pay for a carry on...

[clairobscur]

Originally Posted by Spoke

The term emerged in France in the early 19th century when artists and creators began to concentrate in the lower-rent, lower class gypsy neighborhoods. The term bohémien was a common term for the Romani people of France, who had reached Western Europe via Bohemia

Correct ."Bohémiens" is the french equivalent of "gypsies" (technically, the equivalent of gypsies is "gitan", both refering to them supposedly coming from Egypt, but it normally refered more to the gypsies from Spain and was a "nobler" term)

So, poor artists and such living on a day by day basis, without stable place and regular job, led a life similar to that of the "bohemiens", the "bohemian life" and were refered to in France as "artistes bohémiens" or with a "vie de bohème".

The district were they lived typically in the archetypal end of 19th/beginning of 20th century, Montmartre, wasn't a district where actual gypsies were living, though.

[Si Amigo]

Originally Posted by Jinx

Every now and again, I hear people say soemone's a Bohemian, but what does that really mean?

Whenever I hear the term I picture sexy/sultry eastern european type girls that don't shave thier underarms and have crouch spiders. Not that that's a bad thing; but that's just me.

[aldiboronti]

Originally Posted by Götterfunken

So, you want to know what a Bohemian is? And what does he do? And how does he live?

Puccini has your answer: he's a poet. He writes. And he... lives. He just lives.

Oh, and he's probably got a friend who's a painter, another one who's a philosopher, and another who's a musician. Plus a poor girlfriend who usually makes paper flowers for a living, but is dying of consumption. They're all Bohemians, too.

And the girl's tiny hand is frozen too, a sure sign of a Bohemian lifestyle.

[digs]

A quick shout out to Miriam Roth, who no one ever saw with shoes on...

everyone called her "Bohimi Mimi".