Is there any difference between these two adjectives? Can they be used synonymously? Just wondering.
Thanks,
Adam
When referring to formulas and urns, use the latter. When referring to fraternities and incomprehensible languages, use the former.
But seriously folks, my WAG is that Grecian is an older, essentially obsolete form that would not generally be used in most modern day settings. Not wrong so much as antique.
When I wrote a story set in England about 65 years ago, one of the characters met a Greek lady and thought of her as “Grecian.” I made use of the old-fashioned word to evoke a slightly earlier style of English, for the time and place the story was set in.
“Grecian curve” is a phrase of its own with a particular meaning, though. It referred to late Victorian fashion that had bustles extending women’s bums this way, while their corseted bosoms extended out that way. This look of exaggerating the curvaceous features of women’s bodies was sold as a return to harmonious proportions of Classical Grecian sculpture, or something like that. The phrase “Grecian curve” fit right into my story too, as it turned out.
There is no serious difference between the two words. Each came from the Latin Græcia with one trail keeping the Latin “c” in spelling, but conforming to English pronunciation rules for “c followed by i or e” and the other following the Latin pronunciation and adopting the “k” to keep the pronunciation consistent. Until (I believe) the 16th century, the word “Greekish” supplied the same meanings.
In usage, Grecian has come to be used to mean “in the style of the Greeks” while “Greek” continues to handle the rest of the adjectival forms. However, that is a connotative value and aside from sounding a bit odd, it is not incorrect to refer to “Greek” objects or actions as “Grecian.”
I’d always imagined it came into English via the German, and it’s just another inflection that we’re using. For example…
wool, woolen
gold, golden
and of course, Greek, Greekian => Grecian.
Personally, and I have no references to lend gravity to this opinion, but the term Greek applies most easily to the people of Greece and their culture, the term Grecian applies to things relevant to the geography and history.
Grecian artifacts
Greek food
Grecian mountain
Greek language
Grecian isles
Greek guy screaming at me
Totally random, but that’s how I roll.
I would point out English has the same trouble with “Arab” and “Arabic,” there is a distinction, but it is so subtle that I certainly cannot explain it.
Add to that list: Arabian Nights and Arabican coffee.
Arabic coffee, I think. Also Arabic nations, but Arabian hospitality.
Neither of these adjectives refer to Arabs:
Arabia -> Arabian
[Coffea] arabica -> arabican
They come from the geographical area and species name, respectively.
While we’re at it, in current usage, Scotch is a drink. Scottish is a nationality. Scots are people who live in Scotland. (And a pine.)
You have to remember, though, that it’s always Grecian Formula and never Greek Formula.
I’d say Arab tends to denote the people, Arabic the language and Arabian the geography. Thus Hussein of Jordan is an Arab, Naguib Mahfouz is an Arab writer and an Arabic writer, and Yemen is an Arab nation, an Arabic-speaking nation, and an Arabian nation. YMMV.
Atticus, I was going to explain this, but you beat me to it. You covered the subject so succinctly and accurately that I’m going to print out your post and carry it in my wallet to help the fight against ignorance.
I wish someone could explain how the Victorian bustled and corseted shape is supposed to bear the least resemblance to any looks from Classical Greece. No ancient Greek woman wore anything like that. What were those Victorians thinking? In fact, Isadora Duncan’s dancewear revolt was to replace stuffy Victorian gear with loose, flowing, unstructured garments like the real ancient Greek peplos, which gives complete freedom of movement to the wearer, a totally radical departure from Victorian clothing.