Words Associated with Halloween (by Yichen)

1. Halloween:

Etymology: It is shortened from All-Hallow-Even. According to OED, the word Halloween was first used in 1556. And the original form of this word "All-Hallow-Even" was used since early 1300s.

Definition: The eve of All Hallows' or All Saints'; the last night of October.

Why: In the Old Celtic calendar the year began on 1st November, so that the last evening of October was ‘old-year's night’, the night of all the witches, which the Church transformed into the Eve of All Saints. (Source: OED)

2. Jack-O'-Lantern

Etymology: It is originated from the visual phenomenon ignis fatuus also known as a will-o'-the-wisp in English folklore, first indicating something misleading or elusive. Also according to the Online Etymology Dictionary, it is more commonly used in East Anglia and its earliest use dates to 1660s.

ignis fatuus: A phosphorescent light that hovers or flits over swampy ground at night, possibly caused by spontaneous combustion of gases emitted by rotting organic matter.

ignis fatuus

Definition:

1. A man with a lantern; a night watchman.

2. An ignis fatuus or will-o'-the-wisp

3. A lantern made of the rind of a large turnip or a pumpkin, in which holes are cut to represent eyes, nose, and mouth; a turnip- or (in U.S.) pumpkin-lantern. north. Eng., Sc., and U.S. (Source: OED and Online Etymology Dictionary)



3. Poltergeist

Etymology: It comes from the German words poltern ("to make a loud noise or uproar, to rumble, to thud", 15th century) and Geist (ghost).

Definition:  A ghost or other supernatural being supposedly responsible for unexplained physical disturbances such as loud noises and the movement of objects. (Source: OED)

Observation of Poltergeist:

The phenomenon of poltergeists have been found in different cultures, including both eastern and western countries. Most of them are described in a situation that inaminated objects are being thrown away which causes lots of noises such as human voices, coughs, or knocking.

Scientific Explanations:

According to the excerpts of the book: Anomalistic Psychology: A Study of Magical Thinking, written by Leonard Zusne, Many claimed poltergeist events have proved on investigation to be pranks. A study (Lange and Houran, 1998) wrote that poltergeist experiences are delusions "resulting from the affective and cognitive dynamics of percipients' interpretation of ambiguous stimuli". Other investigations find that the poltergeist phenomenon may also associate with factors like underground water, heavy rainfalls, and vibrate geographical locations ( Lambert,1955).