Etymology of Romance Terms

The words "romantic" and "romance" have evolved significantly in their meanings and usages from the 12th century to the present day. Here's a historical outline of their development:

1. 12th–14th Century: Medieval Period

Romance

• Origin: The word "romance" originates from Old French romanz, which initially referred to vernacular languages derived from Latin, particularly those used in literature.
• Meaning:
  • In the 12th century, romanz or romance referred to narratives written in the vernacular (as opposed to Latin), often tales of chivalry, heroism, and adventure.
  • These stories were often fantastical and involved knights, quests, courtly love, and sometimes magical elements.
  • Romance here described the literary genre of tales of adventure and courtly love, such as the Arthurian legends.

Romantic

• Origin: The term romantic didn’t appear in common use until much later, but its roots can be traced back to the genre of romance literature. It carried connotations of the adventurous, chivalric, and imaginative elements of these stories.

2. 15th–17th Century: Renaissance and Early Modern Period

Romance

• Meaning:
  • During the Renaissance, romance maintained its association with chivalric literature but started to expand.
  • It could also refer to stories that had an idealized or exaggerated tone, especially involving adventure or love.
  • Gradually, romance began to imply not only the literary genre but also the idealized experience of love, though this was still linked to noble, courtly love.

Romantic

• Meaning:
  • The word romantic starts to emerge more distinctly in the late 17th century, often used to describe things reminiscent of romance literature: imaginative, adventurous, and somewhat unrealistic.
  • It is associated with fantastical and idealized visions, particularly in reference to landscapes or stories with heightened emotion.

3. 18th Century: The Enlightenment and Romantic Movement

Romance

• Meaning:
  • By this time, romance more firmly established its association with love and passion, particularly in an idealized or escapist context.
  • It still retained some connection to adventure and the fantastical but was increasingly being used to describe stories centered around emotional or passionate love.

Romantic

• Meaning:
  • With the rise of the Romantic movement (late 18th to early 19th century), romantic became associated with emotion, individualism, and nature, contrasting with the rationality of the Enlightenment.
  • In the arts, romantic described a focus on emotion over reason, the sublime in nature, and an appreciation for the imaginative and the mystical.
  • It was used to refer to landscapes, literature, art, and music that evoked emotion, awe, and sometimes melancholy.

4. 19th Century: Victorian and Romantic Era

Romance

• Meaning:
  • In addition to its continued use in literature, romance increasingly described a genre of love stories—idealized, often dramatic narratives focusing on emotional relationships.
  • It also retained a broader sense of adventure, particularly in terms of exploration and discovery, influenced by the era of colonialism and exploration.

Romantic

• Meaning:
  • The word romantic was widely applied to emotional, artistic, and philosophical contexts, celebrating the irrational, the emotional, and the mysterious.
  • It was also used to describe sentimental or idealized views of love, relationships, and nature.
  • Additionally, romantic began to describe someone who is sentimentally idealistic, often impractically so, about love or life.

5. 20th Century to Present Day

Romance

• Meaning:
  • In the 20th century, romance primarily came to refer to love and relationships, particularly in the context of romantic love. It became the central term for stories, novels, and films centered on romantic relationships.
  • Romance also became a distinct literary and film genre, focusing on the development of love between characters, often with an idealized or dramatic plot.
  • Occasionally, romance still refers to an adventure or excitement, especially in the sense of a "romantic" adventure or experience.

Romantic

• Meaning:
  • Romantic is commonly used today in two major ways:
    • Emotional and sentimental: To describe things associated with idealized love, such as romantic gestures, romantic dinners, and romantic relationships.
    • Related to the Romantic era: To refer to the art, music, and literature of the Romantic period (late 18th to early 19th century).
  • It can also describe a person who is idealistic and dreamy about love or life, often with a tendency to focus on the emotional or fantastical aspects of reality.

Summary of Evolution

• 12th Century: "Romance" referred to chivalric tales in vernacular languages.
• 15th–17th Century: "Romance" came to imply idealized love stories, while "romantic" described adventure and imagination.
• 18th Century: "Romantic" became associated with emotion and the Romantic movement, contrasting with rationality.
• 19th Century: Both terms became closely linked to idealized love and emotional experiences.
• 20th Century–Present: "Romance" refers to love stories and relationships, while "romantic" describes idealized love and emotional expression.