In another forum there has been some discussion of the word
"demonize".
I'd be grateful if anyone with access to the OED could give a summmary
of how it has historically been used in English.
Here's an excerpt from the other discussion:
"In connection with the Bible, the term "demonized" represents the
original Greek ???????????? (daimonizomai), which refers to
being -- to one degree or another -- under the power/attack of a
demon.
It's the verb that is often translated "demon-possessed," i.e., having
a demon inside you, as in the case of the man with the legion of
demons in him that Jesus cast out into the pigs.-a What can't be done
-- on the basis of the Greek -- is to use "demonized" to mean "to
regard or treat someone as if he were especially evil, like a demon."
But that's the sense the word seems to have today, e.g., when people
talk about "demonizing" someone."
OED cites Hellenistic Greek ????????????? [daimon|!zesthai] to be
possessed by a demon (already in ancient Greek in sense rCyto be deifiedrCO).
Not a very old word in English; no attestations before the 18th century.
OED senses (not in the order they give them):
3. (Of a demon) to possess (a person or animal). Usually passive. 1800-
2. To render demonic in character; to turn (a person) into a demon; to
make evil; to corrupt. 1775-
1a. To represent as a malevolent supernatural being. 1743-
1b. To portray (a person or thing) as wicked and threatening, (now) esp.
in an inaccurate or misrepresentative way. (Now the usual sense.) 1817-
(Of a demon) to possess (a person or animal).
Usually passive. 1800-
Ross Clark
(Of a demon) to possess (a person or animal).
Usually passive. 1800-
The opposite of `exorcise'.
(Of a demon) to possess (a person or animal).
Usually passive. 1800-
The opposite of `exorcise'.
Well, the alternative - to de-demonise would not work.
Ross Clark
(Of a demon) to possess (a person or animal).
Usually passive. 1800-
The opposite of `exorcise'.
Ross Clark
(Of a demon) to possess (a person or animal).
Usually passive. 1800-
The opposite of `exorcise'.
On 02/12/2025 11:50, Anton Shepelev wrote:
Ross Clark
(Of a demon) to possess (a person or animal).
Usually passive. 1800-
The opposite of `exorcise'.
Well, the alternative - to de-demonise would not work. Is the use of to >'exorcise' entirely linked with a demon? I've often heard it used with
evil forces, spirits - not necessarily with a demon.
On 02/12/2025 11:50, Anton Shepelev wrote:
Ross Clark
(Of a demon) to possess (a person or animal).
Usually passive. 1800-
The opposite of `exorcise'.
Well, the alternative - to de-demonise would not work. Is the use of to 'exorcise' entirely linked with a demon? I've often heard it used with
evil forces, spirits - not necessarily with a demon.
Is the use of to 'exorcise' entirely linked with a demon?
'forces of evil' generally, I think.
Steve Hayes to occam:
Well, the alternative - to de-demonise would not work. Is
the use of to evil forces, spirits - not necessarily with a
demon.
What do you see as the distinction between them?
We modern folks have lost all the important nuances and niceties
of /demon/, /force/, /entity/, /spitit/, /succubus/, /incubus/,
and the rest of the jolly company.
Steve Hayes to occam:
Well, the alternative - to de-demonise would not work. Is
the use of to evil forces, spirits - not necessarily with a
demon.
What do you see as the distinction between them?
We modern folks have lost all the important nuances and niceties
of /demon/, /force/, /entity/, /spitit/, /succubus/, /incubus/,
and the rest of the jolly company.
On 2025-12-03 05:15, Anton Shepelev wrote:
Steve Hayes to occam:
Well, the alternative - to de-demonise would not work. Is
the use of to evil forces, spirits - not necessarily with a
demon.
What do you see as the distinction between them?
We modern folks have lost all the important nuances and niceties
of /demon/, /force/, /entity/, /spitit/, /succubus/, /incubus/,
and the rest of the jolly company.
As far as I'm concerned, they all have the same nuance. They are all
every bit a real as leprechauns, fairies, and Trump's honesty.
In article <1rmri1l.14w948fc3o68N%nospam@de-ster.demon.nl>,
J. J. Lodder <jjlxa32@xs4all.nl> wrote:
Is the use of to 'exorcise' entirely linked with a demon?
'forces of evil' generally, I think.
Orcs, for example.
On Wed, 3 Dec 2025 22:59:15 -0600, lar3ryca <larry@invalid.ca> wrote:
On 2025-12-03 05:15, Anton Shepelev wrote:
Steve Hayes to occam:
Well, the alternative - to de-demonise would not work. Is
the use of to evil forces, spirits - not necessarily with a
demon.
What do you see as the distinction between them?
We modern folks have lost all the important nuances and niceties
of /demon/, /force/, /entity/, /spitit/, /succubus/, /incubus/,
and the rest of the jolly company.
As far as I'm concerned, they all have the same nuance. They are all
every bit a real as leprechauns, fairies, and Trump's honesty.
Some might say that Trump himself is demonised.
Some might go further and say that his whole administration is
demonic.
And some might go further still and say that the fact that Trump was
elected a second time shows that the whole of the USA is demonised,
that the majority of its people are so much under the influence of a
demonic power theat they cannot distinguish good from evil, and the
whole country needs to be exorcised.
Hint: Fugs Pentagon
In article <1rmri1l.14w948fc3o68N%nospam@de-ster.demon.nl>,
J. J. Lodder <jjlxa32@xs4all.nl> wrote:
Is the use of to 'exorcise' entirely linked with a demon?
'forces of evil' generally, I think.
Orcs, for example.
On Wed, 3 Dec 2025 14:15:06 +0300, Anton Shepelev
<anton.txt@gmail.moc> wrote:
Steve Hayes to occam:
Well, the alternative - to de-demonise would not work. Is
the use of to evil forces, spirits - not necessarily with a
demon.
What do you see as the distinction between them?
We modern folks have lost all the important nuances and niceties
of /demon/, /force/, /entity/, /spitit/, /succubus/, /incubus/,
and the rest of the jolly company.
I offer a couple of quotes, which may or may not help to clarify:
Antichrist.
Source: Wink 1986:57.
Thou talk'st of Antichrist and Beast, and dost not see (If
thou be not in God) that they are both in thee.
Quoted in Wink 1986:57
In article <1rmri1l.14w948fc3o68N%nospam@de-ster.demon.nl>,
J. J. Lodder <jjlxa32@xs4all.nl> wrote:
Is the use of to 'exorcise' entirely linked with a demon?
'forces of evil' generally, I think.
Orcs, for example.
Bertel Lund Hansen:
occam:
Anton Shepelev:
The opposite of `exorcise'.
Well, the alternative - to de-demonise would not work.
What about "monise" then?
It is OK by me, as long as `demonstrate' means to extinguish
monsters.
Richard Tobin <richard@cogsci.ed.ac.uk> wrote:
In article <1rmri1l.14w948fc3o68N%nospam@de-ster.demon.nl>,
J. J. Lodder <jjlxa32@xs4all.nl> wrote:
Is the use of to 'exorcise' entirely linked with a demon?
'forces of evil' generally, I think.
Orcs, for example.
That may be a good counterexample.
Evil no doubt, but I'm not aware of Orcs taking possession
of humans the way demons do.
They are just convenient sword-fodder in fantasy,
to be exterminated without mercy, just because they are orcs.
Tolkien seems to have like 'orc' because the word 'orc'
has such a nice nasty sound to it,
On 02/12/2025 10:50, Anton Shepelev wrote:
Ross Clark
(Of a demon) to possess (a person or animal).
Usually passive. 1800-
The opposite of `exorcise'.
Not simply the opposite, an exclusive OR.
Well, that's no good; a demonstrata is required in any tale of
evil geology.
Kerr-Mudd, John:
Well, that's no good; a demonstrata is required in any tale of
evil geology.
What's a demonstratum?
On Wed, 3 Dec 2025 01:03:45 +0300
Anton Shepelev <anton.txt@gmail.moc> wrote:
Bertel Lund Hansen:
occam:
Anton Shepelev:
The opposite of `exorcise'.
Well, the alternative - to de-demonise would not work.
What about "monise" then?
It is OK by me, as long as `demonstrate' means to extinguish
monsters.
Well, that's no good; a demonstrata is required in any tale of
evil geology.
What's a demonstratum?
An entire archaeological layer of compressed imps.
On Thu, 4 Dec 2025 12:55:15 +0100
nospam@de-ster.demon.nl (J. J. Lodder) wrote:
Richard Tobin <richard@cogsci.ed.ac.uk> wrote:Being orchestrated always had a worrying tone to it.
In article <1rmri1l.14w948fc3o68N%nospam@de-ster.demon.nl>,
J. J. Lodder <jjlxa32@xs4all.nl> wrote:
Is the use of to 'exorcise' entirely linked with a demon?
'forces of evil' generally, I think.
Orcs, for example.
That may be a good counterexample.
Evil no doubt, but I'm not aware of Orcs taking possession
of humans the way demons do.
They are just convenient sword-fodder in fantasy,
to be exterminated without mercy, just because they are orcs.
Tolkien seems to have like 'orc' because the word 'orc'
has such a nice nasty sound to it,
On 04/12/2025 13:23, Kerr-Mudd, John wrote:
On Thu, 4 Dec 2025 12:55:15 +0100
nospam@de-ster.demon.nl (J. J. Lodder) wrote:
Richard Tobin <richard@cogsci.ed.ac.uk> wrote:Being orchestrated always had a worrying tone to it.
In article <1rmri1l.14w948fc3o68N%nospam@de-ster.demon.nl>,
J. J. Lodder <jjlxa32@xs4all.nl> wrote:
Is the use of to 'exorcise' entirely linked with a demon?
'forces of evil' generally, I think.
Orcs, for example.
That may be a good counterexample.
Evil no doubt, but I'm not aware of Orcs taking possession
of humans the way demons do.
They are just convenient sword-fodder in fantasy,
to be exterminated without mercy, just because they are orcs.
Tolkien seems to have like 'orc' because the word 'orc'
has such a nice nasty sound to it,
Not as worrying as being orccastrated.
On 04/12/2025 13:23, Kerr-Mudd, John wrote:
On Thu, 4 Dec 2025 12:55:15 +0100
nospam@de-ster.demon.nl (J. J. Lodder) wrote:
Richard Tobin <richard@cogsci.ed.ac.uk> wrote:Being orchestrated always had a worrying tone to it.
In article <1rmri1l.14w948fc3o68N%nospam@de-ster.demon.nl>,
J. J. Lodder <jjlxa32@xs4all.nl> wrote:
Is the use of to 'exorcise' entirely linked with a demon?
'forces of evil' generally, I think.
Orcs, for example.
That may be a good counterexample.
Evil no doubt, but I'm not aware of Orcs taking possession
of humans the way demons do.
They are just convenient sword-fodder in fantasy,
to be exterminated without mercy, just because they are orcs.
Tolkien seems to have like 'orc' because the word 'orc'
has such a nice nasty sound to it,
Not as worrying as being orccastrated.
Ontological question: Do Orks exist?
Kerr-Mudd, John:
Well, that's no good; a demonstrata is required in any tale of
evil geology.
What's a demonstratum?
On 2025-12-05 05:17, occam wrote:
On 04/12/2025 13:23, Kerr-Mudd, John wrote:
On Thu, 4 Dec 2025 12:55:15 +0100
nospam@de-ster.demon.nl (J. J. Lodder) wrote:
Richard Tobin <richard@cogsci.ed.ac.uk> wrote:Being orchestrated always had a worrying tone to it.
In article <1rmri1l.14w948fc3o68N%nospam@de-ster.demon.nl>,
J. J. Lodder <jjlxa32@xs4all.nl> wrote:
Is the use of to 'exorcise' entirely linked with a demon?
'forces of evil' generally, I think.
Orcs, for example.
That may be a good counterexample.
Evil no doubt, but I'm not aware of Orcs taking possession
of humans the way demons do.
They are just convenient sword-fodder in fantasy,
to be exterminated without mercy, just because they are orcs.
Tolkien seems to have like 'orc' because the word 'orc'
has such a nice nasty sound to it,
Not as worrying as being orccastrated.
Oh thanks I think every male in here tightened their sphincters and
crossed their legs.
On Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:32:39 +0200, Steve Hayes wrote:
Ontological question: Do Orks exist?
Sure, they live here:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/YGq1ZY4vS2NygCJp9
lar3ryca <larry@invalid.ca> wrote:
On 2025-12-05 05:17, occam wrote:
On 04/12/2025 13:23, Kerr-Mudd, John wrote:
On Thu, 4 Dec 2025 12:55:15 +0100
nospam@de-ster.demon.nl (J. J. Lodder) wrote:
Richard Tobin <richard@cogsci.ed.ac.uk> wrote:Being orchestrated always had a worrying tone to it.
In article <1rmri1l.14w948fc3o68N%nospam@de-ster.demon.nl>,
J. J. Lodder <jjlxa32@xs4all.nl> wrote:
Is the use of to 'exorcise' entirely linked with a demon?
'forces of evil' generally, I think.
Orcs, for example.
That may be a good counterexample.
Evil no doubt, but I'm not aware of Orcs taking possession
of humans the way demons do.
They are just convenient sword-fodder in fantasy,
to be exterminated without mercy, just because they are orcs.
Tolkien seems to have like 'orc' because the word 'orc'
has such a nice nasty sound to it,
Not as worrying as being orccastrated.
Oh thanks I think every male in here tightened their sphincters and
crossed their legs.
Real men draw their swords,
On 06/12/2025 13:40, J. J. Lodder wrote:
lar3ryca <larry@invalid.ca> wrote:
On 2025-12-05 05:17, occam wrote:
On 04/12/2025 13:23, Kerr-Mudd, John wrote:
On Thu, 4 Dec 2025 12:55:15 +0100
nospam@de-ster.demon.nl (J. J. Lodder) wrote:
Richard Tobin <richard@cogsci.ed.ac.uk> wrote:Being orchestrated always had a worrying tone to it.
In article <1rmri1l.14w948fc3o68N%nospam@de-ster.demon.nl>,
J. J. Lodder <jjlxa32@xs4all.nl> wrote:
Is the use of to 'exorcise' entirely linked with a demon?
'forces of evil' generally, I think.
Orcs, for example.
That may be a good counterexample.
Evil no doubt, but I'm not aware of Orcs taking possession
of humans the way demons do.
They are just convenient sword-fodder in fantasy,
to be exterminated without mercy, just because they are orcs.
Tolkien seems to have like 'orc' because the word 'orc'
has such a nice nasty sound to it,
Not as worrying as being orccastrated.
Oh thanks I think every male in here tightened their sphincters and
crossed their legs.
Real men draw their swords,
A quick sketch really isn't the answer to this problem.
Sam Plusnet <not@home.com> wrote:
On 06/12/2025 13:40, J. J. Lodder wrote:
lar3ryca <larry@invalid.ca> wrote:
On 2025-12-05 05:17, occam wrote:
On 04/12/2025 13:23, Kerr-Mudd, John wrote:
On Thu, 4 Dec 2025 12:55:15 +0100
nospam@de-ster.demon.nl (J. J. Lodder) wrote:
Richard Tobin <richard@cogsci.ed.ac.uk> wrote:Being orchestrated always had a worrying tone to it.
In article <1rmri1l.14w948fc3o68N%nospam@de-ster.demon.nl>,
J. J. Lodder <jjlxa32@xs4all.nl> wrote:
Is the use of to 'exorcise' entirely linked with a demon?
'forces of evil' generally, I think.
Orcs, for example.
That may be a good counterexample.
Evil no doubt, but I'm not aware of Orcs taking possession
of humans the way demons do.
They are just convenient sword-fodder in fantasy,
to be exterminated without mercy, just because they are orcs.
Tolkien seems to have like 'orc' because the word 'orc'
has such a nice nasty sound to it,
Not as worrying as being orccastrated.
Oh thanks I think every male in here tightened their sphincters and
crossed their legs.
Real men draw their swords,
A quick sketch really isn't the answer to this problem.
'The pen is mightier than the sword',
On Sat, 6 Dec 2025 21:55:06 +0100, nospam@de-ster.demon.nl (J. J.
Lodder) wrote:
Sam Plusnet <not@home.com> wrote:
On 06/12/2025 13:40, J. J. Lodder wrote:
lar3ryca <larry@invalid.ca> wrote:
On 2025-12-05 05:17, occam wrote:
On 04/12/2025 13:23, Kerr-Mudd, John wrote:
On Thu, 4 Dec 2025 12:55:15 +0100
nospam@de-ster.demon.nl (J. J. Lodder) wrote:
Richard Tobin <richard@cogsci.ed.ac.uk> wrote:Being orchestrated always had a worrying tone to it.
In article <1rmri1l.14w948fc3o68N%nospam@de-ster.demon.nl>,
J. J. Lodder <jjlxa32@xs4all.nl> wrote:
Is the use of to 'exorcise' entirely linked with a demon?
'forces of evil' generally, I think.
Orcs, for example.
That may be a good counterexample.
Evil no doubt, but I'm not aware of Orcs taking possession
of humans the way demons do.
They are just convenient sword-fodder in fantasy,
to be exterminated without mercy, just because they are orcs.
Tolkien seems to have like 'orc' because the word 'orc'
has such a nice nasty sound to it,
Not as worrying as being orccastrated.
Oh thanks I think every male in here tightened their sphincters and
crossed their legs.
Real men draw their swords,
A quick sketch really isn't the answer to this problem.
'The pen is mightier than the sword',
There is a superflous space between the second and third words in that sentence.
On Sat, 6 Dec 2025 21:55:06 +0100, nospam@de-ster.demon.nl (J. J.
Lodder) wrote:
Sam Plusnet <not@home.com> wrote:
On 06/12/2025 13:40, J. J. Lodder wrote:
lar3ryca <larry@invalid.ca> wrote:
On 2025-12-05 05:17, occam wrote:
On 04/12/2025 13:23, Kerr-Mudd, John wrote:
On Thu, 4 Dec 2025 12:55:15 +0100
nospam@de-ster.demon.nl (J. J. Lodder) wrote:
Richard Tobin <richard@cogsci.ed.ac.uk> wrote:Being orchestrated always had a worrying tone to it.
In article <1rmri1l.14w948fc3o68N%nospam@de-ster.demon.nl>,
J. J. Lodder <jjlxa32@xs4all.nl> wrote:
Is the use of to 'exorcise' entirely linked with a demon?
'forces of evil' generally, I think.
Orcs, for example.
That may be a good counterexample.
Evil no doubt, but I'm not aware of Orcs taking possession
of humans the way demons do.
They are just convenient sword-fodder in fantasy,
to be exterminated without mercy, just because they are orcs.
Tolkien seems to have like 'orc' because the word 'orc'
has such a nice nasty sound to it,
Not as worrying as being orccastrated.
Oh thanks I think every male in here tightened their sphincters and
crossed their legs.
Real men draw their swords,
A quick sketch really isn't the answer to this problem.
'The pen is mightier than the sword',
There is a superflous space between the second and third words in that sentence.
On 07/12/2025 05:07, Opinicus wrote:
On Sat, 6 Dec 2025 21:55:06 +0100, nospam@de-ster.demon.nl (J. J.
Lodder) wrote:
Sam Plusnet <not@home.com> wrote:
On 06/12/2025 13:40, J. J. Lodder wrote:
lar3ryca <larry@invalid.ca> wrote:
On 2025-12-05 05:17, occam wrote:
On 04/12/2025 13:23, Kerr-Mudd, John wrote:
On Thu, 4 Dec 2025 12:55:15 +0100
nospam@de-ster.demon.nl (J. J. Lodder) wrote:
Richard Tobin <richard@cogsci.ed.ac.uk> wrote:Being orchestrated always had a worrying tone to it.
In article <1rmri1l.14w948fc3o68N%nospam@de-ster.demon.nl>, >>>>>>>>> J. J. Lodder <jjlxa32@xs4all.nl> wrote:
Is the use of to 'exorcise' entirely linked with a demon? >>>>>>>>>'forces of evil' generally, I think.
Orcs, for example.
That may be a good counterexample.
Evil no doubt, but I'm not aware of Orcs taking possession
of humans the way demons do.
They are just convenient sword-fodder in fantasy,
to be exterminated without mercy, just because they are orcs. >>>>>>>>
Tolkien seems to have like 'orc' because the word 'orc'
has such a nice nasty sound to it,
Not as worrying as being orccastrated.
Oh thanks I think every male in here tightened their sphincters and >>>>> crossed their legs.
Real men draw their swords,
A quick sketch really isn't the answer to this problem.
'The pen is mightier than the sword',
There is a superflous space between the second and third words in that sentence.
But is it still true if one has been orchestrated?
On 06/12/2025 13:40, J. J. Lodder wrote:
lar3ryca <larry@invalid.ca> wrote:
On 2025-12-05 05:17, occam wrote:
On 04/12/2025 13:23, Kerr-Mudd, John wrote:
On Thu, 4 Dec 2025 12:55:15 +0100
nospam@de-ster.demon.nl (J. J. Lodder) wrote:
Richard Tobin <richard@cogsci.ed.ac.uk> wrote:Being orchestrated always had a worrying tone to it.
In article <1rmri1l.14w948fc3o68N%nospam@de-ster.demon.nl>,
J. J. Lodder <jjlxa32@xs4all.nl> wrote:
Is the use of to 'exorcise' entirely linked with a demon?
'forces of evil' generally, I think.
Orcs, for example.
That may be a good counterexample.
Evil no doubt, but I'm not aware of Orcs taking possession
of humans the way demons do.
They are just convenient sword-fodder in fantasy,
to be exterminated without mercy, just because they are orcs.
Tolkien seems to have like 'orc' because the word 'orc'
has such a nice nasty sound to it,
Not as worrying as being orccastrated.
Oh thanks I think every male in here tightened their sphincters and
crossed their legs.
Real men draw their swords,
A quick sketch really isn't the answer to this problem.
On 07/12/2025 05:07, Opinicus wrote:
On Sat, 6 Dec 2025 21:55:06 +0100, nospam@de-ster.demon.nl (J. J.
Lodder) wrote:
Sam Plusnet <not@home.com> wrote:
On 06/12/2025 13:40, J. J. Lodder wrote:
lar3ryca <larry@invalid.ca> wrote:
On 2025-12-05 05:17, occam wrote:
On 04/12/2025 13:23, Kerr-Mudd, John wrote:
On Thu, 4 Dec 2025 12:55:15 +0100
nospam@de-ster.demon.nl (J. J. Lodder) wrote:
Richard Tobin <richard@cogsci.ed.ac.uk> wrote:Being orchestrated always had a worrying tone to it.
In article <1rmri1l.14w948fc3o68N%nospam@de-ster.demon.nl>, >>>>>>>>>> J. J. Lodder <jjlxa32@xs4all.nl> wrote:
Is the use of to 'exorcise' entirely linked with a demon? >>>>>>>>>>'forces of evil' generally, I think.
Orcs, for example.
That may be a good counterexample.
Evil no doubt, but I'm not aware of Orcs taking possession
of humans the way demons do.
They are just convenient sword-fodder in fantasy,
to be exterminated without mercy, just because they are orcs. >>>>>>>>>
Tolkien seems to have like 'orc' because the word 'orc'
has such a nice nasty sound to it,
Not as worrying as being orccastrated.
Oh thanks I think every male in here tightened their sphincters and >>>>>> crossed their legs.
Real men draw their swords,
A quick sketch really isn't the answer to this problem.
'The pen is mightier than the sword',
There is a superflous space between the second and third words in that
sentence.
But is it still true if one has been orchestrated?
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