Date: Fri, 18 Nov 1994 09:55:12 -0800

From: Dan Alford dalford[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]S1.CSUHAYWARD.EDU

Subject: 'supernatural' vs 'natural'



okay, okay -- one more and I'll stop.



The last few conferences I've gone to, I've heard non-Indians talking about

Indians (ie, American Indians) praying to spirits and in the same breath use

the word 'supernatural'. Sounds okay? I've piped up at each of these talks

and said that as far as I know, this is what Indians call 'NATURAL' -- and

that we've moved so far away from the concept of natural that we've had to

coin a new word, 'supernatural' to use in such circumstances. Weird, huh?



Does anyone know when the languages of Euroculture began using 'supernatural'

to refer to nature spirits? or Spirit? Always? Or was there a point at which

it changed?

-- Moonhawk (%- )

"The fool on the hill sees the sun going down and

the eyes in his head see the world spinning round"

-- McCartney/Lennon