Away back in the Middle Ages people used to go on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and when people in the villages through which they passed asked where they were going, they would reply, "A la sainte terre,' 'To the Holy Land.' Now these mountains are our Holy Land, and we ought to saunter through them reverently, not ‘hike’ through them.” John Muir lived up to his doctrine. Sax liked Thoreau's explanation for the word saunter: from à la Sainte Terre, describing pilgrims on their way to the Holy Land. And so they became known as sainte-terre-ers or saunterers. It's a beautiful word. Do you know the origin of that word saunter? I’ve thought a lot about this quote since a colleague shared it with me. Now, I immediately suspected: 1) John Muir never said such a thing; 2) the whole etymology was codswallop. We invite you to tour our website and explore the options we offer at Sainte Terre. But some stick in the craw more than others, and probably none more than this*: This quote is not in Muir's writing. Now these mountains are our Holy Land, and we ought to saunter through them reverently, not ‘hike’ through them.” There is … The etymology of saunter is obscure today, as it was two centuries ago, and the word was much debated among linguists in the late 19th century. Come to the mountains and meadows, to the rocks and rivers, and discover beauty and peace to sooth your weary soul. And so they became known as sainte-terre-ers or saunterers. Henry David Thoreau gave his own, elaborated version of the etymology fable in “Walking” in 1862. (Albert W. Palmer’s “The Mountain Trail and Its Message” ) And to be honest, I am a little more interested in sauntering these days, myself. And so they became known as sainte-terre-ers or saunterers. The etymological grain of sand at the heart of this pearl seems to be from Johnson, ultimately if not directly, as it includes his two accounts of a possible origin of saunter. And so they became known as sainte-terre-ers or saunterers. Now these mountains are our Holy Land, and we ought to saunter through them reverently, not ‘hike’ through them. Near the beginning of Henry David Thoreau’s essay “Walking,” he tells us what a Saunterer is: I have met with but one or two persons in the course of my life who understood the art of Walking, that is, of taking walks – who had a genius, so to speak, for sauntering, which word is beautifully derived “from idle people who roved about the country, in the Middle Ages, … He stopped to get acquainted with individual trees along the way. Thoreau is the most dangerous of American writers because the most subtle, and I can't believe he isn't aware of the flaw there: The version that best fits his bias is the one that must be most likely to be true. It's a wink, and it's a lesson modern internet users ought to have tattooed on their brains. It’s a beautiful word. And so they became known as sainte-terre-ers or saunterers. And, in the absence of evidence, one of the many theories brewed in the fog was that it came from à la sainte terre. It appears in an account of a conversation with Muir published by Albert Palmer in "The Mountain Trail and its Message," 1911 (p.27): I'm willing to allow the gist of the quip to be true, and that Muir really did say something like that on some occasion. Away back in the Middle Ages people used to go on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and when people in the villages through which they passed asked where they were going, they would reply, "A la sainte terre,' 'To the Holy Land.'. #saunteron "Do you know the origin of that word 'saunter’? Away back in the Middle Ages people used to go on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and when people in the villages through which they passed asked where they were going, they would reply, “A la sainte terre,” ‘To the Holy Land.’ And … We wanted this to be a place where families could gather and couples could begin a new life free from the stress that comes with planning an event of this magnitude. Compare Middle English aunter (“adventure”). Chances are it comes from French, but I haven't tracked it back across the Channel. Muir was no smarter than his times, which is no fault in anyone. Away back in the middle ages people used to go on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and when people in the villages through which they passed asked where they were going they would reply, 'A la sainte terre', 'To the Holy Land.'. Away back in the Middle Ages people used to go on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and when people in the villages through which they passed asked where they were going, they would reply, “A la sainte terre,’ ‘To the Holy Land.’ And so they became known as sainte-terre-ers or saunterers. Three times in an average paragraph, Thoreau makes you wiser than you were. Thoreau and sauntering. He was usually the last man to reach camp. Posted by Peter Carey on Tuesday, October 03, 2017. 2. Email This BlogThis! - John Muir. And so they became known as sainte-terre-ers or saunterers. “And so they became known as sainte-terre-ers or saunterers. Muir and Thoreau weren't advancing a theory about etymology. John Muir, 1838 – 1914 Now these mountains are our Holy Land, and we ought to saunter through them reverently. The etymology of saunter is obscure today, as it was two centuries ago, and the word was much debated among linguists in the late 19th century. Way back in the Middle Ages people used to go on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and when people in the villages through which they passed asked where they were going, they would reply, "A la sainte terre,' 'To the Holy Land.' To which they’d respond, writes Muir, “‘A la sainte terre'” — “‘To the Holy Land. Now these mountains are our Holy Land, and we ought to saunter through them reverently, not 'hike' through them." Etymological urban legends -- specious stories of how words came to be -- are as old as Plato. Whatever your celebration or event, it would be our honor to create a special moment for you! Why? It's a beautiful word. 4 likes. Maybe Old French or Norman French. Serving Shreveport, Bossier City, Benton, and … In a world that often exchanges substance for style, our pledge is that whether your wedding or event is intimate or large, simple or fancy, we bring an unwavering commitment to the unique incorporation of those timeless elements that make a wedding or any special event meaningful—family, friends, good times, and enduring memories. It’s a beautiful word. We opened Sainte Terre with a dream and an idea…to create a place made just for weddings. Because these clever word origins never pan out. That 18th century etymology proposed by Johnson hasn't been taken seriously for more than 100 years, as far as I can detect. This is the etymology given by Samuel Johnson in his great dictionary (1755): Thoreau writes that the word saunter might have originated with those who took pilgrimages to the Holy Land, the sainted land: sainte terre. It’s a beautiful word. Do you know the origin of that word ‘saunter?’ It’s a beautiful word. We hoped to embrace the romance and reverence of what was to take place on this property - creating an experience that could be enjoyed and relished by our couples and their guests. * Why? The attitude itself is the thing that we should remember and bequeath to the future. Sainte Terre, Fremont, California. And, in the absence of evidence, one of the many theories brewed in the fog was that it came from à la sainte terre. Now these mountains are our Holy Land, and we ought to saunter through them reverently, not 'hike' through them." For us, creating unforgettable times of celebration around the blending of families is our gift. Now these mountains are our Holy Land, and we ought to saunter through them reverently, not ‘hike’ through them. Now these mountains are our Holy Land, and we ought to saunter through them reverently, not 'hike' through them.”. And so they became known as sainte-terre-ers or saunterers. Compare also Dutch drentelen ("to saunter"). We offer the best in wedding planning & decor, floral design, catering, photography and so much more! … Neither was Thoreau, neither was Johnson. Away back in the middle ages people used to go on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and when people in the villages through which they passed asked where they were going they would reply, ‘A la … Now these mountains are our Holy Land, and we ought to saunter through them reverently, not ‘hike’ through them.” John Muir . Competing theories exist: 1. [Hester Thrale, the author and diarist, who knew Johnson well, wrote of saunterers and loiterers and lingerers that Johnson "had indeed an aversion to such people amounting almost to antipathy, though he considered himself among the number, and passed his life forming and breaking resolutions of active diligence."]. An All-Inclusive Wedding and Event Venue. And so they became known as sainte-terre-ers or saunterers. That they keep spreading this one is evidence that either the ancient human need to tell just-so stories is stronger than learning and reasoning, or that the internet has corroded even the better minds that use it. Verb trant (third-person singular simple present trants, present participle tranting… folk etymology: …California Press, page 237: "He even sharked up a false or "folk" etymology in which saunter is made to derive from sainte terre, making the saunterer a crusader. Etymology unclear. Now these mountains are our Holy Land, and we ought to saunter through them reverently, not 'hike' through them." Do you know the origin of the word ‘saunter’? But the truth has to be (dis-)entangled from the falsehood which frames it, and which it accidentally legitimizes. We gather at the park entrance for opening prayer and then saunter to a beloved … He never hurried. ” — Albert W. Palmer, A Parable of Sauntering And so they became known as sainte-terre-ers or saunterers. Or perhaps from the idea of being without land ownership — sans terre — which, for him, meant having no particular home but being “equally at home everywhere.” The most probable suggestions are: Away back in the middle ages people used to go on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and when people in the villages through which they passed asked where they were going they would reply, 'A la sainte terre', 'To the Holy Land.' It's a beautiful word. While we cater to current tastes and the latest styles, we at Sainte Terre believe that there are some things that never go out of fashion. The derivation of the word has given rise to some curiously far-fetched guesses; thus it has been referred to the Holy Land, La Sainte Terre, where pilgrims lingered and loitered, or to the supposed tendency to idle propensities of those who possess no landed property. It is worth quoting at length for the magic of Thoreau's prose: "But I prefer the first, which, indeed, is the most probable derivation." 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