Here... I am trying to understand the root of the word TARANTISM and its connection with the meaning given in the post below. I know this word is related to the name of a kind of spider TARANTULA, and it also reminds me the name of a type of dance practiced in Italy, the TARANTELLA. So, in trying to know more about this word and its given meaning (who actually came up with this odd meaning?... ), I am researching it and found this on Wikipedia: TARANTISM is a form of hysteric behaviour, popularly believed to result from the bite of a kind of wolf spider called a tarantula (Lycosa tarantula). (These spiders are different from the broad class of spiders called Tarantulas.) A better candidate (as the bite of Lycosa tarantula is not in fact capable of producing significant ill effects), is Latrodectus tredecimguttatus, commonly known as the Mediterranean black widow or steppe spider, although no link between such bites and the behaviour of tarantism has ever been demonstrated. [1] However, the term historically is used to refer to a dancing mania characteristic of Southern Italy and which likely had little to do with spider bites. And there is much more to read. It is fascinating!!! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarantism
Posted on: Thu, 15 Jan 2015 19:42:38 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015